Redeeming the Church in Houghton

I’ve been asked by a few different people why I am planting a church in Houghton. Many would say Houghton has many churches, and regrettably, we don’t. The church has been lost here in Houghton. We’ve embraced women preachers, self-affirming sodomites in leadership, and a grace that winks at sin, all while our flocks starve for the fear of God. Houghton is no exception: nominalism reigns, moralism kills, and abominations hide in the shadows.

So, we’ve begun building a church here and I want to give people a clear picture of why, three why’s actually: why Reformed theology stands as the most biblical framework for the church today, why it speaks directly to the needs of our area, and why the future of Christianity in places like ours hangs in the balance on embracing these truths fully. I hope that this stirs your heart, sharpens your mind, and maybe even draws you into the conversation (or the work!).

Let me start with the foundation: Why Reformed theology? At its core, Reformed theology isn’t a trendy system or a human invention; it’s the Bible’s own self-interpretation that was recovered during the Protestant Reformation to strip away centuries of added traditions and get back to the pure Gospel. It’s “Reformed” because it continually reforms itself by the Word of God alone (Sola Scriptura). Think of it as the theology that asks, “What does Scripture actually say?” without apology. It emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty in salvation (from election to glorification), the authority of Scripture as our ultimate rule, justification by faith alone, the centrality of Christ’s work, the purpose of Church and authority, the state of sinners, and the glory of God as the goal of everything. This life-giving truth humbles us, exalts Jesus, and equips us to live holy lives in a broken world.

5 Solas

But let’s drill down to the Five Solas: the battle cries of the Reformation that still echo today. These aren’t optional add-ons; they’re the non-negotiables that define biblical Christianity:

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): Brothers, this is the bedrock, the Bible alone as our sole infallible authority, not the bloated traditions of popes and councils, not the fleeting whims of human reason poisoned by Enlightenment arrogance, and certainly not the cultural trends that bow to rainbow flags and gender chaos (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105). Paul thunders that all Scripture is God-breathed, profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, equipping the man of God for every good work without needing supplements from man’s inventions. Think of how this sola gutted the medieval monstrosity of indulgences and purgatory, stripping away layers of superstition to reveal Christ’s sufficiency. In our day, it stands as a fortress against relativism’s flood, “my truth” is the devil’s lie that drowns souls in subjectivism (John 17:17). In Houghton, where academic elites at Michigan Tech peddle evolutionary myths and pluralistic drivel, Sola Scriptura arms students to dismantle falsehoods, proclaiming that God’s Word alone interprets itself, reforming the church continually. Without it, we wander into the fog of mysticism or liberalism, where sodomites twist Genesis 1-2 to justify their degradation passions (Romans 1:26-27). But with it, we call all to submit: Bend the knee to Scripture, or face its judgment.
• Sola Fide (Faith Alone): Justification comes not by a shred of human works, not by sacraments twisted into merit-badges or moral ladders climbed in sweat and self-deceit, but by faith alone in Christ’s imputed righteousness (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). This isn’t cheap grace for lazy believers or “easy believism” that lets sin romp unchecked—it’s the Bible’s nuclear strike against self-justifying pride, declaring that even our best deeds are filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). Abraham believed God, and it was credited as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4), not because he sacrificed or circumcised first, but because faith clings to the Promise. In the Reformation, this sola shattered the chains of works-righteousness, freeing peasants and princes alike from Rome’s extortion. Today, it cuts through the legalism choking Houghton’s moralistic congregations (try harder, attend more, give more) leaving souls exhausted and unforgiven, chasing shadows while ignoring the cross. Without Sola Fide, feminism flourishes as women grasp for authority through works, and effeminacy hides behind “good deeds” that mask unrepentant lust. But embrace it, and faith births obedience, freeing us to love God without fear of the whip.
• Sola Gratia (Grace Alone): Salvation is God’s gift, uninitiated by our wills, undeserved by our merits: pure, sovereign grace from election to glorification, regenerating dead sinners into life (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:1-5; Romans 9:16). We’re not drowning swimmers reaching for a rope; we’re corpses at the bottom of the sea until the Spirit breathes life into our bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14). Total depravity isn’t a debate point—it’s reality: Every faculty warped by sin, incapable of choosing God without His prior invasion (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18). This sola fueled Calvin’s Institutes and crushed Arminian synergies that smuggle in human boasting. Biblically, it magnifies God’s mercy in choosing Jacob over Esau, not for foreseen faith but His good pleasure (Romans 9:11-13). In a county rife with substance epidemics and hidden sexual wickedness, it proclaims that sovereign grace pursues the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), not waiting for us to clean up. Without it, churches peddle a grace that accommodates abominations, letting unrepentant homosexuals and fornicators lead worship. But with it, we grieve over depravity, preach repentance, and watch God save irresistibly, turning despair into doxology.
• Solus Christus (Christ Alone): Jesus Christ is the sole Mediator, the only way, truth, and life—no priests peddling masses, no saints interceding as co-redeemers, no rituals adding to His once-for-all sacrifice (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 10:14; John 14:6). He is Prophet revealing God, Priest atoning perfectly, King ruling eternally—our all in all (Colossians 2:9-10). This sola eviscerated the sacrificial system of the Mass and Mary’s mediatorial pretensions during the Reformation. Biblically, Peter’s confession thunders: Salvation in no other name (Acts 4:12), and Paul’s curse falls on any gospel adding to Christ (Galatians 1:8-9). In our pluralistic madness, where Michigan Tech imports worldviews that equate Buddha with the Babe of Bethlehem, Solus Christus is evangelism’s battering ram: It boldly claims exclusivity while extending open arms to all tribes and tongues. Without it, the church devolves into a social club where women’s ordination and effeminate leadership dilute His headship (1 Timothy 2:12). In Houghton’s Catholic-heavy landscape, it confronts mariolatry and works, pointing to the cross alone. Embrace it, and Christ reigns supreme, drawing worship that costs everything.
• Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone): Every molecule of creation, every beat of the heart, every act of redemption exists for God’s glory alone—not man’s comfort, not cultural relevance, not self-esteem boosts (1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36; Isaiah 48:11). From the Westminster divines to Edwards’ resolutions, this sola reorients life from anthropocentric drivel to theocentric fire: God will not share His praise with idols (Isaiah 42:8). Biblically, it’s the order of salvation—predestined, called, justified, glorified to display His splendor (Ephesians 1:5-6). In a narcissistic culture where faith is peddled as therapy for “your best life now,” it answers the “So what?” with thunder: Christianity isn’t personal fulfillment but eternal purpose in God’s creation. Without it, mercy ministries become humanistic handouts, evangelism mere recruitment, and churches applaud men while God fumes. In Reformed hands, it ignites mission: Care for Houghton’s poor not for applause, but because Christ cared for us, His glory shining through cracked vessels. This sola demands we purge effeminacy and rebellion, living coram Deo (before God’s face) in holy fear.
• These Solas aren’t abstract; they’re the oxygen of the church. Biblically, they recapture the apostolic faith (see Acts 4:12, Galatians 1:8). They equip us to engage minds and hearts without compromise, turning defenses into doors for the Gospel. Without them, Christianity devolves into vague spirituality or cultural Christianity that is powerful in name only.

