Rev. Mark H. Creech column
Rev. Mark H. Creech is Executive Director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc. He was a pastor for twenty years before taking this position, having served five different Southern Baptist churches in North Carolina and one Independent Baptist in upstate New York.

Rev. Creech is a prolific speaker and writer, and has served as a radio commentator for Christians In Action, a daily program featuring Rev. Creech's commentary on social issues from a Christian worldview.

In addition to RenewAmerica.com, his weekly editorials are featured on the Christian Action League website and Agape Press, a national Christian newswire.


Revelation Chapter 22: Getting beyond doubt, Billy Graham’s example
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 16, 2024

Say the name Billy Graham and almost everyone from around the world will know of him. His ministry is regarded as one of the most influential and . . .


Revelation Chapter 22: The urgency of now – exposing Satan’s cunning strategy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 9, 2024

There is this timeless tale, a fictitious story of strategy and urgency, set within the confines of Satan’s boardroom. The Evil One, being the cunning . . .


Revelation Chapter 22: Finding comfort in Heaven’s promise
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 3, 2024

Joseph M. Stowell, former president of Cornerstone University, recounts a compelling narrative in his book, “Eternity,” shedding light on the tragic bombing . . .


Revelation Chapter 21: A narrative of two cities, exploring the heavenly city
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 24, 2024

Few books occupy as prominent a place in literary history as Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.” It is a masterpiece of storytelling, social . . .


Revelation Chapter 21: Renewal, restoration, and a solemn warning
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 17, 2024

Urban revitalization projects are not something new, but they certainly deserve credit for making all things new in various cities worldwide. Perhaps one of the . . .


Revelation Chapter 21: Gateway to eternity
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 10, 2024

Dr. Wernher von Braun was a German-American aerospace engineer and spaceflight visionary who played a significant role in the development of rocket . . .


Revelation Chapter 20: The saddest moment in human history
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 5, 2024

In the quiet warmth of our den, I sat beside my little boy, his golden hair shimmering under the gentle afternoon sunlight pouring through our picture . . .


Revelation Chapter 20: The Golden Era and a final test
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 28, 2024

Imagine a homeless person living on the streets, struggling daily to survive with no shelter, food, or support. One day, an incredibly generous and . . .


Revelation Chapter 20: Resurrected and ruling with Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 20, 2024

Although now long out of print, “The Sunday School Times” once published an interesting story about a Christian woman who was talking with a Christian man . . .


Revelation Chapter 20: ‘The world that is not yet, but ought to be’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 13, 2024

A few years ago, I came across a tremendous sermon written by Theodore F. Adams, the late pastor of the First Baptist Church, in Richmond, Virginia. . . .


Revelation Chapter 19: The ominous shadow of Armageddon
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 6, 2024

Read or hear the word, Armageddon, and most people are struck with a sense of fear, dread, and anxiety. This is primarily due to its association with the . . .


Statement by Rev. Mark Creech on the Passing of Rev. Don Wildmon of AFA
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 29, 2023

Rev. Mark Creech, Executive Director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Don Wildmon . . .


From pain to peace: The power of forgiveness at Christmastime
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 21, 2023

While Christmas is traditionally associated with gatherings of friends and family, joy, and cheer, it can also be a season of deep pain and sadness for many. . . .


Revelation Chapter 19: The grandeur of Christ’s Return (Part 2)
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 16, 2023

Dr. Andrew Bonar recounts an episode from the 16th century when Protestantism seemed to be faltering. It was during these troubled times that John Knox received . . .


Revelation Chapter 19: The grandeur of Christ’s return (Part 1)
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 10, 2023

In the annals of world history, there were figures whose names became synonymous with hope and liberation. Their actions resonated with a people’s . . .


Revelation Chapter 19: Guarding against idolization, John’s angelic encounter
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 2, 2023

Dr. Billy Graham’s book, “Angels: God’s Secret Agents,” had an impressive sales record. By the end of 1975, even though it was only released in October, . . .


Revelation Chapter 19: The Marriage of the Lamb and the Joyous Celebration of the Bride
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 25, 2023

Marriage ceremonies are celebrated in diverse ways around the world. The institution of marriage between a man and a woman transcends cultural boundaries and . . .


Revelation Chapter 19: Homesick for heaven, lessons about the power of praise and worship
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 18, 2023

On April 10th, 1852, under the African sun, an American passed away. He was laid to rest in a remote cemetery in Tunis, Africa. Thirty-one years later, . . .


Revelation Chapter 18: Babylon, lessons in materialism and Divine justice
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 11, 2023

Imagine a large corporation that has a significant impact on a small town. To some of the town’s residents, this corporation represents job opportunities, . . .


Revelation Chapter 18: A call to God’s people, separation from Babylon
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 28, 2023

Recently I came across a compelling illustration of the kingdom of God, shared by John Hess-Yoder. Hess-Yoder had served as a missionary in Laos.  . . .


Revelation Chapter 18: Babylon and the consequences of moral decay
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 22, 2023

It was July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when representatives of thirteen American colonies gathered to declare their independence from British rule. . . .


Revelation Chapter 17: Imitation, deception, and the ultimate triumph
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 15, 2023

Han Van Meegeren, a Dutch artist and art forger, is said to have duped buyers out of as much as $30 million. He gained notoriety for his forgeries during and . . .


Revelation Chapter 17: The seductive harlot, false religion, and the worldly stage
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 7, 2023

Imagine that you are seated in a grand theatre where the stage is set for an epoch drama. The actors are preparing to take their places. You watch as the . . .


Revelation Chapter 17: Babylon revealed – A warning for today
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 30, 2023

There’s a small diner downtown where I live. They make the best hot dogs. I bellied up to the bar in front of the grill, waiting for my order while . . .


Revelation Chapter 16: A world shaken and pummeled to the ground
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 23, 2023

Within the sacred pages of Revelation chapter 16, the reader encounters a compelling portrayal of God’s incomparable power, the gravity of human defiance, the . . .


Revelation Chapter 16: When the great river runs dry
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 18, 2023

Rivers, great moving bodies of water, serve us in so many ways. They supply humanity and wildlife with water necessary for drinking, and habitat, . . .


Revelation Chapter 16: The antichrist’s throne, darkness and the inevitable downfall
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 10, 2023

Author, political activist, and lecturer Helen Keller once said, “I have often been asked, ‘Do you believe in the supernatural?’ I have said . . .


The Saga of Eli and the Greed Games
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 2, 2023

Once upon a time, in a land named Arran, which means “very wealthy,” there was a man named Eli, who was known as one of the Architects of Policy. Eli was . . .


The vanishing workforce: Unraveling mysteries behind so many ‘help wanted’ signs
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 1, 2023

Garnering considerable media attention were last year’s remarks by John Mackey, the founder of Whole Foods. Mackey criticized the younger generations, . . .


Revelation Chapter 16: When it becomes hotter on Earth than ever before
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 28, 2023

It’s certainly been hot lately – so hot even air conditioners are feeling intimidated. According to data provided by the National Centers for . . .


Revelation Chapter 16: Death and judgment upon the waters
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 19, 2023

Sarah was a hardworking college student who received an email from her professor informing her that her final project was due on Friday. The message read, “Be . . .


Revelation Chapter 16: Painful sores, the price of denying Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 13, 2023

In the book, “Is It Real When It Doesn’t Work?” authored by Doug Murren and Bob Surin, an intriguing antidote is shared. It comes from the . . .


Revelation Chapter 15: The inexorable culmination of divine retribution approaches
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 5, 2023

Throughout various wars and conflicts, military figures have indicated that victory or a resolution is close at hand. When working on finding a solution to some . . .


Revelation Chapter 14: The sickle of judgment and the grapes of wrath
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 31, 2023

In the book Meet Yourself in the Psalms, author Warren Wiersbe talks about a town in America’s era of early development where a horse bolted and ran . . .


Revelation Chapter 14: A third angel and the distinction of the ages
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 23, 2023

In today’s Western culture, the word “diversity” is referred to as a social value that people are encouraged to laud and celebrate. There is racial/ethnic . . .


Revelation Chapter 14: A second angel announces ‘Babylon is fallen’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 16, 2023

On V-E Day (Victory in Europe), May 8, 1945, President Harry S. Truman made the official announcement by radio from the White House that Germany had surrendered . . .


Revelation Chapter 14: An angel and the last call for salvation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 10, 2023

In chapter 14 of the book of Revelation, there are references to several angels performing specific actions, such as proclaiming the eternal Gospel, warning the . . .


Revelation, chapter 14: The fate of the 144,000, rejoicing on Mount Zion
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 2, 2023

In Revelation, especially chapters 11-13, the rise of evil forces in the end times is prophesied. These powerful forces, specifically the Antichrist and . . .


Sports gambling’s legalization: Nothing to celebrate with smiles or applause
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 24, 2023

Sports gambling is now legal in North Carolina. Gathered around Gov. Roy Cooper in Charlotte at the Spectrum Center, lawmakers and stakeholders smiled . . .


Revelation Chapter 13: The significance of 666 in Revelation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 18, 2023

The False Prophet, the Second Beast, rises out of the earth and has two horns like a lamb but speaks like a Dragon. He performs great signs and wonders, such as . . .


Revelation Chapter 13: The rise of the false prophet
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 4, 2023

Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton first performed the song “Anything You Can Do” in the Broadway production of “Annie Get Your Gun” in May of 1946. The . . .


Revelation Chapter 13: The Beast, persecution, and providence
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 27, 2023

In his classic book, World Aflame, the late Dr. Billy Graham shared a quote from Harper’s Magazine about a coming world ruler. The quote, a description of the . . .


Revelation Chapter 13: The activities of the Beast
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 20, 2023

Various leaders have discussed the concept of a New World Order throughout history, but it gained particular prominence in the aftermath of the Cold War. . . .


Statement on the overriding of Governor Cooper's veto of 12-week abortion bill
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 17, 2023

As I listened intently today (Tuesday, May 16, 2023) to the debate on the Senate and House floors concerning the override vote of Governor Cooper's veto of . . .


Revelation Chapter 13: The rise of the Beast
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 14, 2023

Revelation chapter 13 describes the rise of the Antichrist and his activities. It will be necessary to tarry on this subject for a while, cross-referencing this . . .


'Motherhood out of order'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 12, 2023

In his book Laugh Again, Charles Swindoll tells this fabulous story about a three-year-old, freckled-face boy in a hallway. The little guy's pajamas . . .


Revelation Chapter 12: Satan is thrown to the Earth, his war against Israel, and the tribulation saints
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 7, 2023

Somewhat like a man who loses his job because of his drunkenness, is thrown out the door by security, and afterward, in a rage, takes out his demise on the . . .


Revelation Chapter 12: A holy war Satan loses on three fronts
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 29, 2023

Most people have heard the expression “a holy war” before. Countless worldly conflicts are anything but “holy,” whether between nations or . . .


Revelation Chapter 12: A woman, a red dragon, and a baby boy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 25, 2023

Up until the start of World War I in 1914, the world had never been free of war. The only thing redeeming about this fact is war had never been universal before . . .


Revelation Chapter 11: The reign of Christ is virtually now settled
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 15, 2023

Starting with verse 14 of Revelation chapter 11, an announcement is made that the second woe has passed. The first woe of the three to which we were . . .


Seven evidences for the resurrection of Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 8, 2023

Jesus wanted people to believe in him. His words and works showed them he was worthy of their faith. He performed miracles by healing the blind, the . . .


Revelation Chapter 11: The two witnesses, faithful ministry protected by God
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 1, 2023

Perhaps one of the most treasured books in my library was written by W. Phillip Keller, titled Predators in Our Pulpits. In one chapter, Keller talks . . .


Revelation Chapter 11: The Temple and its Place in the Divine Economy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 25, 2023

We currently live in an era when temples, church buildings, and other religious edifices are mostly diminished in importance. We rightly understand God to be . . .


Revelation Chapter 10: The little book that is sweet and bitter
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 19, 2023

Many years ago, Christianity Today shared a remarkable true story about a drug-store security guard in Washington, D.C. Louie D. Hairston always kept a small . . .


Revelation Chapter 10: A mighty angel and the ‘mystery of God’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 11, 2023

An interlude is an intervening or a period of interruption, providing space or time before something continues. Chapter 6 of the Book of Revelation . . .


Revelation Chapter 9: Four unchained demons, a demonically driven army, and the unrepentant
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 4, 2023

In The Bruised Reed, Richard Sibbes asks, “Can we think that he that threw the angels out of heaven will suffer dust and worms’ meat to run a contrary . . .


Revelation Chapter 9: The pit, the smoke, and hideous demon creatures
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 25, 2023

In the spring of 1994, the Associated Press reported that Sweden’s defense ministry determined a Soviet submarine had violated Sweden’s territorial . . .


Revelation Chapter 8: The Eagle of Woes
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 17, 2023

In the book Storm Warning, the late Dr. Billy Graham writes about a group of people having a “hurricane party” before Hurricane Camille. Graham says the . . .


Revelation Chapter 8: Trumpets announce something bad is about to happen
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 13, 2023

These are times of significant anxiety. Every day tens of thousands of people feel like something bad is about to happen. This free-floating worry is vague and . . .


Revelation Chapter 8: Silence in Heaven?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 6, 2023

Revelation chapters 6-19 describe the Tribulation period during the end times. After the Church is taken out of the world in what might be called the first . . .


Big AL revisited: John Locke program shows driving force behind push to deregulate alcohol policies
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 5, 2023

Written by L.A. Williams, an associate of Rev. Mark Creech An hour-long telecast critical of the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control System released Monday . . .


Revelation Chapter 7: The Jewish evangelists who will win countless people to Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 28, 2023

Actor, filmmaker, and liberal activist Rob Reiner once said, “I think Jews are the smartest people in the world.” For once, I agree with him. My . . .


