I have been plodding my way through David Mathis’ new book, Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines. I wholeheartedly recommend it to you (so much so, that I’m giving away two copies…see below). Within his section on Christian fellowship, he has a word to us on the much underrated ministry of listening. Borrowing…
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A quick fix. Take a pill to lose weight, lower cholesterol, and calm our nerves. We love a quick fix. Sometimes I think we read the Bible looking for a quick fix. “Just read this passage, apply what it says, and you’ll be fine.” I want to make a bold proposal in this little blog…
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The gospel is: “Jesus lived the life I should have lived and died the death I should have died.” Salvation comes to those who believe this. A question often asked is: “Now that I’ve ‘crossed over’, what should I do? Now that I believe the gospel, what’s next?” God wants us to make forward progress…
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When I say “affinity-based small groups” do you know what I mean? In the American church today, we organize many of our small groups around certain “affinities.” It could be “young families” or “20-somethings” or “singles” or “retired couples.” Organizing our groups around that can be helpful. I’m thankful for the newly married small group…
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So I’m reading through Romans and I came across a couple of verses I never really stopped to think about before: “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong — that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”…
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“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1). So says the satanic serpent. “We may eat fruit from the tree in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not…
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The anatomy of anxiety & anger In Matthew 6, Jesus links anxiety to the future: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” (Matthew 6:25). Anxiety is: there’s something you think you need or want, but you’re not sure you’re going to get…
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What we grow up with, we become convinced is normal. One of the great joys and one of the great sadnesses I experience as a pastor is hearing people’s stories. It’s a joy because often they include miracles of God’s saving, redemptive, and restorative power. It’s a sadness because before the salvation, redemption, and restoration…
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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 Imagine going on a hike through the forest and getting lost. What was supposed to be a 2-hour…
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Faith. The word is thrown around quite a bit. “Where is she in the faith?”“Does he have faith?”“I have faith.” For most religious people, ‘faith’ is important. But why? “[We] know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we…
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