Whoever dubbed the debate over musical style a 'worship war' failed to realize that worship is always a war. The declaration that there is one God, that his name is Jesus, and that he has died, has risen, and will come again is an all-out assault on the saviors extended at every level of culture…
(Jesus’) Perfect Love Drives Out Fear
Our problems arise largely because we don't continually return to the gospel to work it in and live it out...'Wait,' I have heard people object. 'You mean that in order to grow in Christ, you keep telling yourself how graciously loved and accepted you are?...Maybe the motivation of religion was negative, but at least it…
Eaten Alive
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…
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…
Don’t Lift up Goals, Lift Up Jesus
If you want to inspire people to the mission of God, you must lift up the Son. When we grasp the glory of Jesus, it becomes the sustaining inspiration that transform life. Isaiah was inspired by seeing Jesus in the temple (Isa. 6:1-8). Peter was inspired by seeing Jesus after his resurrection (Acts 1:1-11). Paul…
Do you feel like a Loser?
Jim Hamilton commenting on Revelation 12 and how God works through weak things: It's almost as though God shows up on the playground to pick his team, and instead of picking guys who look like they can play, he picks the obviously inferior team...Do you ever look around your life and feel like God has…
Raising Lazarus 