Revelation Chapter 7: It’s not what’s behind the weather, but who
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 22, 2023

Historian and International Affairs Specialists Arnold Toynbee once said, “The fundamental need of our world today is a rebirth of belief in the supernatural. . . .


Revelation Chapter 6: A shattered universe and a time of unprecedented terror
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 14, 2023

Recently, there was an article in the New York Post titled: Nostradamus Predictions for 2023: An Antichrist Arrives, World War III and the Monarchy Dies. The . . .


Revelation Chapter 6: Persecution and ‘the blood of the Martyrs’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 8, 2023

During the early years of Christian martyrdom (between the 2nd and 5th centuries BCE), Christians fled by the thousands into underground caverns outside of Rome . . .


Revelation Chapter 6: The rider death on a corpse-colored horse, with hell following after him
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 28, 2022

Recorded in the book of Exodus is the true story of how God judged Egypt and set the Hebrews free from slavery. God sent disaster and pestilence. The land . . .


Author of classic masterpiece convinced after researching the Bible and the three wise men
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 25, 2022

It was published in November of 1880 and was considered the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century. It was a best-selling novel and . . .


Revelation Chapter 6: The rider on a black horse brings hunger
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 19, 2022

Winnie Byanyima, Ugandan politician, human rights activist, and diplomat, said: “Conflict and callous politics drive famine.” Famine is intense . . .


Revelation Chapter 6: The rider on the blood-red horse takes away peace
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 10, 2022

According to a recent Pew Research Survey, in the U.S., 39 percent of people believe “we are living in the end times.” Most people in America, . . .


Revelation Chapter 6: The deceptive rider on the white horse
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 3, 2022

Some argue that no one has ever gone to heaven and come back to tell us what they saw, but evidently, that’s what happened to the apostle John. In chapters . . .


Rev. Mark Creech issues statement on Senate passage of ‘Respect for Marriage Act’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 29, 2022

I remember that kick-in-the-gut feeling I had when, after more than 12 years of my own sweat and toil to preserve marriage in this state as one man and woman, . . .


Me, Mother Teresa, and her profound words about the practice of abortion
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 25, 2022

In 1995, I joined a group of Christian theologians to teach Christian pastors in Calcutta, India. Knowing Mother Teresa and her ministry, The Missionaries of . . .


Revelation Chapter 5: Seven horns and seven eyes
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 19, 2022

Over sixty years ago, the Soviets made their first space journey around the globe. Atheistic cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin returned puffed-up with pride, boasting,  . . .


Revelation Chapter 5: Who is worthy of the earth’s title deed?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 12, 2022

In 2019, Time did a story about the sad plight of small American farmers, saying the family farm is being threatened on every side. It’s been thrashed by . . .


Revelation Chapter 4: Worship and the four creatures before God’s throne
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 4, 2022

The late Dr. Billy Graham, the worldwide renowned Christian evangelist, asked, “What is heaven? It’s the home that God created, and he possesses. . . .


Why I won’t vote for a Democrat this election
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 28, 2022

By the time most people have read this article, there will be less than ten days before the mid-term elections. Early voting started in North Carolina on . . .


Revelation Chapter 4: Seven torches and a sea of glass
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 22, 2022

D. Martin Lloyd Jones, the famed Welsh-English theologian and preacher, said: “Nothing is more dangerous than to put a wedge between the Word and the Spirit, . . .


Revelation Chapter 4: Will there be gradations, rank, a higher existence for some in heaven?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 15, 2022

A Jewish legend says that during the great famine in Canaan, Joseph, while second to Pharoah in Egypt, ordered his officers to throw wheat and chaff upon the . . .


Revelation Chapter 4: The destruction of our planet and an Emerald Rainbow
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 8, 2022

The Rainbow is unquestionably a phenomenon of nature with incomparable splendor. As Kyle Hill, the science communicator and educator, said, “A rainbow is the . . .


Revelation Chapter 4: The government of God
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 30, 2022

In recent years, some fantastic stories have been told by people who literally died, stepped into eternity, and later lived to talk about it. There have . . .


Revelation Chapter 4: The Rapture question
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 24, 2022

C. S. Lewis wrote, “The doctrine of the second coming has failed, so far as we are concerned, if it does not make us realize that at every moment of every . . .


Revelation Chapter 3: The church that was neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 17, 2022

Jesus’ final letter to the seven churches of Revelation is to the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22). The city’s name means “the rights of the people . . .


Revelation Chapter 3: The church that was frail, but was fabulous
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 11, 2022

One of the finest speeches ever delivered by an American President was given on June 26, 1963, in West Berlin. Less than two years earlier, East Germany had . . .


Disappointing: The National Association of Evangelicals urges evangelicals to help remedy climate change
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 4, 2022

The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) just released a report on global climate change, arguing environmental activism has the support of the . . .


Revelation Chapter 3: The church said to be ‘alive,’ but was ‘dead’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 2, 2022

John Phillips, in Exploring Revelation, tells a cute story about a little girl who was required to take her birth certificate to school but lost it on the way. . . .


Revelation Chapter 2: The Church with many good works, but tolerated Jezebel
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 27, 2022

Our Lord Jesus Christ sent his fourth letter recorded in the book of Revelation to the Church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29). Thyatira was a union city . . .


Revelation Chapter 2: The church that couldn’t be demolished from without, but was devastated from within
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 19, 2022

Christian Cynosure said, “Some folks take up religion as a kind of insurance against hell – and then are not willing to pay the premiums.” Salvation is . . .


Revelation Chapter 2: The Church that was crushed and beaten, but had a fragrant testimony
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 13, 2022

Smyrna was a city in the Roman province of Asia. It became a prosperous city famous for its wealth, beauty, and magnificent public buildings. The second . . .


Revelation Chapter 2: The church that stood for what is right, but needed love
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 6, 2022

H.A. Ironside said concerning the book of Revelation: We need this book in order to judge aright the various movements that are going on now. For . . .


Revelation Chapter 1: ‘The one who is, who was, and who is coming’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 30, 2022

Not long ago, I finished reading through the entire Bible again. Of course, I finished in the book of Revelation. The experience of reading “The . . .


Revelation Chapter 5: In the end, will the redeemed outnumber the lost?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 22, 2022

Chapter 5 of the book of Revelation gives the account of St. John’s visualization of a tremendous futuristic throng of people worshipping in heaven. In the . . .


Is the Bible silent on the challenging social questions of our day?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 9, 2022

It’s been said that “silence is golden.” Is this always true? – especially when something desperately needs to be said – especially when we . . .


Freedom: From whence it comes and its true nature
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 1, 2022

Freedom. We love it. We’re jealous and protective of it. We demand it. We’ll fight to defend it. Still, few people know from whence it comes or its . . .


Statement on overturning of Roe v. Wade
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 24, 2022

Today, June 24, 2022 – a day that will live in dignity – the United States Supreme Court overturned the infamous landmark decisions of Roe v. Wade and . . .


The ultimate responsibility of a father
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 18, 2022

Years ago, as part of one of his sermons on fatherhood, Dr. George Sweeting said that a job description for a father might read something like this: “The . . .


Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson rebukes ‘wussification’ of manhood
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 10, 2022

North Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor, Mark Robinson, has stirred controversy again. For some, his words were apocalyptic, like an earthquake, and the sun . . .


Medical marijuana NC Senate vote: Based on facts or emotion?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 4, 2022

By a vote of 35-10, the North Carolina Senate approved SB 711 – N.C. Compassionate Care Act on Thursday – a measure that would make so-called medicinal . . .


The right response to school shootings and the upsurge of violence
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 29, 2022

Uvalde – one wonders whether most people would even know how to pronounce the city’s name if they hadn’t heard it so often in the news media . . .


Hearts and minds dulled by alcohol less able to decide for Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 21, 2022

I stopped at an old country store many years ago to purchase some gas and a snack. While there, I took the occasion to share the Gospel with a man. I . . .


Do you believe in miracles?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 13, 2022

Chuck Swindoll, a marvelous Christian pastor, writer, educator, and radio preacher, tells a humorous story about a young boy who rushed out of his . . .


A mother's role profound, beyond estimate
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 8, 2022

There is a book I came upon years ago simply titled Mothers. The volume gives short biographies of the mothers of one hundred prominent men and women of . . .


Biased authors of slanted new study say people who disbelieve evolution more bigoted, racist
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 30, 2022

The unbelievable title was plastered across the top of MSN (Microsoft Network). It read: People Who Reject the Theory of Human Evolution Tend to Have . . .


The true nature of freedom and the necessary means for sustaining it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 23, 2022

Some people today see freedom as that state or condition in which the individual is released from all restraints, free from any suggestions of moral guilt or an . . .


Why I’m still unvaccinated for COVID
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 15, 2022

Those who follow my columns know that I haven’t addressed the issue of COVID vaccines, whether to get them or not. Exemplary Christian leaders have . . .


‘There should be no prohibitions on vice,’ they claim. Really?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 8, 2022

Vice might be defined as something that negatively impacts one’s behavior patterns so as to not only make one a detriment to themselves, but also to others.  . . .


A preacher's musings about the Oscar slap flap
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 2, 2022

It seems everyone is talking about the Oscar slap flap. But not too many preachers have weighed in on the incident. Here's my wading into its treacherous waters . . .


Former UNC basketball player demonstrates need to ‘separate’ from worldly values
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 25, 2022

Various Christian media outlets have been sharing this week the story of Leah Church, a young woman who played basketball for the University of North Carolina, . . .


Abortion: How inhuman are we willing to become?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 18, 2022

Sometimes Christians think there is never a reason to be fearful or angry. But not all fear is bad; some fears are helpful. The child afraid of running . . .


Andy Stanley's Tweet about the Bible seductive and harmful
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 11, 2022

The recent now-deleted tweet by Andy Stanley, son of famed pastor emeritus of the First Baptist Church, Atlanta, read: The Christian faith doesn't rise and . . .


Medical marijuana? Compassion? Balderdash!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 4, 2022

Narconon Ojai, a center located in California which helps people overcome their addiction to alcohol and other drugs, tells Andy's story on their website.  . . .


Ukraine, Bible Prophecy, and the return of Jesus Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 25, 2022

Everyone is watching what is now transpiring in Ukraine. It's somewhat reminiscent of historical events that preceded World War II. Led by despot Vladimir Putin . . .


Is it a sin to buy a lottery ticket, make a sports bet, spend a little at the casino?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 18, 2022

Is it a sin to buy a lottery ticket? What about making a bet at a casino – so long as it's a budgeted amount of money and made responsibly? How about dropping . . .


The calloused response of North Carolina leadership
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 11, 2022

One may often wonder what happened to deprive this country of distinguished leadership. Finding a great leader now seems as hopeless as Diogenes the Cynic's . . .


What many women desperately need to hear from the pulpit
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 4, 2022

It was “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday” at this church; I was a guest speaker for the morning worship. The pastor invited me to come and preach on . . .


Salutary effects of drinking are starting to change
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 28, 2022

My pastor friend is an excellent and faithful leader. We grew up together and graduated from the same high school. He pastored a well-known and historic . . .


The travesty of unwanted children
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 22, 2022

In More Than Just a Game, legendary Former Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden claimed he was sitting in church with his wife and their six children . . .


Racism: 'Only one is precious in his sight'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 14, 2022

Race and racism are closely related, but very different in their meaning, said John Suk, in Creation and/or Evolution. Race describes a certain kind of . . .


Can you hear the voice of God?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 8, 2022

You may have heard the story about the young priest who was playing golf alone one day when he approached the fifth tee. Between him and the green was a . . .


It's later than it's ever been before
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 30, 2021

America's beloved comedian, the late Milton Berle, once told this story: The Emersons lived down the block from the church. At two in the morning . . .


The unique contribution of Christianity to the world: 'Grace'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 22, 2021

In What's So Amazing About Grace, author Philip Yancey tells the story of a conference held in England on comparative religions. A debate broke out . . .


Alcohol and the holidays: Called to 'intemperance'?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 19, 2021

Christmas and New Year celebrations pose, for many, a significant risk for problematic drinking. The results can be disastrous.  . . .


Patches, the cat, and Christmas Eve
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 10, 2021

Growing up at my house, Christmas was exceedingly special. On Christmas Eve, everyone in the family came together to exchange gifts. Present were Mama . . .


The value of the ordinary life – the ordinary American
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 3, 2021

In a sermon about Isaac, Abraham’s son, Brian L. Harbor sited a book that Malcomb Forbes wrote in 1990 titled What Happened to Their Kids? It’s a . . .


Demonstrating gratitude despite atrocious circumstances and difficult people is a tall order
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 23, 2021

The apostle Paul is rightly lauded today as someone whose influence on Christianity was second only to Jesus himself. For the sake of the Gospel, his . . .


This nation was turned around once before. Can it happen again?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 19, 2021

Tyranny not only robs people of their God-given rights, but the fight against it can result in an unreasonable revolt against even the shadow of . . .


The suicidal state of mind: More people in NC take their own lives than die from homicide
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 12, 2021

In a recent report, Ali Ingersoll, an investigative data journalist for WRAL News, said that more than 7,000 North Carolinians committed suicide between . . .


Dust off the Bible and read it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 5, 2021

Knowing me to be a minister, a friend recently asked me about the expression "The Patience of Job." She said, "You know, some people will say that . . .


Hell is a real place of horrors
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 29, 2021

Peter Cartwright was a nineteenth-century, circuit-riding Methodist preacher known for being an uncompromising individual. One Sunday morning, he was apprised . . .


Is discrimination always wrong?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 22, 2021

Today there doesn't seem to be anything considered more inappropriate or reprehensible than discrimination. But there are two meanings to the word  . . .


