Do you feel like you’re missing something? Just below the surface but constantly there, we often feel as if we should be more, have more, accomplish more, prove more, or get more to show that we are complete. The question, “Am I enough?” echoes through the chambers of our hearts as we face each day. You…
One of the things I like to do in my sermons is provide ways for my hearers to think about who they (we) are as Christians. To do that, I often lean into specific words or phrases that helpfully paint the picture of Christian identity. For instance, a couple of weeks ago I pressed home…
By Dave Zuleger So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. —Acts 9:31 The book of Acts is always an encouragement to me. As we’ve walked through 1…
In walks Mr. or Mrs./Ms. Narcissism. I’m wise. You’re not. I’m in charge. You’re not. Shut your mouth while I’m talking. Don’t ever talk to me that way? Do you know who I am? You don’t have the right or freedom to ask me questions or question my authority. Intimidation. Threats. Long stares. Biting sarcasm.…
I’ve always found Wayne Grudem to write on any subject in an orderly fashion, soaked in the Bible, and (often) persuasively presented. In preparation to teach through an introduction to Christian ethics, I’m surveying several works. Here is the list so far: Ethics for a Brave New World, John S. Feinberg and Paul D. Feinberg…
Thanks to Samuel Martins for sharing their work on Unsplash. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What does “poor” mean in this verse? It means… Paupers Beggers Those who live on the bounty of others Those who live by begging Jesus is teaching His…
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is…
*This post originally appeared at For the Church (ftc.co). There are these moments. These situations where your conversation enters into the realm of debate. The disagreement is clear. Debate ensues. You hold one position, your friend another. On the inside, you are convinced of your position. You have studied the issue, read your Bible, formulated…
Over the course of a few years, Nathan Millican and I worked on a book with several other friends. The book is aimed at pastors and releases in June. Below is an excerpt from the introduction I wrote to the book. Links to pre-order the book, if you’re inclined, are at the end of this…
One of the realities that should govern your life is that there is a God and you are not him. That is, there is a Creator and there are creatures. We should not confuse the two. Christians have understood this in the past and have spoken, with a fair bit of consistency, accordingly. To maintain…
