Teaching without compromise.
Loving without exception.
...When visiting the different, themed sections of Disneyland, Fantasyland is not typically high on my priority list. But even those who enjoy the Tea Cup ride or King Arthur's carousel know there's much more to the Disneyland experience. Think about it: who would pay full price for admission, but then simply cycle through just the ten or eleven rides in Fantasyland? No one. But God's word warns us that, too often, we're the kind of people who do something very similar when it comes to everyday life: we regularly choose to pitch our tent in a land of fantasy rather than reality....
The fallacies I have in mind are ones that have been circulated over the centuries by what some call popular or folk Christianity. Undoubtedly, these kinds of 'Christian' beliefs can be found in all sorts of categories, not just the one labeled 'Christmas'. But these Christmas fallacies are some of the best known, since they are promoted annually through things like nativity scenes/sets, television and movies, and even Christmas carols....
In light of the moral universe revealed by the Scriptures, I suggested modern ideas regarding 'self-forgiveness' make very little sense. But this doesn't mean there are not areas of overlap between biblical concerns and modern, therapeutic concerns. Care for hurting individuals is the common goal. So where are the points of connection, and how does God's word address modern concerns?...
Have you ever heard someone say, “I just can't forgive myself”? If you're a follower of Jesus, than this struggle should stir our hearts to help. But as I think many would agree, we must help in light of God's word. Here's the challenge: while it's a well-known concept in both counseling contexts and popular culture, attentive readers of Scripture know that 'self-forgiveness' is not an explicit concept in the Bible....
While Christians are not called to keep the day, Yom Kippur can serve as a powerful reminder that this yearly ritual was only a picture of the perfect sacrifice God would provide and did provide through Jesus (cf. Isaiah 53:10)....
As we mark the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, many people will undoubtedly be reflecting on the significance of what happened two decades ago and how it should shape our outlook today. While historians, security analysts, and those who focus on foreign affairs have had and will have a lot to discuss, it's just as important to reflect on the spiritual significance of those tragic events....
Current events and culture wars can easily push faith concerns to the side. But equally dangerous is when the media's “what matters most” begins to shape our faith instead of sidelining it....
It's often called the 'protoevangelium'. That's a Greek word that simply means “first gospel”. What is this 'first gospel'? It's an interpretation of Genesis 3:15 that argues this verse is ultimately speaking of Jesus and his victory over death and Satan. But is that actually what the verse is saying?...
Pray with us in the coming weeks in light of our relaunch on October 3! Each week includes a biblical theme and related Scriptures around which we hope you will pray....
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?...
Consider for a moment the Apostle Paul's encouragement regarding the church in Titus 3:14. He writes... And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Brothers and sisters, is Way of Grace an "unfruitful" church in regard to "cases of urgent need"? I hope we aren't. In fact, if your past eag...
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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...
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Resurrection apart from death is not resurrection. It is reconfiguration. It is reinterpretation. It is renovation and remodeling. But it isn't resurrection....
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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...
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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 wha...
Keep ReadingWelcome, Gents! On this regularly-updated post (every Monday) you will find a thought or two about true manliness in light of God's word. These thoughts will be drawn from the previous week's New Testament readings (from our "5-on-5" Bible Reading Plan). I hope you will... 1. Prayerfully read with us through the New Testament in 2020. 2. Prayerfully consider the current...
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We're excited for the opportunity to bring a Christmas blessing to the community on Monday evening, December 23rd at Sundance Park. Our hope for this "Christmas in the Park" event is to host a kind of informal Christmas Eve service, under the stars from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. But to pull this off WE NEED YOUR HELP!...
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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 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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