Since prophecy predicts things will get worse, why engage the culture?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 15, 2021

There are many reasons pastors and other Christians offer for avoiding politics and other forms of cultural engagement, but one I find particularly annoying is . . .


Resistance by NC GOP lawmakers to gambling morphing: Do Christians share the blame?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 1, 2021

It has been a startling evolution to witness in North Carolina. Republican lawmakers, long-standing friends of Christian values, are now touting for increased . . .


Republicans, voter integrity, and hypocrisy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 25, 2021

In the 1990s, Reuters News reported on a steer named Husker, who weighed in at 1,190 pounds, and was named grand champion at the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo . . .


A widespread myth and a dangerous claim
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 27, 2021

Just before the North Carolina Senate passed a bill that would legalize sports betting in the Tar Heel state, Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir), the legislation . . .


The religion of victimology
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 20, 2021

After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God came calling for them in the Garden. God knew what they had done, but he allowed them an opportunity to take . . .


The conscience bears witness
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 13, 2021

Now and then, we read in the news about some fellow who has a fit of conscience and confesses to a cold case crime. A 2012 story in HuffPost reported that . . .


Are Southern Baptists about to miss another exceptional opportunity?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 6, 2021

Someone once said, "Be grateful for the doors of opportunity – and for friends who oil the hinges." That's how I feel about a recent magnanimous offer made . . .


Cracker Barrel: No apple pie, but they got booze
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 28, 2021

If you've been to Cracker Barrel lately, you might have noticed something new and different on the menu – alcohol. Recently, my wife Kim and I went . . .


Drowning in a cesspool of profanity
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 16, 2021

While at the grocery store this week, a woman was ahead of me in the checkout line using the word, "Mother F&*#@%." To the left of me, in another line, was a . . .


State lawmakers may be ready to let a venomous snake out of containment
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 10, 2021

Last week, a venomous spitting zebra cobra escaped from a home in Raleigh. The snake was later spotted on the porch of a house about a half-mile from the . . .


Our Republic: Can we keep it? So far, we’re losing it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 2, 2021

The story has been told and retold. It’s been said that Benjamin Franklin had just walked outside of Independence Hall after the Constitutional . . .


The fear of father and the fear of God
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 19, 2021

William Ellery Channing once wrote, “Erase all thought and fear of God from a community, and selfishness and sensuality would trample in scorn on the . . .


Why so many empty churches? A reminder and warning for Southern Baptists
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 11, 2021

In my hometown, prominently sitting high on a hill, is an old and empty Episcopal church. No one attends there anymore. It's a historical edifice, which serves . . .


Memorial Day: Home of the brave
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 29, 2021

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave," said Elmer Davis, the director of the United States Office . . .


A minister’s musings on failed political leadership
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 21, 2021

If ever there was an example of breach of the public trust, if ever there was a demonstration of political leadership’s shortcomings, it was President Richard . . .


President Biden’s National Proclamation of Prayer to no God
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 15, 2021

During last week’s National Day of Prayer, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation that spoke of the “power of prayer” and urged Americans to  . . .


Raising children: Our designs, God’s designs, and what parents learn about themselves
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 7, 2021

Most doting parents have grand ambitions for their children, like the mother who was asked about her two kids in elementary school and answered: “The . . .


Gov. Roy Cooper's failure to acknowledge black Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, and what it means
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 30, 2021

When North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper gave his State of the State speech to a joint session of the General Assembly on Monday, April 26, it was a historic . . .


Statement on Apple coming to RTP, thoughts on HB 2, and a word to Governor Roy Cooper
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 27, 2021

Today, lawmakers and the Governor celebrate the promise of Apple’s plans to invest more than $1 billion in North Carolina and build a new campus in . . .


A sign from heaven pointing to the Bible?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 24, 2021

According to WRAL News, officials responded to a car fire at an apartment complex in Raleigh, North Carolina, around 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday (April 20). A . . .


What about those high-profile Christians who renounced their faith?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 16, 2021

It's more than disturbing lately to hear of so many prominent Christian personalities turning from the faith. It seems as though it's becoming a regular . . .


It's still a big deal, and for me it's personal
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 9, 2021

A friend of mine, who is an attorney, recently sent me an email saying that he had been reading the Christian classic In His Steps. He was given the . . .


Is the church dying out?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 1, 2021

This week the Washington Post reported on a Gallup poll that says church membership has fallen below the majority in America for the first time. In 2020 . . .


Pastor: The message of the Cross is an offense and the fear of man a snare
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 27, 2021

While attending a luncheon hosted by the American Renewal Project, I was privileged to hear Ken Graves, pastor of Calvary Chapel in Bangor, Maine. Graves and . . .


On anger and judgment
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 19, 2021

Best known for her part in the 90s film "Clueless," actress and former Fox News commentator Stacey Dash recently announced she was stepping away from politics. . . .


'None so blind as those who will not see'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 12, 2021

You have heard the phrase "There are none so blind as those who will not see." The expression is not in the Bible, but Jesus did state the principle . . .


Little lives matter
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 5, 2021

It's been approximately six months since Cannon Hinnant was gun downed in Wilson, North Carolina. The five-year-old boy, innocent as a lamb, was shot in . . .


‘The Christian religion is too restrictive’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 26, 2021

There are few charges more often leveled against the Christian religion than those that claim it’s too restrictive. It stifles passions that are innate and . . .


About Sen. Burr's vote to convict former President Donald Trump
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 19, 2021

Several years ago, the U.S. Senate took up the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a policy that allowed gays, lesbians, and bisexuals to serve . . .


God's 'yes' signs are becoming 'no' signs
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 12, 2021

I once read a story about a father who was walking down the road with his son when the boy asked, "Dad, do you suppose anywhere in the world there is a . . .


The state schools' social studies standards and the evil they pose, as I see it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 6, 2021

The North Carolina State Board of Education voted 7-5 on Thursday to move forward with new social studies standards that over 30,000 people in the state signed . . .


For all the Norma Jeans of the world
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 29, 2021

Recently I came across a fascinating story about Norma Jean Mortenson, as told by Father John Powell, a Jesuit priest and author. "Norma Jean . . .


Abortion: 'Once to every man and nation'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 22, 2021

James Russell Lowell was a tremendous American poet, who also served as the editor of The Atlantic Monthly and an American diplomat. When he was only twenty-six . . .


A prayer for the president and vice president of the United States and their administration, for justice, peace, and freedom
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 20, 2021

O God, only your kingdom is everlasting and your power infinite. Your Word tells us that you plant, uproot, and tear down the nations as you will. . . .


COVID lockdown policies create a leper-type society
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 15, 2021

In the 1980s, I made three trips to India as a short-term missionary. During one of these trips, I spoke at a leper colony where people were separated . . .


Civil War era preacher admonishes Christians to work for peace
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 8, 2021

Franklin Graham was right when he recently posted on his Facebook page that “the division in our country is as great as any time since the Civil War.” The . . .


Where does forgiveness live in our society?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 1, 2021

According to the Associated Press, actor Bryan Cranston, best known for playing Walter White on the series Breaking Bad, says he hopes that in 2021 Americans . . .


Why Christmas is so important, especially in a year like 2020
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 24, 2020

When I was a youngster, during Christmastime, my Dad would set a small table in the foyer by the front door of our house. On the table, dressed in greenery, was . . .


Virginia governor: No government should diminish what God's economy freely affords
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 18, 2020

I live in the Tar Heel state, the great state of North Carolina. My wife, Kim, hails from Norfolk, Virginia. So over our 41 years of marriage, I've come . . .


It's Not Enough to Be Sorry
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 14, 2020

Lillian Pearsall says that a customer talked overtime on a long-distance call from a pay telephone booth when she was a telephone operator several years ago. . . .


UNCW senate faculty censures chancellor: Hope he fares better than Mike Adams
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 12, 2020

The Faculty Senate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) voted to censure Chancellor Jose Sartarelli on Tuesday. A censure is the worst charge . . .


'Churches should suspend services during pandemic.' I respectfully dissent!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 4, 2020

For the last few months, I've been on the telephone with hundreds of pastors, asking them how their churches are navigating the Coronavirus Crisis. The stories . . .


Coups in America? Surely not!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 2, 2020

I realize that the election isn’t over, but it isn’t looking good for President Trump. Let me say something about that. Despite all of the investigations of . . .


Bowed but not broken under a wintry blast
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 27, 2020

His writing ministry is not well-known, but the late Crate Jones, who was from Durham, N.C., once moved Ruth Bell Graham to say that there were few . . .


Thanksgiving and the old, wet, bare rooster
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 26, 2020

Several years ago, in the Pentecostal Evangel, J.K. Gressett wrote about an agriculturist named Samuel S. Scull, who lived on a farm in Arizona. This is part . . .


The pandemic and the fear of death
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 21, 2020

Peggy Noonan, a former correspondent for CBS News and a speechwriter for Presidents Reagan and Bush, once said . . .


Is alcohol making a mockery of clergy?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 13, 2020

It’s strange how we can hear a Scripture passage for years and fail to experience the full import of its meaning. We may have a cursory understanding . . .


The parable of the wicked husband
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 10, 2020

There once was a man who hated his wife. He nit-picked everything she ever did. He had friends to spy on her. With the help of others, he continuously plotted . . .


Thankful the president isn't just 'taking his lumps,' but fighting
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 6, 2020

Joe Godfrey, executive director of the Alabama Citizen's Action Program (ALCAP), is a good friend of mine. Like half the country, Godfrey is troubled over what . . .


Time to vote: What's it going to be, blessing or cursing?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 1, 2020

This election, with its myriad of issues to navigate, poses a tough choice for some Christians. For me, however, there's a way of simplifying the matter . . .


The political choice in front of us is either Christ or chaos
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 16, 2020

During the early nineties, the leaning Tower of Pisa started to lean too far. So engineers designed a plan to salvage the twelfth-century landmark from toppling . . .


Sexual impurity still matters
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 9, 2020

The U.S. Senate race to represent North Carolina between Cal Cunningham (D) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R) took an unexpected turn when it was revealed that . . .


Embarrassed by Trump’s debate performance? Don’t be!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 2, 2020

Most of us thought that the debate between President Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden would include fireworks. Still, few of us anticipated the cage fight . . .


Has the nation gone crazy?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 18, 2020

Do you ever think America has gone crazy – that too many now have bats in their belfry; that much of our leadership has lost its way with no true . . .


Pastor, stand up or shut up. This is no time for neutrality!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 11, 2020

In an egregious ruling by the L.A. Superior Court, Grace Community Church, where John MacArthur pastors, is now prohibited from “conducting, . . .


The false hope of socialism: Why it can never succeed
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 4, 2020

In her Princeton undergraduate thesis, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan wrote ten years ago: Through its own internal feuding…the SP  . . .


Mental health data during COVID-19 alarming, but there can be peace
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 29, 2020

According to recent data, the coronavirus crisis is taking a tremendous toll on people’s mental health. That’s certainly to be expected in an . . .


The murder of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant, the media, and the truth
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 22, 2020

His mother described him as having the most prominent eyes and smile. He “touched everybody he knew,” she said. She hopes his death will somehow . . .


Survey reveals most church members hope to get into heaven by being good enough
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 14, 2020

The late and renowned evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham, once said: “There are many who sit in churches week after week, year after year, without hearing . . .


Burning Bibles is like wishing away hope
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 8, 2020

In their book, What If the Bible Had Never Been Written, the late Dr. D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe wrote: The impact of the Bible on our culture, on . . .


Mike Adams: The fault lies with those who make up the audience
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 31, 2020

Back in 1967, there occurred a raging furor over remarks made by an Episcopalian rector, Dr. Cotesworth Pinckney Lewis. Lewis was then serving at Bruton . . .


The good providence of God toward Black Americans
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 24, 2020

Perhaps one of the most moving texts in the whole Bible is Genesis 50:20, where Joseph says to his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against . . .


Corporate public worship is a must, even during a pandemic
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 18, 2020

One of the most significant passages of Scripture is one in which Luke calls attention to a habitual practice of Jesus. Luke says that when our Lord came to . . .


The disparagement of Christopher Columbus and an ‘insidious coup’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 10, 2020

On July 1, a statue of Christopher Columbus is removed from Columbus City Hall in Ohio, where it had been for more than sixty years. July 4, a statue in . . .


Long live the Declaration of Independence!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 3, 2020

In his fascinating book Takedown: From Communists to Progressives, How the Left Has Sabotaged Family and Marriage, Paul Kengor introduces his readers to . . .


Is violence the way to advance racial justice in America?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 27, 2020

There is violence throughout our land, and most of it in the name of eradicating racism. Any statue with the slightest perception of some racist . . .


Father's Day: One of the holiest days of the year
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 20, 2020

A second-grade class was asked to write about their personal heroes. A father of one of the girls in the class was surprised and flattered to discover . . .


Disband the police: Has it really come to this?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 12, 2020

When I heard the city of Minneapolis was pledging to disband its police department in the wake of George Floyd’s outrageous and unfortunate death, I . . .


So, let us pray
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 5, 2020

Martin Luther once said, “None can believe how powerful prayer is, and what it is able to effect, but those who have learned it by experience.” All that . . .


Mama, why don’t they love God?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 2, 2020

The Facebook posts that ran across my thread said, “Anyone feeling like we’re back in the 60s again?” I was just a boy during the sixties, but I . . .


‘And we should shrink from sacrificing a few hundred thousand?’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 30, 2020

In his classic work, Christianity and Communism, which was first printed in 1948 and later revised in 1960, Christian social ethicist John C. Bennett . . .


Patriotism, war, Christianity, and Memorial Day
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 23, 2020

One of my favorite quotes is by Benjamin Rush, who once shared his thoughts on patriotism as a moral and religious duty. Rush said:  . . .