Why Houghton?

Now, why plant Christ the King Church here, in Houghton County? This isn’t random; it’s a divine appointment tied to my calling and our community’s desperate needs. Houghton County is home to about 38,000 souls in this rugged, beautiful slice of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and faces unique challenges that scream for Gospel renewal. We’re a place of natural wonders but also stark realities: Houghton weeps under God’s judgment: 48% of households scrape by below ALICE thresholds, food insecurity gnaws at 15%, but worse is the hidden rot—sodomy and lesbianism creeping into homes, sexual abuse festering unchecked in families, they want to bring a new abortion mill to our region (Marquette) invoking even more sin, all while churches slumber in moralism without regeneration (Romans 1:26-27; Psalm 106:39). The Apostolic Lutheran stranglehold peddles absolution only to those that have earned it, sidelining the new birth, and expository preaching is as rare as godly elders who fear God over man’s praise. Women usurp pulpits in some corners, effeminate men lead without spine, and discipline? Forgotten, leaving sin to breed like vermin. Mercy ministries? Mostly handled by secular groups like BHK Community Action Agency, leaving the church on the sidelines.

Reformed theology tackles these head-on because it’s not just “head knowledge”, it’s heart-transforming truth that births action. In a county craving stability amid economic flux, it proclaims God’s sovereign grace, offering assurance that isn’t shaken by job loss or family strain (Sola Gratia). For students wrestling with doubt or cultural pressures, the Solas provide apologetic steel that Christ alone is the answer to existential questions, defended by Scripture alone. And for a community heavy on moralism (do better, try harder), it demands the real Gospel: You must be born again (John 3:3), not just behave better. This theology fuels mercy, not as a PR stunt, but as outflow of the Gospel that is caring for the poor because Christ first cared for us (James 1:27). Planting here means building a beacon of biblical fidelity in a place where 47% of Michiganders identify as Christians, but many drift toward nominalism or secularism.

