Teaching without compromise.
Loving without exception.
Contrary to what you might be hearing (even from some respected, Christian leaders), who you vote for in the upcoming presidential election is not a biblical mark of genuine, saving faith, nor is it inherently an unrighteous act if you vote for the so-called 'wrong' candidate (whoever that is in your context)....
When we hold on firmly to the biblical definition of church, public health measures may force us to revise our plans, but they simply cannot restrict the church from being the church. Throughout history, and throughout the world, even today, the Church has always been flexible enough to adjust the form of its life together, without veering from the function of its life together....
When we read often-neglected stories like this, we're reminded that it's very easy to slip into a mentality of, “Jesus? Oh yeah, I know Jesus. I know all about Jesus.” But God is so good to unsettle us in terms of the often unsettling truth about the real Jesus....
Faithful fans of Hamilton will certainly know how the play ends. But few people know how the final hours of Alexander Hamilton's life actually 'played out'... yes, “in the room where it happened”....
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....
"Our message this past Sunday from I John highlighted language the Apostle John used in 3:4-9 to describe those not 'born of God'; those who have neither 'seen him [nor] know him'. John described them as those who make 'a practice of sinning' (vs. 4, 8, 9)... While not addressing I John 3, Pastor John Piper's comments on Hebrews 10 can help us with this concept of making ...
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Funny how God works. He can even use the misguided pairing of Dodge and Dr. King, on a Super Bowl Sunday, to point us back to true greatness and the One who makes it possible....
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Abortion is an assault on the image, character, grace, gospel, and glory of God. For the Christian to see it as anything less than that is to reject a biblical view of God’s gospel and God’s glory...Every child in the womb is a masterpiece shaped by the master craftsman....
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I Corinthians 13:4-7 is not necessarily a definition of love. Rather, it is a description of love, a description that challenges anyone who simply says “I'm loving,” or “I love you”. It tests the talk in light of the walk. And one of the ways it describes love is, "Love bears all things". But what exactly does that mean, and how can a dinosaur help us understand Go...
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For many, the phrase "in Christ alone" reminds them of the beautiful song by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty (from 2002)(opening line: "In Christ alone, my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song.). But there is an older song by the same name (from 1991), one that many may still remember....
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What is striking about Paul's argument in Romans 4 is not simply the idea of being justified (right with God as one declared innocent) by faith, but that Paul goes on to describe the hope-inspiring, endurance-producing nature of this saving faith; the fact we can “grow strong” (4:20) in faith, no matter what is happening to us or around us....
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Each and every day, all of us have been and will be leaving Las Vegas. We will leave the news coverage behind and head back into our daily routines and everyday commitments. But how will this tragedy change us? Beyond the grief and confusion and anger, what are we taking away from this awful event? What should we take away?...
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God dwells in the midst of his Church. Therefore Leviticus is extremely relevant for us, especially knowing that “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction...”. So what can we as followers of Jesus learn about a life with God in the midst? Well, one answer to that question comes from the beginning of Leviticus. Specifically, the first three ch...
Keep ReadingToday, most are not frightened by an eclipse. But our scientific understanding has not made this cosmic event any less powerful. David's confession in Psalm 8 points us to two important lessons, any time we are awed by the sky above. ...
Keep ReadingChurches should not be places of wounding; they should facilitate healing. They should be where the neglected, the voiceless, the broken-hearted, the crushed in spirit and the weary find love, kindness and the hope of Jesus Christ. When you find a people and a place like that, you yearn to belong. ...
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