These preachers disgust me
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 18, 2020

Sometimes I get perplexed, frustrated, and disgusted at some church leaders. It seems an injustice to both the church and society that they have the platform . . .


Those government loans for churches: ‘Warning, warning, warning, Will Robinson’
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 8, 2020

The headline from CBS News reads, “More than 12,000 Catholic Churches in the U.S. Applied for PPP Loans – and 9,000 Got Them.” The same story also reports . . .


My friend, former Senator Tony Rand
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 2, 2020

Former state Senator Tony Rand, a political legend in North Carolina, passed away Friday morning. In its headline, the Raleigh News and Observer rightly . . .


My vision a year ago of the current coronavirus crisis
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 24, 2020

Many who know me, and regularly follow my writings, remember a report from me about a health scare that I suffered in July of last year. After finishing . . .


Why the Christian Action League has not called on the governor to close the ABC stores
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 13, 2020

It may sound a bit hyperbolic to say that alcohol policy is some of the most complicated legislation lawmakers consider, but the statement is not an . . .


Are churches living between Easter and Pentecost?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 10, 2020

American Methodist missionary to India and global evangelist, E. Stanley Jones, once contended that he thought the church of his day was "living between . . .


Jesus the King: Model for exemplary political leadership
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 3, 2020

Most have seen the newsreels of the ticker-tape parades of yesteryear, with the president of the United States, a war hero, or an astronaut as its grand . . .


The way gambling serves as a substitute for true religion
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 28, 2020

The Oxford Dictionary defines religion as "belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power... a particular system of faith... a pursuit or interest to . . .


Prayers for use during the COVID-19 crisis
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 27, 2020

Our country has entered the place of the unknown, unchartered territory. We need wisdom, strength, and hope for the days ahead. God knows our comings and . . .


Could we miss a message from God in the COVID-19 crisis?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 20, 2020

There is a concern of more considerable significance than any of those commonly gleaned from the current coronavirus crisis. It is the possibility that a . . .


Coronavirus fears: The fear of death and judgment
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 13, 2020

Coronavirus fears are intense. USA Today Health reports, "As the number of confirmed cases grows, so too does the nation's collective uncertainty. Psychologists . . .


Socialism: Lipstick on a pig
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 6, 2020

During the 1980s, North Carolina's U.S. Senator, the late Jesse Helms, wrote an interesting article about America's drift from her religious and political . . .


Churches making profound statement by flying Christian flag over American flag
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 29, 2020

West Asheville Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, prominently flies the Christian flag above the American flag. When asked about it, Stan Welch, the . . .


Courageous preachers serve as the nation's conscience
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 21, 2020

More than thirty years ago, Christian author W. Phillip Keller, in his book Predators in our Pulpits, wrote an indictment of most preachers today. He . . .


Do we need another 'Stop Cursing Campaign?'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 13, 2020

A few weeks ago, an antique dealer pulled me aside at his place of business and said, "I've got something special you ought to see." He then showed me two . . .


The great American divide and our loss of national identity
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 7, 2020

A few months ago, I was reading from my signed copy of W. A. Swanberg's biography, "First Blood: The Story of Fort Sumter." It's a marvelous account of . . .


About elitists, rednecks, uneducated buffoons, bigots, and deplorables
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 31, 2020

Recently, I attended a worship service in a small rural church in North Carolina with a segment of our country's citizens, who, by the standards of many today, . . .


N.C. lt. governor's remarks on race and abortion garner contempt, but he was right
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 24, 2020

On MLK Jr. Day, N.C. gubernatorial candidate, N.C. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest (R), spoke at the predominantly black church, the Upper Room Church of God in Christ . . .


Providence, Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, and Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 17, 2020

It seems providential that Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, January 19th, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 20th, fall so close together. Both days . . .


North Carolina General Assembly must do more to protect churches from mass shooters
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 11, 2020

After a gunman opened fire in the West Freeway Church of Christ during a worship service last month, the Associated Press noted that 2019 was "one of the . . .


Judicial tyranny: It has to stop!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 3, 2020

Thomas Jefferson said, "Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations . . .


Glory to God in the highest: Let's booze it up
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 27, 2019

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill . . .


Impeachment: It's really not about Trump
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 21, 2019

Wednesday, December 18th, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. After hours of . . .


Don't be the prodigal son or the elder brother
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 14, 2019

Perhaps the most sublime of Jesus' parables is the one about the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Wanting to get away from home and spread his wings, a young . . .


Something neither Michael Bloomberg nor anyone else can ever buy or earn
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 8, 2019

A couple of weeks ago, Michael Bloomberg announced he was entering the race to become the next Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 2020 . . .


Having a grateful heart
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 25, 2019

The Psalmist admonished, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name" (Psalm 103:1). "The Bible is like a melodious . . .


HRC rates NC below national average and that's a good thing
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 22, 2019

This week the Human Rights Campaign, which touts itself as the "nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization . . .


Southern LGBTQ health survey's alarming statistics raise serious question
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 15, 2019

A couple of weeks ago, the Campaign for Southern Equality, in partnership with Western NC Community Health Services, released results from their 2019 Southern . . .


Eleven thousand scientists say population control necessary response to 'climate emergency'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 8, 2019

"Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat to 'tell it like it is.' On the basis of this obligation and the . . .


Christian Evangelicals want to make U.S. a theocracy: True or false?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 1, 2019

In May, Americans United (AU) for the Separation of Church and State highlighted a poll conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding in . . .


A common trait of soaring sexual assaults at UNC: Alcohol
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 26, 2019

It was several years ago when the young woman confided in me. In a pastoral capacity, I listened as she told a sordid story involving a party with friends. . . .


Atheist's ad: Placement, time, and significance speaks volumes
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 18, 2019

Did you see that ad, the one that ran during the commercial break of the last Democratic debate? It featured Ron Reagan, the son of former President Ronald . . .


Rabid leftists want to end tax-exempt status for churches
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 11, 2019

Thursday, at a CNN Townhall meeting hosted by Don Lemon, Lemon asked Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, "Do you think that religious institutions . . .


President Trump, religious liberty, and international climate policy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 4, 2019

A couple of weeks ago, President Trump hosted the first meeting on religious freedom at the United Nations, calling on nations from across the globe to end . . .


The Constitution and the legalization of marijuana
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 28, 2019

Only just a few days ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure which protects banks that want to work with legal marijuana businesses. The . . .


For pastors depressed and suicidal, and the parishioners bewildered by them
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 21, 2019

In recent years, it's alarming the number of pastors who have taken their own lives in suicide. Now there's been another. Megachurch associate pastor . . .


Constructive criticism for SBC President, J.D. Greear, on homosexual sin
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 14, 2019

J.D. Greear is the pastor of Summit Church in Durham and the current president of the largest Protestant denomination in America. He is a fellow North . . .


I overheard the lawmaker say...
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 6, 2019

I am a registered lobbyist for the Christian Action League in the North Carolina General Assembly. The following thoughts stem from an experience I had this . . .


The vital role of encouragement
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 30, 2019

There is a story (supposedly true) concerning a preacher who read about a character in the Gospels called "Simon the Leaper." He imagined all sorts of . . .


Gov. Cooper vetoes ICE bill: Is he acting worse than an infidel?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 23, 2019

Only a few days ago, North Carolina's Governor Roy Cooper vetoed HB 370 – An Act to Require Compliance with Immigration Detainers and Administrative . . .


Why are so many Americans ready to trade away their freedom?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 19, 2019

According to Governing, during the last election Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed 40 winning candidates at the state, county, and municipal . . .


The real source of poverty and income inequality
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 9, 2019

A prominent CEO in real estate services and investment management, a business leader and tremendous philanthropist in Raleigh, North Carolina, posted . . .


Churches and politics: 'Doesn't fit their vision'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 4, 2019

Summer months for the Christian Action League of North Carolina can be fiscally challenging. It's the period when contributions are the lowest. As the League . . .


A voice from Civil War days and God's judgment
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 27, 2019

It's a fantastic eye-opener from the past revealing our current condition. The language is lofty and somewhat cumbersome for today's readers. And in a few . . .


The coming of persecution for Christian Americans
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 19, 2019

This week the Washington Examiner reported that Pastor Andrew Brunson said he was "astounded at the speed with which the U.S. is imploding" and that he . . .


It should be called 'Declaration of Independence Day'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 3, 2019

July 4th – it is the main national holiday of the United States. We call it Independence Day. Alan Keyes, former ambassador during Reagan days and . . .


Are you keepin' em straight in Raleigh?'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 29, 2019

As a clergyman and registered lobbyist in the North Carolina General Assembly for the Christian Action League, a question put to me over and again in my . . .


Don't ignore God. There is a hell!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 22, 2019

There is a matter that somewhat afflicts my spirit every day. It is the observation that so many of the people with whom I associate hardly ever give God a . . .


Two things I remember most about my father
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 16, 2019

The observance of Father's Day was initiated by a grateful daughter, Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. Her father, Henry Jackson Smart, had raised . . .


Have you really given your heart to God?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 11, 2019

Many years ago, the late Dr. Billy Graham was on an airplane. He was sitting behind a drunken man who was flirting with the flight attendants, using . . .


When there is uncertainty, the benefit of the doubt should be given to life
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 6, 2019

Unfortunately, on Wednesday, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivor's Protection Act did not secure enough votes in the N.C. House to override Governor Roy Cooper's . . .


'War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.' Really?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 24, 2019

On my commute home after a long day, the 1970s hit song "War" by Edwin Starr came over my Serius radio station. I can remember passionately singing its . . .


Christianity, NC, the Mecklenburg Resolves, and freedom
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 17, 2019

Rev. Benjamin Morris was a Congregational minister, who lived from 1810 to 1867, pastored churches in Indiana and Ohio, and other places. When his health failed . . .


Something reaffirmed for me
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 3, 2019

A few days ago, I preached for a community Revival service held in a convention center in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Several churches participated. The . . .


Shadows gathering over North Carolina: Alcohol issues matter too
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 28, 2019

Shadows are gathering over North Carolina. Clouds are approaching. The passion for gaining riches is set to cast a pall across the land. But our eyes have grown . . .


N.C.'s bitter ironies during the celebration of Christ's passion and resurrection
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 21, 2019

Clive Sinclair once said that he saw the world as a place of bitter irony. Irony, I think, can be defined as incongruity between a situation and the action . . .


Church in a bar?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 13, 2019

Having church in a bar is a new phenomenon, but a growing one. It's largely an informal movement started in recent years that has spawned hundreds of church . . .


Democrats in North Carolina want to repeal the death penalty
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 5, 2019

According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, since 1910 when the state assumed responsibility for executing criminals, the number of people sent . . .


Envious Democrats threaten to destroy themselves
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 26, 2019

There is an ancient story about a Greek athlete who lost a race and was filled with envy towards the winner. The people acknowledged him as the victor. A statue . . .


Praying publicly in the name of Jesus
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 22, 2019

J.C. Knowles writes a short column titled, North Carolina Minute, which provides some of the most interesting tidbits about North Carolina history and other . . .


In a whale of a mess
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 15, 2019

Last month, Rainer Schimpf, 51, was snorkeling off the coast of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. As a dive operator, he was observing and documenting a sardine run . . .


Gambling threatens to make North Carolina into Pottersville
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 8, 2019

In one of the greatest movies ever made, Frank Capra's 1946, "It's a Wonderful Life," there is a scene where George Baily, played by Jimmy Stewart, is living an . . .


An upside-down nation is no joke
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 5, 2019

Most people can appreciate a practical joke. Some people are really good at setting them up. During Hollywood's golden years, there was a fellow in the . . .


'Don't let it get your goat'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 26, 2019

Every year since 2007, the American Psychological Association has commissioned a nationwide survey to determine Americans' state of stress. The survey . . .


Indeed, honor Walter Jones and his advocacy for religious liberty
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 19, 2019

Someone, who was something of an institution in North Carolina, died on Sunday, February 10th. Sunday too is an institution and a sacred one at that. And it was . . .


'I admit it. I am a hater.'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 12, 2019

I admit it. I am a hater. Numerous people have tried to saddle me and other conservative evangelicals with that label over the years. They are right. I am a . . .


America moving from abortions 'safe, legal and rare' to merriment over infanticide
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 5, 2019

Much of America was shocked to learn about New York's passage of a law that allows for an abortion during all nine months of a woman's pregnancy, and for . . .


What might have been
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 23, 2019

There is a youngster I know who is a beautiful human being. He's getting taller with each passing day as he grows into a fine young man. Still in his early . . .


The smartest thing you'll ever do
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 28, 2018

The Psalmist prayed to God, "Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments" (Psalm 119:73). I've met a lot of people in recent years that I . . .


Three kinds of church members at Christmas
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 22, 2018

I once heard that there are three kinds of church members. There are the "Old Faithfuls." What would churches be without them? God bless their souls! Second, . . .


Is it worth it?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 16, 2018

The late Dr. Billy Graham once said, "The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with . . .


President George H.W. Bush: Impressive achievements and character
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 3, 2018

President George H.W. Bush led our country with some impressive achievements. During his four years, Bush 41 offered Poland special assistance, which . . .


What's at the heart of Millennials' preference for Socialism?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 1, 2018

A little more than 40% of millennials today say they prefer socialism. To me, this is the most troubling indicator of a dark future for America if it's not . . .


What's at the heart of Millennials' preference for Socialism?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 30, 2018

A little more than 40% of millennials today say they prefer socialism. To me, this is the most troubling indicator of a dark future for America if it's not . . .


'Providence? What's that?' Belief in it necessary for Thanksgiving
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 20, 2018

A millennial, she introduced herself to me as my server at one of my favorite restaurants where I'm a regular. I asked her a few questions about her background . . .


