Racism, Mass Shootings, and Our Enemy’s Strategies
If we want to truly understand racism and mass shootings, we will think through our enemy’s strategies. The same Devil who blinds a murderous person from seeing another person’s humanity blinds people after a tragedy from seeing the real enemy. In John 9, John gives an account of Jesus healing a blind man. His blindness...
Anthony Walker
3 Suggestions for Church Leaders Who Are Wearing Too Many Hats
In ministry, there is the constant pressure to wear every hat of every role that people expect you to fulfill. In smaller and rural churches, this can be especially true and exhausting. One day you are the preacher; the next day, you are the plumber. You read, study, write, mow the church grass or clean...
Matt Stieger
The Devil Comes to Steal, Kill, and Destroy—and What This Says about False Teaching
One of the clues that something is evil is that it’s not very creative. Instead, it takes what’s been created and seeks to destroy it. The Bible teaches that the Devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. From the early pages of Genesis to the final chapters of Revelation, he’s attempting to take good things...
Daniel McCoy
Revisiting Jesus’ Unabridged Invitation
Picture a typical worship service, youth group lesson, or revival meeting somewhere in America. There’s been worship in song, prayer, preaching, and now the invitation to “accept Jesus into your heart,” “trust Jesus for salvation,” or something similar. It’s an appeal to salvation from a typical, transactional-type Christianity. You know how it goes: Just believe...
Jim Frech
Sword of the Spirit: How the Word of God Puts Satan on Defense
In Ephesians 6:17, the apostle Paul talks about the importance of wielding the “sword of the Spirit.” What is he talking about? The sword of the Spirit is how Paul describes the word of God and its role in spiritual warfare. While truth, salvation, faith, and righteousness are also depicted as essential pieces of armor,...
Daniel McCoy
Can a Pastor Be a Woman? Examining Saddleback’s New Approach
Can a pastor be a woman? Saddleback Church, the notable megachurch led by mega-bestselling author Rick Warren, made news by ordaining its first three women pastors. The shift from male-only pastors stands out against the church’s larger Southern Baptist Convention affiliation. Then, in announcing his retirement recently, Rick Warren announced that his successor as senior...
Bobby Harrington
We Need Mutual Accountability in Three Crucial Areas
Christians need to cultivate mutual accountability in the areas of learning, doing, and sharing. International disciple maker Curtis Sergeant describes what this can look like. Accountability is often viewed as something unpleasant, especially in an employment context where it may involve discipline for subpar performance. But in a Christian context, holding one another accountable is...
Curtis Sergeant
5 Mothers in the Bible and What We Can Learn From Them
Mothers in the Bible range from saintly to seriously scary. In this article, we’ll narrate the stories of 5 mothers in the Bible and explore what we can learn from their lives. My guess is you’ll will find this article relevant to you if . . . A. You are a mother B. You will...
Daniel McCoy
Real Life Theology: Fuel for Effective and Faithful Disciple Making
REAL-LIFE ANSWERS TO LIFE’S BIGGEST QUESTIONS Real Life Theology invites you to a fresh way of living by bridging two areas of your life: what we know about God and how we live our lives. This collection of thirteen accessible books…
Jesus Loves the Little Children—and the Church Must Too.
Jesus loves the little children, and he taught his followers to do the same. This is why churches have historically helped care for children in vulnerable situations, whether facing poverty, foster care, or abortion. Let’s explore what Jesus said about little children and how the early church followed his lead. The littlest ones among us...
Daniel McCoy
5 Reasons Jesus Teaches Us to Choose Life
There are lots of opinions, philosophies, and beliefs surrounding the topic of abortion. As Christian ministers, we believe it is best to trust Jesus over human wisdom. By his teaching throughout Scripture, Jesus teaches us to choose life. Whether you support abortion or the life of the pre-born, there is an urgency in getting the...
Lord’s Prayer: How Can We Pray for Our Daily Bread?
If you’re looking for general advice on prayer, the first thing the Lord’s Prayer says is to center yourself on eternity. Paradoxically, the second thing it says is that the small stuff matters. I guess that’s one advantage of being an infinite being—nothing is too big for God, but nothing is too small for him,...
Jeremy Bacon
God: Fighter for the Unborn and Forgiver of the Repentant
*Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Countercultural Living: What Jesus Has to Say About Life, Marriage, Race, Gender, and Materialism. Starting with the death of Abel, God distinguishes between those who are killed by others and deaths that occur in situations such as wars, accidental deaths, and government-mandated capital punishment. Exodus 20:3–17 lists the...
Carol M. Swain
Did the Roman Catholic Church Give Us the Bible?
Many Evangelical Christians are now questioning foundational truths they have traditionally accepted. For example, in the midst of contemporary theological confusion, there are Evangelicals looking at the Roman Catholic Church as an attractive option. After all, it is ancient, with a long stable tradition. I understand this attraction of Roman Catholicism. My family on my...
Bobby Harrington
So you’re about to get into a theology argument…
We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling through Facebook. You’re not looking to start anything. But then you see a provocative post aimed squarely at your theological convictions. “Pro-lifers don’t really care about babies.” “The Bible is written by misogynists.” “The real Jesus would carry a rainbow flag and march to affirm LGBTQ practice.” “Faith deconstruction...
Daniel McCoy
How Should Christians Think about Abortion? Q&A with Dr. John D. Ferrer
How should Christians think about abortion? Dr. John D. Ferrer, president of Pella Pro-Life and teaching fellow with Equal Rights Institute, answers questions about what Roe v Wade did, what the Bible teaches about abortion, and how Christians can effectively and faithfully respond to the abortion debate and other issues surrounding abortion. Q: What exactly...
Daniel McCoy