The End of Roe v. Wade: 5 Pastoral Reflections
I have prayed and voted for the end of Roe vs Wade for many years because I believe the Bible teaches that life begins at conception. See 5 Reasons Jesus Teaches Us to Choose Life As we see the end of Roe v. Wade, here are 5 reflections that I am commending to our church...
Bobby Harrington
The Afghanistan Earthquake: 9 Ways to Pray
Will you consider praying with us for the people of Afghanistan? Here are nine ways to pray for the Afghan people. Over 2,500 people were killed or injured in a magnitude 5.9 earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan this past Wednesday. Numerous families are devastated, grieving the loss of loved ones, and very likely there will...
Nicole Stine
What Is Hinduism? The Basics of Hinduism in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Hinduism? Hinduism is a religion historically based in India and focused on obtaining “moksha” (release, freedom). Imagine thousands and thousands of lifetimes, some better and some worse, like an eternal merry-go-round of endless rebirths. Throughout its history, Hinduism has offered three main ways of obtaining moksha from this cycle of...
Daniel McCoy
Belonging to the Way: Exploring an Ancient Name for the Church
*Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Paul’s new book, The Way Back: Repentance, the Presence of God, and the Revival the Church So Desperately Needs (Westbrow Press, 2022). Huyghebaert reminds us of an ancient designation used to describe the church—and what reclaiming this identity could mean for the church today. One day as...
Paul Huyghebaert
What Is Judaism? The Basics of Judaism in 10 Questions, 10 Definitions, and 10 Quotes
What are the basics of Judaism? Judaism is the religion of the Jews, with both “Jew” and “Judaism” derived from the name of one of Jacob’s sons, Judah. Judaism’s beliefs and practices are based in the Hebrew Scriptures (what Christians commonly call the “Old Testament”), as well as the teachings of Jewish rabbis throughout history....
Daniel McCoy
How the Spirit Helps Us Pray to Our Father Who Is in Heaven
How do we pray to “our Father who is in heaven”? It’s a process that involves God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. It is God’s Son Jesus who taught us to pray to our Father, and it is the Holy Spirit who continually reminds us that he is our Father who...
Daniel McCoy
Why People Leave the Church: 3 Reasons from the Book of Revelation
Why do people leave the church? The Bible gives 3 basic reasons: People leave the church because they want to, or they feel they have to, or they have been taught that they ought to. In our cultural moment in the West, all three reasons are beginning to coalesce to form an overwhelming attack against...
Daniel McCoy
Getting Realistic about the Weight of Temptation
Since the dawn of time, humans have underestimated a great many things. And will we continue to underestimate, I suspect, until time has reached its demise. The one underestimation that I think is most grievous is when we underestimate temptation. This human vulnerability is hardly given the consideration it’s due. Maybe, in part, because of...
Debbra Stephens
Lord’s Prayer: As We Forgive Our Debtors
We live in between the old and the new. The Kingdom is “now,” but it is also “not yet.” So if forgiveness is the bridge between the two, and we live in between the two, that means we need to live in forgiveness. As someone once put it, forgiveness is the very atmosphere of the...
Jeremy Bacon
Monotheism: Definition, Biblical Usage, and Meaning for Our Life
What is monotheism? Monotheism is the belief that only one God exists. While the New Testament church takes monotheism for granted, ancient Israel in the Old Testament shifted back and forth between monotheism and polytheism. It was a struggle for ancient Israel to maintain its monotheistic convictions surrounded by polytheistic nations, just as it can...
Jon Kehrer
Weekend Gatherings in Disciple Making Churches
Over 1% of the world’s population is currently engaged in a disciple making movement.[1] Some experts say this includes 2-3%+ of the people in China and India. Disciple Making Movements (DMM) may be the most exciting thing happening in Christianity today. These movements are literally multiplying disciples every week.[2] The success of Disciple Making Movement...
Bobby Harrington
Evil Does Exist. Is This More of a Dilemma for Christians or Atheists?
Does evil exist? Yes, but it’s not a clear mic drop for any particular worldview. If the physical world is all that exists, then it’s difficult to explain why people deliberately do evil—and why some of these manifestations of evil give off demonic vibes. Yet if God exists (and not just the physical world), then...
Daniel McCoy
How to Make a Difference Starting with You: Be an Ambassador.
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:20, NKJV) In the last month in the US, the country has experienced multiple mass shootings, including one in Uvalde, Texas, which is the second worst school shooting in...
William Butt
Understanding the Pressures of the LGBTQ Movement in Five Decade-Centered Shifts
“The times they are a-changin’,” said the prophet Bob Dylan in a song by the same name. The year was 1963, and the winds of change were definitely blowing. The American Civil Rights Movement was at work to advance the cause of African Americans through the influence of prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King...
Paul Huyghebaert
Compassion: A Childlike & Christlike Response to a Broken World
What happens when you see someone in poverty? I remember a time years ago when I heard a student’s mom talk about the first time she saw it. She wasn’t describing a story about poverty on the news or social media, but the first time she saw it face-to-face. Up close and personal. She and...
Tim Casey
Who was Jezebel in the Bible? It depends on your worldview.
Who was Jezebel in the Bible? She was a Phoenician princess who became a queen of Israel. As the wife of King Ahab, Queen Jezebel forcefully introduced Baal worship into the nation, a move opposed by the prophets Elijah and Elisha. In popular culture, Jezebel has come to be seen as a scheming, shameless woman...
Daniel McCoy