Teaching without compromise.
Loving without exception.
Having just finished another study in the deeply meaningful, but often misunderstood, book of the Revelation, I couldn't help but reflect on how John's vision in chapter 7 speaks to our current, culture-wide conversation about race and inequality....
Social influences, insecurities, selfishness, and many other factors can keep us from the faith-shaped relationships we read about in Scripture. Currently, it is the unexpected reality of a global pandemic that has not only distanced us socially, but also tempted many of us to fizzle rather than fight when it comes to fellowship. But why?...
From now until the end of the month, you can, amazingly, provide over 100 meals for a person in need in our community for just $15! We are pleased to partner with All Faith Community Services in Buckeye to bless so many who are struggling in light of the current crisis....
Behind that question is one that's been asked for millennia. It's often referred to as 'the problem of evil'. Why does God's plan include the rescue of some and not others, the severe suffering of some and not others? Frankly, there are no easy answers to such questions. But the assumptions behind our questions can be helpful. Your piece assumed the value of all human life. You touched on the importance of gratitude, and the unwelcomeness of pain and suffering. In short, you, like most, assumed an 'ought'....
Resurrection apart from death is not resurrection. It is reconfiguration. It is reinterpretation. It is renovation and remodeling. But it isn't resurrection....
Many people today are looking for answers. Pandemics, like most crises, have a way of driving us in that direction. But many seem hungry for more than just health advice, social guidelines, and up-to-date statistics... I would offer up that these people are looking for what we might call spiritual answers. That collection of ancient scriptures we call the Bible is (and for thousands of years has been) widely recognized as a place to find spiritual answers....
At a time when sickness is on the minds of so many, the 'benefits package' offered by the often-termed 'prosperity gospel' might seem especially appealing. What is the prosperity gospel? It's the belief (popular in many Charismatic and Pentecostal circles) that Jesus came, not simply to save you from sin and self, but from disease and debt as well... But is this really what the Scriptures teach? Is this prosperity gospel the genuine gospel of the New Testament?...
For many, painful circumstances drive us toward one of three, general stress responses: fight, flight, or freeze...But what if we added “faith” to that list? It was C.S. Lewis...who said: “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”...
When we consider what the Bible tells us about hell, it is undoubtedly awful. But is it absurd? Is the idea of hell unreasonable? Some people believe so. But hell is clearly taught in Scripture. In fact, Jesus spoke about it more than anyone else. So what can we do? What should we do with this Christian concept of hell in a 'hell no' society?...
How exactly should we use the Lord's Prayer? In some traditions, consistent repetition of the exact words of this prayer seems to be done in a mechanical way, as if the prayer were some kind of 'magical mantra'. Others have emphasized the idea that this prayer is not a mantra, but a model, intended to shape the broad contours of all our prayers. So which is it?...
For many, painful circumstances drive us toward one of three, general stress responses: fight, flight, or freeze...But what if we added “faith” to that list? It was C.S. Lewis...who said: “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”...
Keep Reading When we consider what the Bible tells us about hell, it is undoubtedly awful. But is it absurd? Is the idea of hell unreasonable? Some people believe so. But hell is clearly taught in Scripture. In fact, Jesus spoke about it more than anyone else. So what can we do? What should we do with this Christian concept of hell in a 'hell no' society?...
Keep ReadingJoin us for a new six-week study on the how and why of sharing Jesus with others....
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Youth and Youth Parents! Our second Youth Camp fundraiser is coming up on Saturday, June 15th atApplebee's restaurant in Goodyear. Our Youth will be your servers for an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast! Here's how you can help: 1.Register Your Student Server!Enter your students name in the comment section below (FYI, comments don't appear right away), and downlo...
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Ever wanted the "big picture" of the Bible? Eager to know the whole story of Scripture, and how all the pieces fit together? Join us for "The Story of Life" workshop....
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Youth and Youth Parents! We are excited to be taking our Way of Grace Youth (and their friends) to the newUrban Air Trampoline and Adventure Parkin Goodyear (click name to learn more). The 'deets': WHEN: Sunday, May 26th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. COST: $10 (includes full access to the park (normally $24.99), and two slices of pizza and a drink) All Youth (grades 6-1...
Keep Reading How exactly should we use the Lord's Prayer? In some traditions, consistent repetition of the exact words of this prayer seems to be done in a mechanical way, as if the prayer were some kind of 'magical mantra'. Others have emphasized the idea that this prayer is not a mantra, but a model, intended to shape the broad contours of all our prayers. So which is it?...
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Youth and Youth Parents! Take a look at the volunteer needs/time slots for our Rummage Sale Fundraiser and let us know how you can help.......
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Like the operator of a nuclear power station, effectively handling the power of your digital device requires careful consideration and consistent discipline. Without this mindset, experiencing a relational or emotional or mental or spiritual 'meltdown' is a very real possibility....
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While colorful hearts and cartoonish cupids are common images around Valentine's Day, the cross was the image the Apostle Paul wanted his reader to be informed and inspired by above all others. As Paul wrote in the opening verses of Ephesians 5, God has called us to “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us”...
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