Rev. Tom Warren
Pleasant Hill Community ChurchText Box: Tom Warren pictured with his wife Kim Miller and their two children Daniel and Abigail. Text Box: Once in a while, when you’re out on the road, you may run across a bumper sticker with the following words: “God said it…I believe it…That settles it!” In central Tennessee-the “buckle” of the Bible belt-the idea that God has spoken and written everything there is to be said seems an article of faith. The Bible as the infallible word of God shapes many faithful peoples lives, and our world is increasingly being influenced by the fundamentalists among us-be they Christian, Muslim, or otherwise. Yet, the idea that God has said all there is to say strikes some of us as unlikely. Considering the difficult place which the global community finds itself in, the idea that God has no more direction or inspiration for the world might be just plain depressing. We, in the United Church of Christ, believe differently. We have a deep faith that God has much more to say to our world. While we would argue that God’s scriptural word is far from infallible, we just as strongly believe that “there is yet more truth and light to break forth from God’s Holy Word.” How so? Bible: God’s Word about Humanity or Humanity’s Word about God? Old and New Testament scholars have long understood that the Bible is a human product. The Hebrew Scriptures reveal the struggles which the ancient Israelites had in understanding the ways and will of their God-Yahweh. The Old Testament represents over 700 years of writings as the Israelites reacted to and looked back upon their journey through history with God. The New Testament gospels, in a similar fashion, represent the passions and struggles of the early Christian community as it sought to live out its new found faith in Jesus Christ. The earliest gospel-Mark-was written a full forty years after the death of Christ, with the other gospels dating even later. We have in these texts not only what was important to Jesus and what was important to the early Christian Community, but also how these early communities understood Jesus in their context. In both the Old and New Testaments, we have history, myth, metaphor, and deep divine truth. The texts are rich with insight about God, humanity, and how society should be structured. We are bid to read and study these words in depth while appreciating the historical context within which they were composed and speak to. God is still speaking and you’re invited… In the United Church of Christ, we are on the lookout for people who seek a deep relationship with God, but who do so with an appreciation for the gift of critical thinking God has given us. We believe that every human being is a creature of God, placed on a spiritual journey toward self-discovery, divine communion, and social responsibility. If you are looking for a community in which to pursue an authentic relationship with God as revealed in Jesus Christ…we are here. If you believe that God calls us to a deepened relationship with our neighbors, both locally and around the world…we are here. If you are seeking a place where you can pursue God while faithfully struggling with scripture, science, and individual conscience…we are here. Perhaps Pleasant Hill Community Church is the place for you? We hope you will come try us out…and bring your questions, doubts, and certainties…They will be embraced, challenged, and welcomed! In Christ name, Tom Warren Pastor Pleasant Hill Community Church Pastor's Perspective

Tom is a graduate of

Pastor Tom on Mardi Gras