This post is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of my book, Common Protestant Objections to Catholic Doctrine. In this chapter, I begin to explore the foundational differences between Protestant and Catholic views of authority, tradition, and the Church. Drawing from my years as a Protestant pastor and my journey into the Catholic faith, I walk through some of the most common objections I once held myself—and how I came to see them differently.

📘 If you’d like to read the full book, it’s available now on Amazon:

👉 https://a.co/d/6uTmh1B

For any young man in a position of influence—whether in ministry, leadership, parenting, or just among peers—this matters deeply.

Your words carry weight. Your tone sets the temperature.

This post is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of my book, Common Protestant Objections to Catholic Doctrine. In this chapter, I begin to explore the foundational differences between Protestant and Catholic views of authority, tradition, and the Church. Drawing from my years as a Protestant pastor and my journey into the Catholic faith, I walk through some of the most common objections I once held myself—and how I came to see them differently.

📘 If you’d like to read the full book, it’s available now on Amazon:

👉 https://a.co/d/6uTmh1B

Paul’s concern is this: our lives should make the gospel believable.

When we live out love, purity, discipline, and faithfulness—even in the daily grind—it protects the message. It makes people pause and say, “Maybe there’s something to this Jesus after all.”

In today’s culture, aging is often seen as something to fight off or hide. But in the Church, age is meant to be honored.Experience is sacred. And Paul’s vision is a relational model of discipleship, where every generation lifts the next.

This passage reminds us that women are not sidelined in the kingdom—they are essential. Their faithfulness, teaching, and presence are foundational for the spiritual formation of others.

In today’s culture, older men are often either ignored or idolized—viewed as irrelevant or unteachable. But Paul sees them as essential to the health of the church.

We need men who are anchored, not angry.
Who are gentle, not jaded.
Who are wise, not bitter.
Who model what it looks like to grow older in grace—not just in age.

That’s the heart behind rebuke in the Church: not punishment, but restoration. We correct error not to shame, but to protect, heal, and strengthen the flock. That’s why Paul’s earlier list of elder traits is so crucial—because only someone who is holy, self-controlled, and anchored in truth can correct others without becoming proud or harsh.

Jesus not only taught truth—He was the truth. He never compromised, never spun the message to gain followers. He held fast to the Father’s will, even when it cost Him everything.

To hold firm to the Word, then, is to hold fast to Him—to let His voice shape our beliefs, His story shape our lives, and His teaching anchor our ministry.

I was on a long drive for work, listening to The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. It had been on my reading list for a while, and long hours on the road felt like the right time to finally catch up. Somewhere in the middle of the book, I was hit by a line that stopped me cold

Jesus practiced discipline. He woke early to pray. He fasted. He obeyed the Father even when it meant suffering. He lived with perfect intentionality—never rushing, never drifting, never distracted from His mission.