Welcome to my Notebook.

Hello there — and welcome.

This is the inaugural post on a blog I’ve been thinking about launching for a long time. If I’m being honest, it’s not my first attempt. I’ve had a few starts and stops over the years — moments of inspiration that fizzled out, or seasons where the demands of teaching and ministry and just... life... crowded out the space to write.

Maybe you can relate.

But something’s changed recently. I’ve stepped into a new role as the lead pastor of our church — and while the responsibilities have certainly grown, so has my clarity, and my urgency. Being entrusted with the care of a congregation has not only necessitated more dedicated time for study and reflection, but also impressed on me a deeper desire to think carefully and biblically about life, culture, politics, and faith. And where those all intersect. Not just for myself, but for the people I serve — and for anyone else who might benefit from the journey.

So why this blog?

To Think Out Loud — With Intention

I’m a shepherd and a teacher. That means I spend a lot of time sitting with Scripture, preparing to speak with and to others. But this blog is something different. It’s where I write not just to teach, but to process. Some people are verbal processors. I'm not. I think best in front of a blank page, pen in hand.

Not everything passing through my mind should go in a sermon. This is my place to ask questions. To wrestle with ideas. To think — out loud, albeit in public, with purpose.

It’s… my notebook.

You’ll find reflections on Scripture, culture, theology, living and pastoring in the small community I grew up in, teaching music lessons, and the tension points where faith meets the real world. Some posts will be pastoral. Some theological. Some will be deeply serious. Others will be mere reflections on the hilarious things my piano students sometimes say.

All of it, I hope, will be honest, Christ-centered, and worth your time.

What to Expect

• Gospel-Centered Reflections — bringing Christ and his grace to bear on Scripture, culture, the Church, and current events.
• Pastoral Honesty — I won’t pretend to have it all together. And I won’t pretend the Church always gets it right. But I’ll keep pointing us back to Jesus.
• Occasional Longform Essays — Typical fare here will include writing on topics like theology, discipleship, current events, or spiritual formation.
• Interludes and Experiments — I'll also share thoughts on music I'm enjoying, students I'm teaching, books I'm reading, and one day maybe even fiction I've considered writing 🤫... Some things here are miscellaneous and won’t quite fit a category.

If you're still reading — thank you. I know the internet is full. And loud. I don’t take your attention for granted.

Feel free to subscribe or bookmark this page if you'd like to come along for the journey. My first few posts will dig into some of the issues and questions I’ve been carrying for a while — and I’d love your thoughts along the way.

Let’s begin.

Grace and peace to you,
Bill