1 John was written because people within the church John was affiliated with were having a hard time liking, let alone loving, each other. This is the paradox of the Christian life: God chooses to love people who are sometimes unlovable and then asks them
I always tell people I’m terrible at memorizing things. But that’s not the whole truth. I used to be great at memorizing all kinds of things growing up. But as I’ve gotten older, I struggle.
Churches must courageously abandon outdated practices and attitudes. Congregations must change drastically in order to touch our world with God’s grace. But sometimes, amid all the pulse-taking, evaluations, strategy planning, and critiquing, we forget to love the church we have.
(WW) In 2 Kings 2:1-14 we are provided with an example of how working closely with others through the leading of the Holy Spirit can make a season of transition or change bearable and honorable to those experiencing and participating in the change.
“You did what?” my wife asked. “I sold our house.” It was then that it hit me: For the first time in 37 years, we did not have a house to call our own.
(WW) -- There are multiple truths that we all will learn as we seek to become faithful followers of God. One of those truths is that at some point we all will face distractions that intend to get us to trust in someone other than
(WW) -- The stores are full of Halloween merchandise. How should Christians respond? Some churches condemn Halloween celebrations and forbid any emphasis of them in their church. Others respond more positively.
(WW) — Nationalism always leaves us more enslaved, not more free. This is true because tribalism always shrinks us — a smaller world, more selfish goals, deeper fears and more distrust of the other.
"A compass will point to true north from where you’re standing," says Abraham Lincoln's character in the Steven Spielberg film. "But it’s got no advice about the swamps and the deserts and chasms that you’ll encounter along the way."
Like health or saving for retirement, a key component of any type of successful ministry boils down to a basic understanding, sometimes forgotten: Humans can be educated and encouraged to accept Christ, but we cannot be forced into that decision.