Money troubles? Stop worrying about it!
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 16, 2018

After suffering a heart attack and having quadruple bypass surgery, a man awakened to find himself in a Catholic hospital with Nuns taking care of him. As . . .


Vote, and vote Biblically
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 4, 2018

The late Milton Berle used to say as a part of his comedy routine: "Since perestroika and glasnost, the Russians have changed their electoral system. A man . . .


The Son's rising
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 3, 2018

Thursday morning on my way to work, I looked toward the Eastern sky and saw the sun in its splendor breaking the horizon. So taken by the sight, I snapped a . . .


What about those six proposed constitutional amendments?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 20, 2018

Six proposed amendments to North Carolina's constitution will be on the ballot during the 2018 general election. Citizen Christians diligent about their civil . . .


Duplicity in full display
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 8, 2018

Even the best people are vulnerable to duplicity. Joseph Bayly said that "Hypocrisy is a terrible sign of trouble in our hearts – it waits only for the . . .


Kavanaugh's 'virgin defense'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 29, 2018

In reference to the allegations of sexual assault against him, Judge Brett Kavanaugh said in an interview with Fox News' Martha McCallum, "I did not have sexual . . .


The floods have lifted up their voice
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 19, 2018

While the winds of Hurricane Florence howled and the torrents of rain fell, I happened upon Psalm 93:3-4 in my daily reading of Scripture.  . . .


Labor Day: Admonishments for the employer and employee
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 1, 2018

It's a holiday to celebrate work. Labor Day had its start in 1869. The Knights of Labor came up with the idea. They were the most important labor organization . . .


Even 'Sons of Belial' can be saved
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 31, 2018

Socialists, Communists, and Antifa have been prominent at the pulling down of Confederate monuments. Listening to the vulgar-laden chants of these activists, . . .


Why the issue of Confederate memorials is of significant consequence
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 24, 2018

Lately, a lot of emotion has been spent over Confederate monuments in the Tar Heel state. Silent Sam, the statue on the campus of the University of North . . .


The rest of the story: Control v. privatization
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 20, 2018

One of America's favorite radio and television commentators, the late Paul Harvey, once told the story of a city that burned down, October 8, 1871. The city . . .


Abortion needed for an abundant Christian life?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 11, 2018

In a column distributed by the Elon University Writers Syndicate and published by the Raleigh News and Observer, the Durham Herald-Sun, WRAL, and the Burlington . . .


Is the Pope right about the death penalty?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 5, 2018

The Vatican announced on Thursday that Pope Francis had approved formal alterations to Catholic teaching that clarify the death penalty is unacceptable.  . . .


A historical common thread of cultures in decline
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 29, 2018

The prophet Isaiah was a towering figure in his day. He was not only a prophet of God but a tremendous statesman. A consultant to Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah of . . .


As goes the church, so goes the country
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 21, 2018

Earlier this month, Episcopal Church leaders, at a meeting in Houston, Texas, decided same-sex couples will now be allowed to marry in any diocese, even . . .


There's one almost everywhere, but not in NC movie theaters
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 14, 2018

During the last session of the North Carolina General Assembly, proposed alcohol legislation would have lowered the criteria for Movie Theaters to obtain a . . .


NC state senator gives extraordinary farewell speech
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 8, 2018

Farewell speeches can be extraordinary moments for public servants leaving office. In a farewell address, the person giving it usually speaks about something . . .


A deficit in honesty equals a deficit in peace
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 29, 2018

Proverbs 11:3 tells us how critical integrity is. It says, "The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy . . .


What would you say to someone on the ledge?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 24, 2018

Suicide has certainly been in the headlines lately. First was the death of American fashion designer and businesswoman, Kate Spade. Quickly on the heels of her . . .


The heart of God, the Father
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 17, 2018

Before Jesus, God was commonly referred to in impersonal ways. He was largely understood by expressions such as the Creator, the Almighty, the King, the Judge . . .


'Reclaiming Jesus': Deceitful and disparaging of patriotism
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 9, 2018

Reclaiming Jesus is a document signed by some leading progressive evangelicals which, as Jim Wallis, founder and President of Sojourners, claims is meant "to . . .


The child playing in the high window
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 1, 2018

There are some luxury apartments not far from my office with about five floors to each building. Not long ago, I looked up from my computer where I was writing . . .


Reflections on Memorial Day: The chasm in the middle of the Forum
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 27, 2018

The Forum in Rome was central to its civic life. It was surrounded by temples, legislative chambers, the marketplace, and other public accommodations.  . . .


Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to allow sports gambling
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 15, 2018

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law today that prohibits sports gambling. I strongly disagree with the High Court's decision based in a state's . . .


A mother's apron string
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 12, 2018

Pastor and radio Bible teacher, Chuck Swindoll, once shared a story about a good friend who was raised by a godly pastor's wife. The friend said his mother used . . .


Karl Marx, the devil, and a socialist America
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 6, 2018

By the time most of you read this editorial, the Workers World Party will have celebrated on May 5th the birthday of Karl Marx at locations across the . . .


More states toasting new laws allowing for Sunday alcohol sales
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 30, 2018

More and more states are now toasting new laws that allow for alcohol sales on Sundays. Indiana, Minnesota, and Tennessee are some of the latest. Even my own . . .


Jesus is still the answer
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 23, 2018

Because he will be away from home in June, and knowing my love for old books, my son recently gave me my Father's Day gift early. It's a first edition copy of . . .


Judging, discrimination, and intolerance
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 16, 2018

Several years ago, Life magazine interviewed dozens of people to learn their feelings about prayer. One interview was with a twenty-four-year-old prostitute who . . .


The Pope says there is no hell?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 9, 2018

Is it true? Did the Pope actually say that there is no hell? That's what some news sources reported. Eugenio Scalfari, an atheist journalist who recently . . .


Christianity and Islam on the resurrection of Jesus
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 1, 2018

Ravi Zacharias said at a conference that he and his wife once had dinner with a leading television preacher. Sitting across the table, the preacher told . . .


One in six binge drink every week, but do lawmakers care?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 26, 2018

According to a new report published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control conducted a study to . . .


Freedom is a very spiritual thing, and with it comes danger
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 17, 2018

There is an old legend about the creation which says God allowed all the seeds of the earth to come before him and choose their destiny. Some wanted to . . .


There, I said it: Americans need to stop supporting the Democratic Party
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 11, 2018

You may have heard the old story about a legendary politician in Western North Carolina who ran unsuccessfully several times for public office. He was a . . .


Is Billy Graham's death prophetically significant?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 3, 2018

During the memorial service for her father, Anne Graham Lotz, Dr. Billy Graham's daughter, said she believed her father's passing could have prophetic . . .


Billy Graham spoke to America, its social issues, and told us how to be free
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 26, 2018

Among the dozens of things written about Billy Graham, after his passing earlier this week, was something I found on the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) . . .


Seventeen teens dead: 'There ain't nothing fastened down anymore'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 19, 2018

Seventeen teens dead from another school shooting. This one in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday – Valentine's Day – Ash Wednesday. It's the kind of . . .


Unprecedented increase in midlife white death rate for NC. Why?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 11, 2018

According to the Associated Press, Researchers at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. say the midlife white death rate in 40 of the state's . . .


They sulked while the president gave his State of the Union speech
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 2, 2018

They scoff. They groan. They glower. They pout. They walk or run away. They sulk. These are some of the annoying ways children react to displeasure, anger . . .


What the issues of racism and abortion have in common
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 13, 2018

During the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project sponsored remarkable interviews with former slaves. The project was based on the premise that no one could better . . .


Inherited capital
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 1, 2018

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told a parable about a son who took the inheritance bequeathed to him and wasted it on "riotous living" until he became destitute. . . .


Inherited capital
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 29, 2017

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told a parable about a son who took the inheritance bequeathed to him and wasted it on "riotous living" until he became destitute. . . .


The 'Christmas bug' and the need to get real
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 22, 2017

During Christmas time, my father loved making this season of the year magical for children. As children, every year Daddy would remind my sister and me to . . .


Aloof evangelical leaders contributed to Roy Moore's defeat
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 18, 2017

John Oxenham has written, "He [God] writes with characters too grand/For our short hand to understand/We catch but broken strokes, and try/To fathom all the . . .


The real motive behind the opposition to Judge Roy Moore
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 11, 2017

"The best work usually meets the strongest opposition," said D.L. Moody. It was this principle at the forefront of my thinking while watching CNN's Anderson . . .


North Carolina under the siege of tyranny
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 3, 2017

Charles de Montesquieu, the French lawyer, writer, and political philosopher, whose works had a profound influence on America's founders, once said, "There is . . .


Thanksgiving and Charlie Anderson
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 22, 2017

It was on a Thanksgiving Day a grouchy man was grumbling away as usual. "Can't you find some reason for which to be thankful?" a neighbor asked. "Nope, don't . . .


Roy Moore: Protecting young women or killing a reputation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 19, 2017

Conservative evangelicals are divided over fellow Alabama Senate candidate and champion of Christian values, Judge Roy Moore. Moore is facing multiple . . .


Getting rid of the National Anthem won't improve race relations
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 13, 2017

First, athletes across the country took a knee during the national anthem to protest the mistreatment of minorities in America. For most, the action was deemed . . .


Bible belief is not bigotry
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 6, 2017

Dizzy Gillespie, the great jazz trumpeter, is remembered not only for his stupendous talent but also for the way his cheeks would puff out when he blew his horn . . .


Christian: should you change your political affiliation?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 28, 2017

This week, six-term North Carolina Democrat legislator, Rep. Bill Brisson of Bladen County, announced he was changing his voter registration to Republican.  . . .


NC Governor Cooper betrays compromise on bathroom bill
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 22, 2017

October 18th, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, issued an Executive Order that will allow men into women's restrooms, locker rooms, and showers. The order . . .


Lessons about abortion from Abraham's test of faith
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 14, 2017

Genesis chapter 22 is one of the greatest chapters in the entire Bible. It records the supreme test of Abraham's faith. God called upon his servant to sacrifice . . .


How I went from pastor to political activist
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 25, 2017

I was called to preach at the tender age of 15, spoke at youth events throughout my teens, provided supply for pastors up until I was ordained, and served my . . .


Evil, the rapture, responsibility, and radiation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 16, 2017

Just a few days ago, our country commemorated the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon. That morning, September 11, 2001, death, . . .


Making sense of disaster
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 10, 2017

Following close on the heels of the devastation brought about by Hurricane Harvey on the Gulf Coast is Hurricane Irma. Currently trekking its way as a category  . . .


Work: It deserves all the celebration it can get
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 3, 2017

It was Peter J. McGuire, a leader in the Knights of Labor back in 1882, who proposed Labor Day as an occasion for a parade to be followed by a picnic, a holiday . . .


Confederate memorials and racism
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 27, 2017

Following close on the heels of the mayhem in Charlottesville, Virginia, upheavals over statues associated with the Confederacy in North Carolina have taken . . .


Honor saluting honor
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 21, 2017

I would like to share something taken directly from The American Patriots Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb. "The Civil War came to an . . .


The solar eclipse: a sign of judgment for America?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 14, 2017

Harry was a caretaker of a recreation lodge on Spirit Lake about five miles north of Mt. Saint Helens. For two months there had been a series of small . . .


Rev. Barber, prayer and 'social justice'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 22, 2017

Recently, on MSNBC's AM Joy, Rev. William Barber, head of the North Carolina Chapter of the NAACP, indicted a group of evangelical pastors who met in the Oval . . .


'The angelic fallacy:' do you suffer from it?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 15, 2017

It was back in the early seventies that I first fully surrendered to Christ. When I joined the fellowship of believers whose influence had made a profound . . .


A very private moment: has it happened to you?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 26, 2017

I've been reading the book of Genesis lately and the story of Joseph is a fascinating one. Unjustly despised by his brothers and secretly sold to a band of . . .


Memorial Day: what we really need to remember
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 26, 2017

War is a terrible thing. It's the feast of death. Many years ago, the Duke of Wellington said, "Take my word for it, if you had seen but one day of war, you . . .


Silent preachers deny Christ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 21, 2017

Last Sunday, I listened intently as my Sunday School teacher taught from St. John chapter 18 about Peter's denial of our Lord. Peter never meant to do it. He . . .


Ben Franklin, liberty, and the Fifth Commandment
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 15, 2017

His mother was born in 1667, and his maternal grandfather was one of the first settlers of New England. His father owned a small business making candles and . . .


Elon University medical marijuana poll not to be taken seriously
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 8, 2017

Cameron Diaz, a former model, is one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. The critically acclaimed performer once said something very astute about . . .


Equal rights for LGBTQ
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 3, 2017

Not long ago I read these remarkable words from authors George Grant and Mark Horne, in their book, "Unnatural Affections:" "The Gospel's message of the . . .


I dare you to read this about alcohol
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 30, 2017

I give no quarter to alcohol in my personal life. Though I love and respect them, and acknowledge some of them as better followers of Jesus Christ than me, I . . .


The handwriting on the wall: will you believe it?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 22, 2017

The deterioration of national moral character means inevitable tragedy. That was the message to Belshazzar, the Babylonian King, who was celebrating in . . .


Easter: authentic life and liberty
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 17, 2017

Few Americans truly understand to what degree our way of life is being challenged. We are threatened by forces from without, but worse still by forces from . . .


What's been lost in the repeal of HB 2, as I see it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 3, 2017

Thursday, the North Carolina General Assembly repealed the controversial HB 2, commonly known as the "bathroom law." Lawmakers had been under horrendous . . .


