In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship — be it JC or … Continue reading Eaten Alive
Month: January 2014
They Begged Him to Leave
Matthew 8:28-39 is one of the scariest Bible passages, but not in the way you might think. Matthew 8:28-39 [28] When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no … Continue reading They Begged Him to Leave
Losing Lazarus: One Year Later
On this date last year, we found out the news that Lazarus had stopped growing. I can't believe at how radically different our life situation was, just one year ago: I was still in grad school at Southern Seminary, Heather was still pregnant the first time, we lived in Louisville, Kentucky. Now, I am done … Continue reading Losing Lazarus: One Year Later
Difference Maker by Needtobreathe
Church of (Human) Glory? Or a Church of the Cross?
Amid our shifting culture—moving away from a culturally Christian, modern culture to a postmodern and neo-pagan culture—how should church respond? I think that we should reclaim some of our Protestant roots and learn from the great Reformer, Martin Luther.[1] In 1518, Martin Luther was still a monk within the Catholic church. His superiors, however, wanted … Continue reading Church of (Human) Glory? Or a Church of the Cross?
Three Gospel Assurances
A new year is here, just over a week old! And every January, the gym is packed! Why is that? Because we crave newness and want to change. Maybe for you, the gym isn’t your thing. But I’m sure that there are probably areas of your life which you want to change. So we try … Continue reading Three Gospel Assurances
From Attractional Events to Attractional Communities
We cannot assume people will come to us. We must go them. We need to do church and mission in the context of everyday life. We can no longer think of church as a meeting on a Sunday morning. We must think of church as a community of people who share life, ordinary life. And … Continue reading From Attractional Events to Attractional Communities
What’s Your Response to Jesus?: Quick Notes on Matthew Chapter 2
These thoughts probably aren’t original, but they were the ones I had while reading Matthew 2 this morning. Matthew 2 is all about the responses to the news of Jesus’ birth. 1. Herod was threatened by the news of Jesus’ birth Matthew 2:1-3 Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, [2] “Where is He who has … Continue reading What’s Your Response to Jesus?: Quick Notes on Matthew Chapter 2
Flee to be Free (Zechariah 2:6-13)
With a new year comes a bevy of resolutions to change your life. According to the Bible, change occurs through repentance. Repentance is hard because it means fleeing from the sinful things you love. It means laying down the idols of power, approval and control. But with repentance comes the blessing of freedom. Freedom from … Continue reading Flee to be Free (Zechariah 2:6-13)