7 Reasons

Here’s the heart of it: My calling is to pastor, to shepherd souls, not just preach sermons. Campus ministry at Michigan Tech is a joy and a supplement, reaching young minds with the Gospel, but it is only a piece of a puzzle. Pastoring involved the careful care of souls, the protection of them. I was fired last year for standing against false teachings—effeminate compromises that tolerate sodomy and feminist rebellion, that preach a different Gospel than Justification by Faith Alone, and now seek to establish a stronghold against those types of false teachings here. Without a church, I’m a lone watchman; with Christ the King, we shield souls from wolves, disciplining the wayward as Matthew 18 commands, lest the flock be devoured.”

That’s reason #1: Planting builds the pastoral home base to do the Work of God.

Reason #2: This area starves for the true Gospel, not moral pep talks. This area starves for the Gospel that demands repentance from abominations—flee sodomy, shun adultery, crush the feminist spirit that defies male headship (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:22-24). Moral pep talks leave men emasculated and women rebellious, but regeneration by the Spirit births holy fear.

Reason #3: Holiness and discipline are vanishing, eroding the church’s witness. Holiness vanishes as churches ignore discipline, winking at fornicators, adulterers, and those given over to homosexuality (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). Reformed marks demand we purge the leaven, not with cruelty, but as physicians cutting out cancer, restoring the repentant and warning the stubborn of hell’s fire.

Reason #4: Pastoring isn’t just podium time, it’s soul care. True pastoring means men leading as under-shepherds, visiting homes to rebuke wayward husbands, admonish unsubmissive wives, and catechize children against the world’s effeminacy (1 Peter 5:1-4; Titus 2:3-5). In Houghton’s winters, this steels families against despair and lust.

Reason #5: The church has no real presence here, we’re ghosts in our own county. We’re ghosts because we’ve forsaken Soli Deo Gloria for self-worship, letting secularists handle mercy while we hide from evangelism. Christ the King will storm the gates—door-to-door rebuking sin, recovery groups calling addicts to flee their chains, all to display Christ’s rule over every abomination.

Reason #6: Robust theology catechizes the heart, and we’re starving for it. Shallow snippets breed weak faith; we need verse-by-verse swords that expose hearts, condemning pride, lust, and unbelief (Hebrews 4:12). As Owen warned, doctrine shapes life—let it forge men of steel, not effeminate wanderers.

Reason #7: We have a dearth of Godly men. The church bleeds from a famine of godly men in the pulpit, and Houghton mirrors this national disgrace, effeminate compromises and timid souls shirking the call, leaving flocks shepherdless amid wolves. Scripture commands men, real men, not castrated by culture, to lead as elders, qualified by character, doctrine, and dominion over their households (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), yet where are they? In America, pulpits fill with women usurping authority forbidden by God (1 Timothy 2:12), or with spineless males who fear man’s frown more than God’s thunder, peddling feel-good mush instead of the whole counsel that pierces souls (Acts 20:27). This isn’t abstract; it’s apostasy birthing chaos: Boys grow fatherless in spirit, marriages crumble under feminist rebellion, and churches tolerate abominations like sodomy because no one wields the rod of discipline. I grieve this void—I’ve seen it in my own firing, in campuses awash with doubt, in families devoured by isolation and lust. Reformed theology demands a recovery: It forges men through sovereign grace, teaching headship as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25), election that humbles pride, and perseverance that steels spines against persecution. Planting Christ the King raises a standard, calling men to aspire to oversight not for filthy lucre but noble fire (1 Timothy 3:1), training them in catechisms and confessions to preach verse-by-verse thunder, rebuke sin boldly, and protect the bride from error. We need warriors, not wimps, men who’ll storm hell’s gates, evangelize the lost, and model holiness before their sons. Without this, the church feminizes into irrelevance; with it, God revives a masculine witness, glorifying Himself through vessels fit for the Master’s use (2 Timothy 2:21).

Beloved, here’s the bold claim: Christianity will live or die on Reformed theology as a total. Christianity hangs by a thread: Reject the Solas, and we’re left with therapeutic deism, sodomite parades in sanctuaries, and women lording over men, a shell ripe for God’s judgment. Embrace them, and Houghton revives, sovereign grace snatching souls from the fire. Without it, we wither; with it, we thrive as a foretaste of Christ’s kingdom.

So, what’s next? We hope to officially launch our building in summer 2026 (stay tuned for details!), starting small but aiming eternal. To set up a church and the surrounding buildings that we can acquire, to provide for the lost, dedicate them to Scripture and to God, and equip them for the Kingdom work ahead of us. The King comes to judge & and we are tasked to call people to repent, join the fight, or face His wrath. Disagree? Come rebuke me; better iron sharpening iron than slumbering in sin, or come join me for the fight for the souls of the Keweenaw. Pray for Copper Country’s purging, that God raises warriors for His bride.