HB 2: Tempted by the concessions of fear
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 26, 2017

This week, the NCAA ratcheted up the pressure on North Carolina lawmakers to repeal HB 2, "the bathroom law." The collegiate sports group has laid down a . . .


Blasphemous religious warps
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 18, 2017

Like the North Carolinians who passed HB 2, Texans are now considering legislation that would require individuals to use public facilities based on "biological . . .


Sitting in the gates of Sodom
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 11, 2017

Not long ago I had a speaking engagement at a relatively small church in North Carolina when five families moved their membership that Sunday morning from . . .


Turning America around depends on Christian leadership
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 6, 2017

There is a finding from a new national survey by the American Culture and Faith Institute (ACFI) that's very encouraging. The survey shows that SAGE Cons, which . . .


Latest compromise proposal for HB 2 reveals misguided priorities
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 25, 2017

Certain lawmakers in the North Carolina General Assembly are in a tizzy to reach a compromise on HB 2 to satisfy the NCAA, and other sports entities. They're . . .


My mother, once a country music singer
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 4, 2017

During the late 1960s and early 70s my mother was a country music singer. She had one top ten hit on the Billboard charts – a country version of "The . . .


Girls can now be Boy Scouts
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 2, 2017

For more than 100 years, it's been the Boy Scouts. Its purpose was to grow and develop young boys into good men who become great citizens. Churches by the . . .


Why we can't hear the truth?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 28, 2017

The office of the Christian Action League, the organization I represent, is located in a building that houses several Christian counseling ministries.  . . .


Life: We should choose it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 23, 2017

Tom Carr, an educator from Hillsborough, North Carolina, who now serves on the Orange County Board of Education, wrote a little book published in 1998, titled, . . .


Racial reconciliation: it's a beautiful thing
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 16, 2017

It was April 1969. One hundred black students had taken over the student union on the campus of Cornell University in a protest for civil rights. The Associated . . .


The President is no friend
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 31, 2016

Last year, Judson Phillips wrote in the Washington Times something apparent to anyone politically astute. He said, "It is beyond debate that America has a  . . .


What's really behind FFRF's Christmas Opposition?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 18, 2016

It was both disappointing and frustrating recently to learn what the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) had done. Their bullying tactics, threatening . . .


This is the plan of history
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 3, 2016

Although I cannot remember where I first read the story, several years ago when the Soviet Union was still alive, a group of Seminary students took a tour of . . .


Thanksgiving: dirty dishes, unfilled glasses, and Old Faithful
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 24, 2016

In the mid-1990s, Christian writer Philip Yancey wrote in Christianity Today: "I remember my first visit to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. Rings . . .


Nonresistance to alcohol compromises marijuana resistance
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 21, 2016

The votes for advancing alcohol sales across the Tar Heel state were alarming this year. A total of 27 alcohol referendums were held in Alexander, Bertie, Burke . . .


For freedom's sake, bring back civility
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 12, 2016

"Thousands across the USA Protest Trump Victory," said the headline of USA Today on Thursday. The news source said the protestors had taken to the streets in at . . .


Invocation offered at the Trump rally
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 6, 2016

This week, the Trump Campaign invited me to give the Invocation at the Trump Rally in Selma, North Carolina. The Johnston County Sheriff's Department estimated . . .


Our national idolatry: a contest of competing faiths
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 30, 2016

Tim Walter, in a sermon titled, Filled with God's Grace and Power, said, "Golden calves are built in every generation..." We don't seem to see it that way. . . .


Rev. Creech's Evangelical voter appeal
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 24, 2016

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE The following is the manuscript from Rev. Creech's video shoot about this year's Presidential . . .


Will social conservatives betray McCrory and state lawmakers during their time of testing?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 9, 2016

Barbara Bartocci, a Kansas City inspirational and motivational speaker, once wrote that betrayal can be like an earthquake. "The very ground beneath you is . . .


Honesty and a politician's choice
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 25, 2016

There has always been a deficit in the trust factor between the American people and politicians. According to recent Gallup polling, however, trust in political . . .


Probing questions on preaching and politics
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 10, 2016

We had been to see the new Dinesh Desouza documentary, Hillary's America, when afterward a woman and her husband recognized me with my wife, Kim, on the . . .


Labor Day: Work as God ordained it
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 5, 2016

It rolls around every first Monday in September. It's that day in the year when we pay homage to the dignity and necessity of work. It's that day on the . . .


The lioness of persecution
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 29, 2016

A few weeks ago, my wife, Kim, and I visited a nonprofit conservancy in our state that houses approximately 20 species of exotic animals. The Conservators . . .


Two trees, two persons, two national destinies
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 22, 2016

In Psalm 1, the Psalmist provides a beautiful picture of a tree bearing abundant fruit because its roots continually draw nourishment from the river next to . . .


Declarations from the past provide wisest counsel for the present
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 16, 2016

There is a quote from England's Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, of the late 19th century that has been a guiding light for my work. Spurgeon wrote, "The . . .


Why it matters Hillary Clinton erred in stating our national motto
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 6, 2016

Was it simply a faux pas? Was it ignorance? Or was it intentional? These were the questions running through my mind as I listened to Hillary Clinton's . . .


Pastor Perry Noble checks into alcohol rehab, while Pastor Mark Driscoll advocates for social drinking
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 31, 2016

Last week, the well-known former pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina announced via a Facebook video that he was checking into a treatment center. Perry . . .


NBA's malicious scheme to score a wicked goal
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 24, 2016

Under the direction of Adam Silver, a man who has advocated for the legalization of the evil and immoral practice of sports betting, it comes as no surprise . . .


It ain't no game
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 17, 2016

The NBA's Commissioner, Adam Silver, said at a recent press conference that the league hasn't made up its mind whether the 2017 All-Star Game will be held in . . .


The Bible: God's gyro-horizon for America
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 11, 2016

I never really noticed it before. You know, when you're on a flight and the airplane you're on takes a steep bank turn – even if the wings are . . .


Alcohol worse than guns?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 25, 2016

Instruction, advice, given seasonably, is a beautiful thing. That's what the writer of Proverbs was saying when he wrote, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of . . .


Going home: Love, grace and mercy conquer all
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 19, 2016

I adored my father. Everything I have ever written about my relationship with him has been positive. Still, our bond was not always so tight. In fact, it was so . . .


Culture and church membership losses
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 11, 2016

According to recent media reports, the Southern Baptist Convention experienced its ninth straight year of decline. Denominational statistics reveal that . . .


HB 2, compromise -- all give and no take
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 5, 2016

Compromise, compromise, compromise. Over the years, we've seen so much of it and heard so many calls for it by some on the "Right"; it's nauseating.  . . .


The choice is clear
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 28, 2016

In 1993, Don Wyman, a mustached, burly mining company employee, was using his chain saw to cut up a fallen tree. It was late in the afternoon, and he was alone . . .


HB 2: props, bluffs, and wrongful comparisons
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 14, 2016

There's an interesting story from the New York Times dating back to the summer of 1994. A Virginia state trooper, who was a member of the bomb squad, and his . . .


Enough of politicians
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 8, 2016

President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "There are always politicians willing, on the one hand, to promise everything to the people, and, on the other, to . . .


When surrounded by evil on every side
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 3, 2016

There's a great story about Tonto and the Lone Ranger riding across the plains together. Suddenly they see a dust cloud rising up before them. Thousands of . . .


The smearing of a state
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 18, 2016

To smear someone means to sully, vilify, or soil a good reputation. It carries with it the idea of smudging or blurring the truth. Since the North Carolina . . .


A talebearing press
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 4, 2016

The very concept of a free press was first introduced to the world in the Scriptures. J. Lee Grady in Journalism and the Gospel contends that when Nathan, . . .


Leadership with the heart of a mouse
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 19, 2016

The true strength of men is not determined by muscle, militarily, or political might, but by the kind of heart carried inside of them. Nothing can ever . . .


So pray more
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 12, 2016

Abraham Lincoln once said, "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom, and that of all . . .


Christian Action League of North Carolina endorses Ted Cruz for President of the United States
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 10, 2016

RALEIGH – The Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc., the oldest state-wide Christian public-policy organization in the Tar Heel state, is . . .


Our national tangled web of deceit
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 5, 2016

Since the serpent, Satan, lied to Eve about the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:4-5), mankind has played fast and loose with the truth. But as Sir Walter Scott once so . . .


Charlotte: the difference between stubbornness and firmness
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 29, 2016

Back in 1994, Reuters reported on an incredible story about a man that lived in the northern province of Chaco in Argentina. Alberto Gauna had become so . . .


Trump: that's no choice at all
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 20, 2016

James Lowell wrote in a poem, "Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide, in the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side."  . . .


Cam Newton: Winning isn't everything
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 14, 2016

The words of the late Vince Lombardi, former coach of the Green Bay Packers, seem immortal. "Winning isn't everything; he once said, "it's the only thing." But . . .


The president urges no fear, don't believe him
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 6, 2016

At the recent National Prayer Breakfast held in the nation's capital, President Obama gave a speech using the text, 2 Timothy 1:7, which reads "For God has not . . .


Is a vote for Donald Trump worldliness?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 31, 2016

Dr. George Sweeting, Chancellor of Moody Bible Institute, once said, "The Christian life is not a matter of following a list of 'dos' or observing a longer . . .


Where are the prophets?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 26, 2016

Innumerable it seems are the issues facing the nation. Abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, self defense and ownership of guns, marriage, parental rights, . . .


Where are the prophets?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 24, 2016

Innumerable it seems are the issues facing the nation. Abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, self defense and ownership of guns, marriage, parental rights, . . .


A Christian in spite of everything
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 16, 2016

Maxine Marsolini says in Blended Families, "Revisiting the past...is a privilege. When we look at it as a healthy thing, we are able to appreciate what it has . . .


Dry January: Leaving the Hootch
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 10, 2016

It's called "Dry January." It only got started in recent years and is practiced largely in the United Kingdom. To be more exact, in 2014, the charity, Alcohol . . .


God is shaking earth and heaven
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 1, 2016

Several years ago I had a vivid dream that made an impression on me. I saw a vision of a man in a white robe, whose face I could never see. He stood before four . . .


Christmas: free hearts and a free nation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 23, 2015

Why would God wrap himself in human flesh to dwell among men? Some would argue that he did it to save those who are lost in sin. Some would contend to destroy . . .


Mayor's oath of office troubling
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 19, 2015

Recently, WTVD News ABC 11 for Raleigh-Durham reported that the mayor of Franklin, North Carolina, Bob Scott has a long tenure of public service. He was in the . . .


Mourning deeply enough for change
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 12, 2015

The late Dr. James Montgomery Boice in his commentary on Christ's Sermon on the Mount tells the story of a young boy from England walking along the streets of . . .


Obergefell v. Hodges: fighting from a position of retreat
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 6, 2015

Back in October, sixty-five legal experts of high repute issued "A Statement Calling for Constitutional Resistance to Obergefell v. Hodges" – the Supreme . . .


Practical atheism at the heart of the nation's ingratitude
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 27, 2015

On my ride to work, the church sign jumped out at me. It read: "We pray for the atheist, who has no one to thank on Thanksgiving Day." Not more than five . . .


There, I said it. 'Islam is the enemy.'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 22, 2015

Recent weeks have clearly shown that Islamic terrorists are successfully recruiting, growing their networks, and executing their carnage around the globe. Can . . .


Youth suicide rate up by one-third in North Carolina
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 15, 2015

Last month, the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force released a report that said youth suicides increased more than one-third between 2013 and 2014. It said . . .


Barber and Tyson excoriate rally participants
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 1, 2015

Two weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon, approximately 10,000 people attended the "We Stand With God" rally on the Halifax Mall behind North Carolina's . . .


Marijuana legalization: throwing gas on a fire
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 24, 2015

Proponents for the legalization of recreational marijuana have said over and again that marijuana is less harmful to society than alcohol and tobacco. Thus, it . . .


'A world that is not yet, but ought to be'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 17, 2015

In the great model prayer that our Lord gave to his disciples, we are provided with perhaps the most perfect desire in a prayer that one could ever entertain . . .


Marriage, a wolf, and Little Red Riding Hood
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 10, 2015

Since I was a boy, I have always loved the literary genre of fables – fictional stories featuring animals with human qualities meant to illustrate some . . .


Pope and Netanyahu point America to her religious moorings
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 26, 2015

Pope Francis' historic visit to America has the entire nation a-buzz with energy. The news media has covered his every move. Social media is on fire with . . .


Jonah: an angry prophet without compassion
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 21, 2015

The story of Jonah is one of the most meaningful texts in the Bible for me. It tells not only of the great miracle of a man being swallowed by a great fish and . . .


Stop just looking on and do something
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 12, 2015

In 1993, freelance photojournalist Kevin Carter from South Africa went to cover the civil strife in famine stricken Sudan. After his flight touched down in the . . .


N.C. governor distances himself from language in newspaper ad for Christian event
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 8, 2015

The Charlotte Observer reported on Monday that Governor Pat McCrory was distancing himself from language in a full page ad in the Charlotte Observer. The ad . . .


Christian work ethic provides incentive for happy labor
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 6, 2015

Since the dawn of time, labor has been a part of God's economy. Work is inherent to our purpose, meaning and dignity. In 1999, the New York Times reported an . . .


Vester Lee Flanagan: a hate crimes anomaly?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 30, 2015

Edwin Hubbel Chapin once said, "Through every rift of discovery some seeming anomaly drops out of the darkness, and falls, as a golden link into the chain of . . .


The Pope and air conditioning?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 24, 2015

During a visit to the Holy Land, Mark Twain and his wife stayed in Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee. One beautiful night, he decided to take his wife on a . . .


Accumulating peril
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 8, 2015

This week Japan marked its 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. Thousands of people stood silently at 8:15 a.m. marking the time of the blast at . . .


