Over the previous two weeks, we have been thinking together about the identity of God as Father and Son. We have seen, in Scripture, that the trinitarian existence of God is no new concept. Even the earliest of human religion recognized the single creator-God and the work of the Son. We saw that both the... Continue Reading →
Do You Believe in the Real Jesus?
Do you know the real Jesus? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mESGbCGGB-o&feature=youtu.be I remember in the last church we served in (I served as an interim pastor), one of the ‘deacons,’ claimed to know Jesus. His brother was a pastor. He served as a deacon in a couple different churches. He knew his stuff. One Sunday night during Bible study,... Continue Reading →
Who Is God, really?
This morning, I want to share my heart for the people on this earth in our time. as we look at our next belief statement. If there is a God, and we believe that all of history, philosophy, and scientific inquiry necessitates the existence of a God, then what we know about God is the... Continue Reading →
Should We Teach the Bible, or Merely From the Bible?
Imagine, for a moment, that you are playing in a baseball game. You are playing second base and the pitcher on your team keeps trying to play your position. His goal is to do everything he can to get noticed by the professional scout sitting in the stands. So, he changes roles without the coach’s... Continue Reading →
Is There Really Only One God?
This week, my son learned what a piggy-back ride is. I will be sitting down and he will stand up in the seat, move himself so that he can latch onto my back, and he will start making a conglomeration of noises that together mean, “Dad, give me another piggy-back ride!” That looks really goofy... Continue Reading →
Seek Understanding
I love to cook. Sunday for Koinonia (a Greek word meaning fellowship) at TCATS, I made some jalapeño poppers! What I like about jalapeño poppers is that the peppers are a canvas on which I get to craft a (hopefully wonderful) combination of flavors. To do so, I have to understand the way that flavors... Continue Reading →
The Forgotten Place of Specialized Ministry in the Local Church Meeting
I came to Christ when I was fifteen years old. I was part of a youth group that ran more than 100 students on Wednesday evenings. We had everything that we could want in a youth ministry. This robust and dynamic youth ministry was part of the reason many of the parents chose to plug... Continue Reading →
The Forgotten Mission of the Local Church Meeting
Merry Christmas! This week we will celebrate the biggest holiday in America. People have shopped for presents, told stories about the babe in the manger, watched movies about the Grinch, and many are hearing again from Luke, chapter two, at church this morning. The story of Christ’s birth is miraculous. It is amazing. The whole... Continue Reading →
The Forgotten Power of the Local Church Meeting
We worship the God who is sovereign over all things. He has all power. In Him we find peace and rest. He gives life. Yet, churches in our day seem to lack the power and peace and rest and life that we find in Christ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGyHwpi_0pc&feature=youtu.be Imagine waking up on Sunday morning, getting dressed, and... Continue Reading →