Is N.C. morally right to resume executions?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 1, 2015

Certainly one of the most bitterly fought laws was a New York statute that passed June 4, 1888. It substituted the electric chair for the gallows as a means of . . .


Donald Trump, gambling and character
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 25, 2015

Donald Trump is certainly commanding a lot of attention in his run for the Presidency. Trump is a real mover and a shaker. A man like him with his business . . .


Churches call for end to 'War on Drugs'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 18, 2015

Earlier this month, the New England Conference of United Methodist, a group of 600 churches spanning six states, approved a resolution calling for an end to the . . .


Obligated to resist
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 11, 2015

Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it; he is obligated to do so." Without question, it was this principle . . .


July 4th, mourning, not celebration
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 3, 2015

The lady at the Cleaners where I take my shirts said to me as I was leaving, "Thank you, Rev. Creech, have a great Fourth of July." Her intentions were good, . . .


Statement regarding SCOTUS decision for same-sex marriage
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 29, 2015

For many who still believe that marriage is defined by God as one man and one woman, today's decision by the Supreme Court to arrogantly redefine the . . .


Dad, don't underestimate your importance
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 21, 2015

There's a story about a family that talked the Mother into getting a pet hamster. They promised that they would take good care of the little creature. Two . . .


The sad consequences of biblical authority surrendered
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 13, 2015

"Fundamentalists and evangelicals (both of whom have been traditionally committed to an infallible or inerrant Scripture) have long been noted for their . . .


Wanted: true friends of religious liberty
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 6, 2015

William Penn once said, "A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a . . .


The stone in the road
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 1, 2015

There is a story of yesteryear about a great and wise king who was always looking for effective ways to teach his people about good citizenship. He once said . . .


An open letter to the National Rifle Association (NRA)
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 25, 2015

Dear National Rifle Association, I want to begin this correspondence by saying that I believe very much in what you've stood for over the years. Your . . .


The blessings of religious liberty and the positives of persecution
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 17, 2015

I once knew a pastor who has since passed away, who was always concerned his parishioners understood and appreciated the privileges of religious liberty. One . . .


Mother: bearer and giver of light
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 10, 2015

Someone once said of Jesus, "When he came – there was no light; when he left – there was no darkness." Good mothers are a lot like the Lord who . . .


Sunday hunting: weakening the value of the 'Lord's Day'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 2, 2015

The origin of the statement is unknown; nevertheless, someone once said that our great grandfathers called it the holy Sabbath. Our grandfathers called it the . . .


Newborn infants are 'morally irrelevant'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 26, 2015

This week in North Carolina, legislation passed in the state House that extends the waiting period for a woman to have an abortion from 24–72 hours, . . .


It's dreaded tax time
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 11, 2015

It's tax time again and most people are dreading it. Back in the 1980s, I was an associate minister in charge of the children's ministry at a church in . . .


The passion of religious liberty
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 4, 2015

I'm always amazed at God's timing, his providential allowance of events at certain times and the way they can speak to us. As we approached the Easter . . .


A rough day at the legislature
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 29, 2015

Wednesday, March 25th, was a rough day for me at the North Carolina Legislative Building. A bill for the legalization of medical marijuana was up for . . .


'Not afraid of burning in hell' really?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 21, 2015

Ron Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan, has proudly stated in an ad that he's "not afraid of burning in hell." Reagan did the 30 second ad for the . . .


Medical marijuana consideration should go beyond compassion
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 14, 2015

Four Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to make medicinal marijuana legal in North Carolina. Eleven other democrats have signed onto the bill. No . . .


Guncle Joe Biden, civil rights, and 'The Jerk'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 9, 2015

Friday, March 6, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the historic march on Selma, Vice President Joe Biden, addressed the Human Rights Campaign Spring Equity . . .


Lines of nominal Christian and genuine Christian less blurred
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 28, 2015

Matthew 16:25 reads, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." These words by Jesus are . . .


Living by the myths
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 22, 2015

When one thinks of myths, the mind typically races to those classical tales of the ancient Greek and Roman gods. In the Roman Pantheon were stories of the way . . .


'Juiced-up' justice is no funny matter
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 14, 2015

When President Obama gave his State of the Union Speech this year, sitting on the front row were the U.S. Supreme Court Justices, as usual, but Justice Ruth . . .


'Dance with the ones that brung ya'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 7, 2015

It's a given that most conservative evangelical Christians are supporters of the Republican Party. In his book, Politics: According to the Bible, Wayne Grudem . . .


The prevalence of 'trashy' talk
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 1, 2015

During a recent radio interview on an Iowa-based program, former Arkansas Governor, and Fox Television host, Mike Huckabee, expressed his shock at the way some . . .


The many lies of abortion
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 25, 2015

Every year during the month of January, churches along with many other pro-lifers across America reaffirm their commitment to the sanctity of human life. As . . .


Boehner's revenge
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 17, 2015

Several years ago, there was a laundry in a small American town that had a monopoly on its type of trade. However, two very enterprising Chinese men opened . . .


The shepherds made haste: so should we
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 22, 2014

St. Luke's account says that on that first Christmas shepherds were on a hillside watching their flocks by night, when suddenly, the glory of God shone round . . .


Racism bad, but lawlessness worse
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 13, 2014

"Prejudice, said Mark Twain, "is the ink with which all history is written." [1] We're certainly feeling the import of these words with the Michael Brown case . . .


An unthankful nation is an unthinking nation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 27, 2014

In the mid-1970s, Dr. George Sweeting, now former president and chancellor of Moody Bible Institute, said in a sermon something that has stuck with me through . . .


No room for divided loyalties
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 23, 2014

For a little more than two weeks there's been a war of words between North Carolina Senate Republicans lead by State Senate President Pro-Tempore, Phil Berger, . . .


'For goodness sake, America, sing, sing, sing!'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 16, 2014

Chuck Swindoll tells that great story about the fellow who fell in love with an opera singer. He didn't know her, nor had he ever seen her any closer than the . . .


Desperation, alcohol and gambling
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 9, 2014

People that feel desperate, for whatever reason, can do the most dangerous things. Back in the fall of 1993 the country of Armenia was desperate for sources . . .


The parable of the senator's choice
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 1, 2014

A senator's soul arrived in heaven and was met by St. Peter at the entrance. "Welcome to heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a . . .


Voting: how hungry and thirsty are you for righteousness?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 26, 2014

In his great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matt.5:6). Bible commentator . . .


A lunar eclipse and same-sex marriage
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 21, 2014

When the US Supreme Court on Monday October 6th said it wouldn't take up any of the marriage cases on appeal. I expected that the legalization of same-sex . . .


Marriage, judicial tyranny, liberty and the church
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 11, 2014

The US Supreme Court's decision to deny review of all marriage cases striking down state constitutional marriage amendments has produced considerable sadness . . .


Gambling's 'pernicious effect' on government
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 5, 2014

It may come as a surprise for many, but just within the lifetime of most Americans, legal casino gambling existed in only two places in our nation: Nevada and . . .


GOP candidates should 'Kiss the Son'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 28, 2014

The Psalmist wrote, "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the . . .


The phone that rang with no connection
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 21, 2014

While visiting Oklahoma City recently for a convention, I had an unusual experience. I'm typically a slow riser in the morning. So the night before I had set . . .


No keener revelation of a society's soul
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 15, 2014

Shopping along one of the isles of a local grocery store, I noticed a mother harshly handling a child. She had raised her hand to strike the youngster across . . .


What we wear to church: does it matter?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 6, 2014

During a recent Sunday morning worship service, I noticed something a little unsettling. Although the church I was attending was a more traditional congregation . . .


Labor Day: 'the plowing of the wicked'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 31, 2014

On the first Monday in September (September 1), Labor Day, our nation will once again celebrate the dignity of labor. There will be parades, picnics, and . . .


'Black Jesus' and the measure of one's insanity
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 23, 2014

Christian philosopher Peter Kreeft once said, "A measure of your insanity is the size of the gap between what you think you are and what you really are." [1] . . .


Islam and democracy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 9, 2014

Recently, President Obama marked the celebration of Eid-al-Fitr – an Islamic holiday that is also called Feast of Breaking the Fast. It's celebrated by . . .


N.C. Atty. Gen. Cooper's actions nothing to applaud
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 2, 2014

In a recent editorial, the Raleigh News and Observer said that state attorney general, Roy Cooper, "made a sensible decision" to stop fighting several federal . . .


Minimum legal drinking age makes Johnny a little safer
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 19, 2014

There is a great restaurant near my office that I visit for dinner at least five days a week. The staff has become like family to me. When they're not so busy, . . .


America: striking a positive note
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 4, 2014

About a year ago, I stood on the deck of one of America's great naval vessels. When I looked up, I noticed the flag was not flying proudly, but twisted in the . . .


Same sex marriage: big government power grab
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 28, 2014

The 2-1 ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, on Wednesday, June 25th, knocked down the state constitutional amendments to protect marriage in Utah, . . .


Does your love just look good on paper?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 21, 2014

Several years ago, the famous PEANUTS cartoon depicted Schroeder, the piano playing intellectual, being interrupted by his infatuated admirer, Lucy. Lucy said . . .


The pangs of a 'wicked wedge'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 13, 2014

During the second century, the Greek poet Babrius penned an Aesop-like fable that seeks to show that no pain inflicted by an outsider is ever so terrible as the . . .


When anger is right
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 7, 2014

A week ago, I had the privilege of participating in a whirlwind speaking tour across the Tar Heel state with a new developing organization known as the North . . .


We love our little boxes
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 31, 2014

I once read where the proprietor of a business shared a hypothetical with his staff. He said, "Suppose a young man was to buy a very costly diamond ring and . . .


'Fifth column' threatens the church
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 24, 2014

In 1939, near the end of the Spanish Civil War, outside the city of Madrid, the rebel General Mola was about to launch his attack. When asked which of his four . . .


Motherhood, culture and our children
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 10, 2014

Keke was born during the mid-nineteenth century in a Georgian village. She came from a poor background of serfs. After the abolition of serfdom, her family . . .


Mohler mistaken about N.C. marriage law
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 4, 2014

There are certain people in the evangelical community for whom I have profound respect. I feel more a student of their knowledge and expertise than a peer. Such . . .


Legality of tobacco and alcohol is no case for legal pot
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 27, 2014

If I've it heard it once, it seems I've heard a thousand times, "Alcohol and Tobacco are legal in this country. Marijuana isn't as harmful as either one of them . . .


'Heaven is For Real': NDEs cause for much speculation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 20, 2014

My wife and I walked into the dark theatre near the small town where we live. As we walked up the elevated floor with the large screen in sight, we rounded the . . .


Same-sex marriage and 'The Tokyo Rose Effect'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 12, 2014

Today conservative evangelicals are being told the fight to protect traditional marriage is essentially over. Many are saying we need to get on the right side . . .


Lessons from the 'Tower of Babel'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 15, 2014

The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis chapter 11 is a historical narrative of the first recorded form of government gone awry. The apostle Paul wrote, "Now . . .


A challenge for intelligentsia
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 8, 2014

Someone once said, "I don't understand Christianity. I don't understand electricity either, but I don't intend to sit in the dark until I do." That's a profound . . .


In defense of NC's voter ID law
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 2, 2014

North Carolina's new Voter ID law came under assault last week from Van Jones, a Democrat and host of CNN's Crossfire. During the broadcast, which featured . . .


America: struck with judicial blindness
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 16, 2014

In an irony of ironies, during the week of Valentine's, two federal judges overturned the marriage protection amendments of Kentucky and Virginia, single . . .


Robertson: Ham's contentions no 'joke'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 9, 2014

Last week approximately 3 million people tuned into to watch the debate on evolution between Bill Nye, "The Science Guy," and Ken Ham of the Creation Museum. . . .


NC NAACP president attacks religious right as 'just running their mouths'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 2, 2014

Two Sundays past (January 19, 2014), in a sermon the media described as "fire and thunder," [1] Rev. William Barber, head of the NC NAACP mounted the pulpit of . . .


Simon says...
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 11, 2014

You may have heard the story about the two Navajo Indians who were having a conversation across an Arizona valley by smoke signals. While they were speaking, . . .


Robin Roberts 'comes out.' Why now?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 4, 2014

Another beloved television celebrity has "come out" and said to the world, "I am gay." This time its ABC's Good Morning America host, Robin Roberts. CNN says . . .


God save America in 2014
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 29, 2013

The book of 2 Kings, chapters 22 and 23, tell us about a reformation that took place in Judah during the reign of King Josiah. If we consider the general . . .


Pastors: mental illness and suicide
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 15, 2013

Rev. Teddy Parker Jr., 42, pastor of Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia, discovered by his wife in the driveway of their home, dead from a self . . .


Environmentalists close Bonner Bridge
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 7, 2013

If one should think that politics is just politics and one's worldview has nothing to do with it, then he or she should consider the circumstances facing the . . .


Gratitude: the spirit that defies defeat
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 28, 2013

Try to imagine this situation. It's been an exceedingly difficult year for you and your family. In fact, half of your relatives recently died. You've been . . .


Fall of leadership symptomatic of moral rot
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 23, 2013

It was heartbreaking to learn that U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, a Tea Party favorite, was in a courtroom Wednesday answering to a misdemeanor charge for cocaine . . .


Free will Baptists' cancellation of 'Duck Dynasty' event commendable
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 17, 2013

Kevin and Jason made their way down the steps after 1 a.m. Kevin led his friend into the corner room that the family called the study and opened his Dad's . . .


'Taps' in glory
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 10, 2013

Last year, my father, who was a veteran, passed away. As mourners stood along with my family at his grave side, a soldier blew the strains of "Taps." That . . .


Reflections on forgiveness
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 3, 2013

I remember once reading about a Sunday School teacher who was trying to teach her children that we all need God's forgiveness. After sharing the Bible story, . . .


A great lesson from two Tar Heel tales
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 27, 2013

There is a place in western Chatham County, North Carolina, approximately 10 miles from Siler City that has baffled folks for many years. In a wooded area there . . .


Cherokees break ground for new casino
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 21, 2013

One of the most trusted men in America once expressed the way he saw the danger of gambling to our nation. In the program, The Dice are Loaded; Walter Cronkite . . .


God's law: absolute and inviolable
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 6, 2013

Two good old boys were driving a semi-truck through the back roads when they came to an overpass with a sign that read, "Clearance 11'3." Both of them got . . .


A calamity that threatens to blight North Carolina's history
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 1, 2013

Note: The following article is North Carolina specific. However, it begs the question of how underage drinking may be affecting one's own state. North . . .


The alcohol is in the mail?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 22, 2013

Last month, US Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said the US Postal Service should be allowed to start delivering, beer, wine and spirits. He contended the . . .


God's covenant with America must be renewed
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 15, 2013

Our nation's forefathers strongly believed they were called into a new Promised Land for the purpose of establishing a New Israel, a model of the Kingdom of God . . .


Cecil B. DeMille's campaign for a godly culture
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 8, 2013

You may have heard the story about the drunk who was paid to sit up all night at a funeral home in a viewing room with an open coffin. He was to be there should . . .


Labor Day: there's still good reason to be cheerful
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 31, 2013

Before he ever became a National Football League broadcast analyst, Glenn Parker, who at the time played for the Buffalo Bills, once speculated as to why NFL . . .


Offer them cookies
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 3, 2013

This week, North Carolina's Governor Pat McCrory, flanked by four security guards, walked through the gates of the executive mansion and over to a group of . . .


Coat hangers with baby clothes on them
Rev. Mark H. Creech
July 15, 2013

Listening to some of the railing by pro-choice legislators against SB 353 – Health and Safety Law Changes – the abortion bill considered recently in . . .


Without self-government liberty perishes
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 29, 2013

When most people think of government, they think of civil government with its various laws and controls. But in the most basic of terms, there are essentially . . .


Exodus International flees the Promised Land
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 22, 2013

It is considered a landmark announcement, proof that the cultural winds are shifting in favor of the acceptance of homosexuality by the evangelical community. . . .


Natural disasters: does God want our attention?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
June 1, 2013

According to Recent Natural Disasters, a web site that reports on ecological cataclysms around the world every day, approximately 75 natural disasters have . . .


Independence predicated upon dependence
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 29, 2013

"Sloboda!" "Libertad!" "Emanzipation!" "Independenza!" "Freedom!" It doesn't matter whether the language is Croatian, Spanish, German, Italian or just . . .


How to know who is right about the afterlife
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 21, 2013

Whether there is life after death is a question that humans have pondered for centuries. Today there is a great deal of interest in the subject with people . . .


The night the demon visited
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 14, 2013

It's been said that Martin Luther while at Wartburg was translating the Bible; the Devil came to visit him. Satan, who was vehemently opposed to the divine . . .


The prospect of persecutions
Rev. Mark H. Creech
May 7, 2013

In January, Christians everywhere were saddened to learn that Pastor Louie Giglio, founder of the Passion conferences and Passion City Church in Roswell, . . .


God isn't going to sit it out
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 27, 2013

One time baseball great Joe Garagiola stepped up to the plate when his turn to bat came. Before assuming his stance, however, fervent Roman Catholic Joe took . . .


Drinking: continuing the conversation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 23, 2013

In 1972 an earthquake destroyed the city of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. More than a decade after the tragedy, the city remained a sea of rubble. But the . . .


Drinking and Jesus turning water to wine
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 14, 2013

The late comedian, Milton Berle, once said he had a friend who swore the Bible condoned getting drunk. He argued the Scriptures taught that the one who sins . . .


Wit and wisdom
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 10, 2013

Last week lawmakers in the North Carolina Senate took steps to restore the death penalty in our state. North Carolina hasn't conducted an execution since 2006 . . .


Seven assurances the resurrection gives
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 30, 2013

Auguste Comte, a French philosopher and skeptic, was once belittling English writer, Thomas Carlyle, for his faith in Jesus Christ. Comte suggested that he . . .


Seven ways the cross speaks
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 24, 2013

It is said that when hymn pollsters report which hymn is most frequently requested, "The Old Rugged Cross" is hands-down the most popular. The author of that . . .


Noah: a modern paraphrase about big government
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 10, 2013

When wickedness abounded in the world, the Lord came to Noah and said, "Noah, in a short time I'm going to make it rain until the entire earth is covered with . . .


Liberty crucified between two thieves
Rev. Mark H. Creech
March 2, 2013

Tertullian once said, "Just as Christ was crucified between two thieves, so this doctrine of justification is ever crucified between two opposite errors."  . . .


Politics and preaching don't mix?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 23, 2013

Recently in a blog of comments underneath one of my op-ed pieces a well-meaning person wrote: "Mark, I love you like a brother, but these social issues are just . . .


Freedom from religion leads to no freedom
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 16, 2013

The First Amendment to the Constitution reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or . . .


The right to bare breasts?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 9, 2013

In my home state of North Carolina, legislation has been introduced making it illegal for women to fully bare their breasts in public. The bill was introduced . . .


The so-called equality of women in combat
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 3, 2013

Comedian Robin Williams once argued, "If women ran the world, we wouldn't have wars...just intense negotiations every 28 days." Apparently that's no longer true . . .


Talking about 'love' and 'equality'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 28, 2013

There is a feature of "Peanuts" where Lucy says to Charlie Brown: "You know what I don't understand? I don't understand love?!" Charlie Brown says, "Who does?" . . .


'The Story of America' and the threat of judgment
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 18, 2013

Most that know me well understand I love looking for rare and old out of print religious books. I've found some real treasures in antique stores over the years. . . .


Patriotic inspiration from 'Come, Thou Almighty King'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 17, 2013

There once was a congregation too poor to buy any new hymnals. So they were offered a sufficient quantity by a pharmaceutical firm in exchange for a little . . .


A New Year's resolution that counts for now and eternity
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 29, 2012

You may have heard that humorous story about Phoebe, a 50-year-old widow from Beverly Hills. Phoebe suffered a heart-attack and was taken to Cedars Sinai . . .


A sword over the manger
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 22, 2012

Most people know the story of Damocles sword, or at least they've heard the expression. Damocles, a courtier of King Dionysius, was enamored with the great . . .


What if Mary had known about abortion?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 15, 2012

Recently I saw a t-shirt that said, "The Virgin Mary was an Unwed Teenage Mother." That's true and it reminded me of an interruption that took place at a Quebec . . .


A nest of them: a soul-winning story
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 8, 2012

Archie Ratliff, currently the pastor of Bethel Free Will Baptist Church in Kinston, North Carolina has rightly said, "David Paramore is one of the greatest . . .


Two faces of the lottery
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 1, 2012

It was once an activity that was outlawed for decades. Today, however, it's officially sanctioned, easily accessible, popular, and has gained a strong foothold . . .


National 'Gripe Day'?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 21, 2012

In 1921, Dr. J.C. Fitzpatrick noticed an interesting document being auctioned off at an art gallery in New York. What Fitzpatrick bought for the Library of . . .


Musings on the Patraeus affair
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 17, 2012

You may have heard that story about how the whole world dies and an endless line waits to get into heaven. Suddenly there's a loud roar from the front of the . . .


The Blue Jay and the Hawk
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 10, 2012

Sometimes I sit and work for hours on end at my desk in Raleigh, North Carolina. So a couple of years ago, I placed a number of bird feeders directly in front . . .


When a critic plays 'the Pharisee card'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
November 3, 2012

Most people have heard the expression, "playing the race card." The concept has been bandied about in the media for several years. It typically refers to . . .


Won't vote for the lesser of two evils?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 26, 2012

As we rapidly approach Election Day, I've heard a number of my friends say that they just can't vote for the lesser of two evils. They will neither support . . .


Noble's remarks, not so noble
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 20, 2012

Perry Noble is a choice servant of Christ, passionate for the souls of men. He is the founder and senior pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina — a . . .


Are you afraid of dying?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 18, 2012

Are you afraid of dying? You don't have to be in a life-threating situation to be afraid of death. Most people whenever they contemplate dying are afraid of it. . . .


Public prayer in Jesus' name: yes or no?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 6, 2012

Since the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Joyner v. Forsyth County that prayers offered in Jesus' name are unconstitutional and the U.S. Supreme Court . . .


Dead burro in a bathtub
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 29, 2012

Sometime ago I read about a woman that lived out West, who looked out her window one day and saw a dead burro on the sidewalk in front of her home. So she . . .


Alcohol: juggling with life's many daggers
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 24, 2012

A man was pulled over by a police officer for speeding. As the officer was explaining to the driver that he was breaking the speed limit, the officer noticed . . .


Marching forward with eyes wide-shut
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 16, 2012

There's an old story about a former President who was jogging one morning when he noticed a little boy on the corner with a box. Curious, he ran over to the . . .


Election 2012: Christians will make a choice -- for better or worse
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 11, 2012

An aspiring politician gave his best shot at a campaign speech. He felt that it was a stirring, fact filled speech. Then the candidate looked out on his . . .


God fixation can fix this nation
Rev. Mark H. Creech
September 3, 2012

It's been said that Oliver Wendell Holmes, the eminent Supreme Court Justice, was on a train reading his newspaper when the conductor came by punching tickets. . . .


Restore the real American dream
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 28, 2012

A small businessman from the old country kept his accounts payable in a cigar box, his accounts receivable on a spindle, and his cash in the cash register. One . . .


What's your city's smut ranking?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 21, 2012

Having been assigned in school to write a story with the word "adult" in it, Little Freddie penned: "Adults don't have any fun. Adults just sit around and talk. . . .


The 'God gap'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 14, 2012

A hurricane had struck, and people were huddled together listening to an old preacher praying with great oratorical effects in the midst of the violent storm. . . .


Give me chicken and not baloney
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 7, 2012

It is said that once a young man was walking through town while eating a baloney sandwich. A piece of baloney fell from his sandwich and was immediately pounced . . .


Praying for rattlesnakes?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 10, 2012

Once there was a wayward family, who had no interest in God, his church, or the things of God. There was the father and his three sons, Jim, John, and Sam. The . . .


America: Who is the king of the jungle?
Rev. Mark H. Creech
February 25, 2012

Once there was a lion that was proud of his supposed mastery of the animal kingdom. So he decided to make certain all of the other animals knew he was the king . . .


The Nativity: 'where does God fit in?'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 23, 2011

A school teacher in England tells the story of the time she supervised the construction of a manger scene in the corner of her classroom. It was all there  . . .


A day to weep for joy
Rev. Mark H. Creech
August 3, 2011

I am still experiencing sporadic moments of jubilation and tears of joy concerning the 'Woman's Right to Know Act' becoming law in North Carolina. Governor . . .


An open letter to Senator Richard Burr
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 22, 2010

Dear Senator Burr, I want to begin by thanking you for your service to the people of North Carolina. More specifically, thank you for always being a vocal . . .


When the fog is lifted
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 2, 2010

News of victory is always an exciting experience, but news of a victory after news of what appears to be a loss is even better. For instance, consider the . . .


Christ: the shepherd and bishop of our souls
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 20, 2010

There are two precious names given for God in I Peter 2:25, where Christ is referred to as the "Shepherd and Bishop of our souls." Most Christians are . . .


A nation with a character deficit
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 14, 2009

In his book, Character and Destiny: A Nation In Search of its Soul, the late Dr. D. James Kennedy tells about a speech given by Gary Bauer at the 1994 . . .


Stand up, stand up for Jesus
Rev. Mark H. Creech
October 6, 2009

In the year 1858, the city of Philadelphia experienced a spiritual awakening that the press called "the work of God in Philadelphia." Churches of every . . .


Miss California: an authentic demonstration of faith
Rev. Mark H. Creech
April 26, 2009

In Becoming a Contagious Christian, Bill Hybels and Mark Mittleberg tell the story of a newly promoted colonel who moved into a makeshift office during the Gulf . . .


Rejecting abortion using Obama's argument
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 26, 2009

It's unfortunate, but America now has the most pro-abortion president in the nation's history. He has pledged to protect abortion rights and has wasted no time . . .


Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit testifies the Bible is true
Rev. Mark H. Creech
January 19, 2009

For the last six months, North Carolina's Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh has been host to an exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls are . . .


America and 'The Door of Humility'
Rev. Mark H. Creech
December 21, 2008

"It is supremely fitting that every man should approach the infant Jesus upon his knees." In Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity originally built by the . . .


View archive

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
 

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
Flashback: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Linda Goudsmit
Chapter 10: Objective reality is required for a free society

Michael Bresciani
Gay is OK, but trans for kids is on the skids – Have Americans now become judges of evil thoughts?

Linda Kimball
Nihilism…all that exists is matter and energy: The worldview that caused the collapse of Christendom and Protestant Amer

Peter Lemiska
China doesn’t need a Trojan Horse – It has Joe Biden

Rev. Mark H. Creech
Revelation Chapter 22: Getting beyond doubt, Billy Graham’s example

Paul A. Byrne, M.D.
2024 International Gift of Life Walk – NYC

Cliff Kincaid
Biden’s bloody revolution for America

Victor Sharpe
Senator Schumer enters the annals of Shame

Linda Kimball
Prayer against evil, insane Babylon

Steve A. Stone
Letter to President Trump

Curtis Dahlgren
'There are a few good Swedes' (many forms of bias)

Jerry Newcombe
Bribing future generations for Marx?
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites