What It Takes to Call Out Unrighteousness
April 2, 2026 What does it take to correctly call a beloved cultural custom “unrighteous”? To call a lewd TV show everyone’s watching unrighteous. To call a dishonest yet winning […]
Who Is Hannah in the Bible?
Hannah lived at the end of the period of the Judges (approximately 1100 B.C.) in Israel. The Bible records her story in 1 Samuel. Many women (and their husbands) will […]
Lack of Easter Feels
The Easter service was going like any other Easter service had gone in Bible-Belt churches across the South for decades. The praise team was hyped and smiling wide toothy grins. […]
My Church Has Small Groups—So We’re Doing Discipleship, Right?
This just in: The church’s mission is to make disciples. Not just programs, processes, or worship gatherings. The mission has always been the same since Matthew 28 . . . […]
Jesus: The Final Revelation, Not Muhammad
Many Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final prophet, the last in a long line of messengers from God. The Qur’an itself states, “Muhammad is not the father of any […]
The Need for Making Disciples
Have you ever had one of those “God, why?” moments? God, why did this happen to me? God, why did I end up here? God, I don’t understand. God, are […]
Is Jesus the Only Savior?
In our deeply divided culture, where social media fuels endless debates and personal spiritual paths are celebrated as equally valid, one question persists: “Is Jesus really the only way to […]
What Was Martha So Upset About?
Martha must have been really excited for Jesus to arrive. Luke 10:38 says she welcomed Jesus into her home. This has led some scholars to believe that Martha was the […]
Choosing Small Acts of Courage
Sometimes in life it only takes 20 seconds of insane courage to do something extraordinary. At least that is the way the movie We Bought a Zoo summarizes it. In […]
Beginning with the Beginning in Mind
When I was a kid, my dad was a certified instructor for Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, primarily in corporate settings. As a result, nearly every car […]
How does the Trinity make sense?
How would you answer the question, “So, the Holy Spirit is God, but so is the Father and so is Jesus—and yet there’s one God? How does the Trinity make […]
Who Were the Twelve Apostles?
During Jesus’ ministry, great crowds of people gathered around him to listen to his teaching. Some of those in the crowds committed themselves to him and became his disciples. Then, […]
Where Is the Kingdom of God in the Old Testament?
What Is God’s Kingdom in the Old Testament Story Eden introduces God’s kingdom as a space where his will is done on earth under his true rule. Israel later displays […]
How the Trinity Helps Us in Discipleship
“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:20, NIV) In reading for biblical literacy, […]
A Healthy Church is a Messy Church, As it Should Be
Spend more than a few weeks in the heart of a church and you discover that church is messy. I can see it in the face of first-timers, that look […]
Where Christian Leadership Begins: Q&A with Jaron Scott
*Editor’s Note: Jaron Scott pastors Christ’s Church of Joplin and works on the faculty of Ozark Christian College as a professor of organizational leadership. Here, Jaron explains how Christian leadership […]
Swallowed Up: What One Hebrew Word Reveals About Victory and Death
Many people associate the story of Jonah with a giant fish. If you look at most children’s Bibles, the fish fiasco seems to be the main point of the story. […]
Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is Near…and It’s Here
Have you ever looked for something all over your desk, kitchen counter, or workbench with no success only to see it magically appear right where you were looking one minute […]
Transfigured by Beholding Jesus
When you think of God, what do you see? I know God is Spirit, but Jesus is God—and so when you think of Him, what does His face look like? […]
Five Clues That the Christian Story Is True
For the Bible’s grand story to be true, some important facts also need to be true. There needs to be a God in the first place. This needs to be […]
Sermon on the Mount: Building Your House
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the […]
The Last Will Be First, and the First Will Be Last
The week of Jesus’ crucifixion, beginning with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his parables and teaching grew increasingly sharp in his condemnation of the religious leaders. He also continued to […]
Why Did God Hate Esau?
Imagine to your delight that your teenage son begins to read the Bible regularly. You are thrilled. You have patiently and prayerfully sought to pass on the way of Jesus […]
When a Christian Leader Has a Moral Failure
What do we do when we see moral failure in a Christian, especially a Christian leader? Maybe you have seen news come out recently about Philip Yancey, a Christian author […]
Learning to Fight Like David
One of the best examples of fight comes from the famous story of David and Goliath. Even if you’ve never picked up a Bible in your life, you probably know […]
Politics Is Downstream from Culture? Exploring the Other Side of the Coin
December 30, 2025 Amen to the Warning About Political Idolatry First, a hearty amen to Daniel and Bobby’s recent and excellent article, “The Birth of Our King and Our Country’s […]
A Merry Christmas in a Divided World
Kids start learning long division in 4th-5th grade. This is also around the same time many of them will learn about even longer divisions that apply to our world. Maybe […]
King Herod and King Jesus
King Herod and King Jesus: Two Kings and Two Empty Tombs Herod and Jesus were both kings who shaped history, but they used power in completely opposite ways. Jeff Faull […]
Stolen Jesus
Stop me if you have heard this one before…. “Belgian authorities are mystified over a brazen theft over the weekend from a Christmas Nativity scene of an icon of infant […]
What Was Mary’s Song?
When faced with an unbelievable situation, we often fall back on our upbringing, education, or experience to deal with it. Mary’s reaction to the announcement from the angel in Luke […]
The Birth of Our King and Our Country’s Political Focus
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.” —Isaiah 9:6a (NIV) Jesus was born into a politically […]
Christmas & Faith for the Long Game
It’s not a regular feature in your average Christmas play narrative, but it should be. His name was Simeon, and we can only find him in Luke’s gospel, chapter 2. History […]
VIDEO: Review of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account,’ by Bear Grylls
Using the Gospel of John as the backbone, The Greatest Story Ever Told by Bear Grylls is a harmony of the Gospels retold from the perspective of various characters who […]
What Did Jesus Look Like?
Legend says that when Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper he used a young man’s face as a model for Jesus’s that radiated the Christ’s nobility, wisdom, and gentleness. […]
Is Smoking a Sin?
It’s a question I’ve been asked more than once—especially since God moved our congregation into the heart of our city and we began walking closely with people experiencing homelessness, addiction, […]
Meekness: Strength Under Control?
December 6, 2025 Once upon a time, so the legend goes, there was a man named Xenophon who loved horses. He loved horses so much that he wrote an entire […]
Review of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account,’ by Bear Grylls
There’s a good chance when you hear the name Bear Grylls, the first thing that comes to mind is outdoor adventurist and survival expert, not “author of a book about […]
Fear and Faith: Understanding Islam with Courage and Compassion
As someone who teaches, speaks, and trains the church to share Christ with Muslims, I often encounter two vital questions: “Can we be concerned about Islamic ideology without fearing Muslims?” […]
Pastors and Workplace Leaders: A Two-Way Street to Kingdom Impact
In today’s cultural seismic shifts, the boundary between sacred and secular continues to blur—and that’s a positive development. As pastors, we have a unique opportunity to extend our influence beyond […]
What to Appreciate About N. T. Wright
The following is an excerpt from John Whittaker’s N. T. Wright: A Theological Appraisal. For the full eBook, click HERE. Personally, I am grateful for the teaching of N. T. […]
Do We Really Need to Be Saved?
In his work The Republic, Plato relates a discussion between his brother Glaucon and his teacher Socrates. The discussion was about the question of human nature. Glaucon argues that, were […]
The Deceitfulness of Wealth?
Wealth, like sex, drugs, and fame, has an unusually strong effect on people. Everyone knows sex, drugs, and fame will seriously influence us, but for some reason, we resist the […]
David Rohl’s New Egyptian Chronology: A Solution to Biblical Difficulties or a Misguided Enterprise?
I first became aware of British Egyptologist Dr. David Rohl’s revised Egyptian Chronology not long after his book A Test of Time was published in 1995. I was an undergraduate […]
Why This Moment Calls for a Better Vision Than Christian Nationalism
In the days since we began working on this article, the public conversation about Christian nationalism has taken center-stage once again. The recent civil war between Tucker Carlson and Ben […]
Jesus and the Buddha: What Happened After They Died?
What happened to Gautama (the Buddha) and to Jesus after their deaths? While Christians have historically held that Jesus rose from the dead and then, forty days later, ascended to […]
Young Jesus in the Temple: The Return Home (Part 3)
For Part 1 of this three-part imaginative recounting of young Jesus in the Temple (“An Insuperable Assignment”), click HERE, and for Part 2 (“The Search”), click HERE. How little Joseph and […]
Will the Real Saul of Tarsus Please Stand Up?
Updated October 24, 2025. One of the most important figures in the New Testament is the apostle Paul. Once a zealous persecutor of Christians, Jesus came to him in a […]
Young Jesus in the Temple: the Search (Part 2)
For Part 1 of this imaginative recounting of young Jesus in the Temple (“An Insuperable Assignment”), click HERE. The parents spent the Feast visiting friends and family and touring the […]
Bigger Than You Thought: How Colossians 1 Expands Our View of Jesus
Your view of Jesus is probably too small. Throughout Jesus’ life, we see people divided over Jesus. Some hated him, some loved him for the miracles he did, almost everybody […]
Why Record-Breaking Moments Won’t Build Your Church—And What Will
Somewhere right now, a man is running across a desert without stopping. A teenager is holding his breath longer than most of us could survive. And a chef is stacking […]
The Character of God: Compassionate
If you ask someone, “What is God like?” you’ll get a variety of answers. I posed this question on Facebook last year. From dense theological explanations to quick two-word descriptions […]
Devoted Thomas
Thomas gets a bad rap. History has labeled him “Doubting Thomas” for one moment when he had the bad fortune of not being present when the resurrected Jesus appeared. When […]
Os Guinness: Our Nation’s Survival and the Necessity of Revival?
Author’s Note: Os Guinness knows the history of revivals. He is an internationally respected author, social critic, and cultural analyst who has written or edited more than thirty books, including […]
Young Jesus in the Temple: an Insuperable Assignment (Part 1)
From the first words Jesus bar Joseph spoke, he forecast the genius the villagers had heard only prodigies possessed. As he matured, an unbroken spiritual intuition distinguished his speech. Each […]
Hollow and Deceptive Philosophies: A Meditation on the Difficulty of Colossians 2:8
What I am going to try to articulate here is something that has been on my mind for some time. The seeds of these thoughts were not planted by the […]
Failing VS Falling Away
“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32, NIV) Today, when we’re on the […]
You Shall Not Make Idols
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not […]
Spiritual Blessings: Seeing the Gifts We’ve Already Received
From AD 54-68, the Roman emperor was Nero. Here are some of the hallmarks of his reign: He married five people (three women and two men), having one of his […]
Normalize Conformity to the Image of Jesus as the Goal of Disciple Making
It’s common to hear that, as Christians, it’s important to be and make disciples of Jesus. But why is it so important? Sometime after discovering that we were supposed to […]
Jesus and the Buddha: How Did They Die?
Both Jesus and the Buddha anticipated their deaths and then died. What can we learn from these two deaths about the respective religions they founded? And, since everybody values the […]
What Does a Maturing Disciple of Jesus Look Like?
“That I be so transformed in your beauty that we may be alike in beauty, and both behold ourselves in your beauty, possessing then your very beauty; this, in such […]
What is the Gospel: And How Do We Respond?
It may be the most important word in Scripture. At its core, gospel means good news. In the ancient world, it marked a turning point—“Something has happened…and because it happened, […]
Out of Ur: Halfway Isn’t Home
We all long for home. Deep down, every one of us has a homesickness that nothing in this world quite satisfies. I’m not just talking about a familiar place or […]
Do Dogs Go to Heaven? Reflections on the New Creation
Do dogs go to heaven? It’s not an idle question, because at the heart of the question of whether dogs go to heaven is the question of what we mean […]
Progressivism and Substitutionary Atonement
In the last hundred years or so, discussions among theological progressives about the Trinity, the nature of Christ, and substitutionary atonement are often not really about these doctrines at all. […]
Summary of Revelation: Understanding the Basics of Revelation in the Bible
Here is a short summary of Revelation: Revelation is a letter written to the seven churches of Asia as a prophecy in the form of apocalyptic literature. It uses drama […]
Paul the Missionary: How Suffering Propelled His Mission
*Author’s Note: Paul’s encounter with Christ led him to a greater understanding of the faith, and from that encounter, Paul developed a theology of mission that affected everything about him, […]
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two: 7 Reflections on How Disciples Go
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2, NIV) […]
Is It a Sin to Be a Billionaire?
August 5, 2025 In this post, I’m going to do something very unpopular. I’m going to defend billionaires. Kind of. First, a little context. Recently, I’ve seen people—some who are […]
Paul the Missionary: How Contextualization Influenced His Mission
*Author’s Note: Paul’s encounter with Christ led him to a greater understanding of the faith, and from that encounter, Paul developed a theology of mission that affected everything about him, […]
Jesus and the Buddha: How Did They Help People?
When people spent time with Jesus, how was he able to help them? When people interacted with the Buddha, in what ways did the interaction benefit them? In this article, […]
Build the Ark: Noah, Meaning, and the Church in an Age of Collapse
One of the first things the Bible teaches us—right there in Genesis—is that God is a God of order. God separates: light from darkness, sea from sky, meaning from murk. […]
What DID Jesus Do?
I was in middle school when I got my first WWJD bracelet. It was a black silicone band with white letters, and I can still remember how it felt on […]
Jesus Told Us to Go Bird Watching?
If I’m honest, I sometimes feel a little embarrassed going on walks with my parents. Why? Well…my mom and dad…are bird watchers. Mom, Dad, I know that you’re probably reading […]
Summary of Ezekiel: Understanding the Basics of Ezekiel in the Bible
The book of Ezekiel is titled after the name of the prophet Ezekiel, son of Buzi who was among the exiles of Babylon. What do we know about this unusual […]
Has Worry Replaced Wonder?
Sometimes fear crushes our imagination. Nearly 130 years ago, two young dreamers named Wilbur and Orville Wright ran a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. They came from an influential and […]
The Life and Work of Gregory Palamas, Eastern Orthodox Theologian
Gregory Palamas is a name that frequently appears in the study and reading of the history and doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church.* Multiple authors quote his writings, and others […]
A Case for Bible Words
Each culture develops its own language. This is true not only within ethnic cultures but within subcultures. Within the basketball culture there are words such as “cut,” “flare screen,” “zone,” […]
The Heart Is Deceitful: Reflections on Pharaoh’s Divided Heart
“We are never better deceived than when we deceive ourselves.”[1] “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal [but not equal to God], that they […]
Paul the Missionary: How Paul’s Conversion Activated His Mission
Two thousand years ago, one single individual dedicated his life to traveling around the Roman Empire, making disciples, planting churches, appointing leaders, writing letters. He established doctrine and theology for […]
What Is Biblical Manhood? (Part 2)
Editor’s Note: We live in an era of confusion and hurt when it comes to the question of what it means to be a real man. Should we see manhood […]
Calvinism: Limited Atonement?
The most well-known feature of Calvinism is its famous five points, often referred to by Calvinists as “the doctrines of grace” and represented by the acronym TULIP.[1] There is much […]
What Is Biblical Manhood? (Part 1)
Editor’s Note: We live in an era of confusion and hurt when it comes to the question of what it means to be a real man. Should we see manhood […]
Should We Care About the Shroud of Turin?
“And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in […]
When I Find Myself Running Ahead of Jesus
“You’re not struggling to hear me, So I’m not striving to be heard I am sure the One who made me, Is catching every word When You’re this close, I […]
Is the Shroud of Turin Real?
I’ll just go ahead and say it. I believe that the Shroud of Turin is the authentic burial shroud of Jesus. Further, I believe that the resurrection is the best […]
Who Was Rahab in the Bible?
Rahab lived in Jericho, the world’s oldest city, thought to have been established approximately 9000 years B.C. Its ruins are located just a few miles northeast of Jerusalem. Some archeologists […]
Code-Switching Judas
Something strange is going on in Matthew 26. It is the last supper. Jesus has the disciples gathered and is telling them someone will betray him. “They were very sad […]
How Should Christians Think About the Law of Attraction?
Imagine this scenario: You’ve hit a tough season in your life. Maybe you feel spiritually dry because of it, and you’re tired of going through the motions each day only […]
Disciple Making, Matthew Bates, and 5-Point Calvinism: Q&A with Bill Hull
*Editor’s Note: Our mission at RENEW.org is to “renew the teachings of Jesus to Fuel Disciple Making,” so we want to take note of an important debate that is currently […]
Citizen of Heaven?
Where you from? A big city lawyer is duck hunting in rural Arizona. He shoots a bird which falls over the fence into a field. As he’s climbing the fence, […]
Igniting Disciple Making Movements in North America: Four Crucial Steps
There’s a question I get asked. A lot. The question church leaders ask me is, “Josh, why do you think disciple making movements are happening in places like China and India […]
You Are Standing on Holy Ground
“Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5, NLT) “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who […]
The Untapped Power of Prayer
“I’m praying for you” is a familiar phrase that you have either given to someone, or they’ve given to you, with the intent to bring comfort. While it is encouraging […]
Jesus Elevates Your Dignity
In the United States in the 1920s and 30s, life was very difficult for racially mixed children. This was especially true for a particular child, “Joseph,” born in 1928 to […]
Looking for a Discipleship Pathway? Check Out John 1.
Have you ever pondered the thought, “If Jesus started a discipleship plan, what would it look like?” Now, if you have been in ministry long enough, I am sure that […]
Refusing to Believe: A Retelling of Jesus’ Appearance to Thomas
Young John escaped the ravenous agnosticism tormenting the other disciples by insightfully seeing meaning in the evidence Jesus left in the tomb: the nearly undisturbed shroud meant Jesus had levitated […]
What is Good Friday? Its Events, Context, and Significance
What is Good Friday, and why do Christians celebrate it? Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday. It is commemorated as the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified. […]
5 Offerings in the Old Testament Law
“These, then, are the regulations for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering and the fellowship offering, which the Lord gave Moses […]
Leading from the Subway: The Importance of Knowing Whom You Lead
Faced with one of the most daunting decisions to make, Winston Churchill found himself in a dilemma. One decision would plunge the United Kingdom into world war. The other choice […]
What Does the Bible Say About Grief?
Let’s start with a little bit of Bible trivia. Do you know what the shortest verse is in the Bible? It’s John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” I’m willing to bet you […]
The Purpose of Lent? An Invitation of Decrease and Increase
I never quite understood Ash Wednesday when I was younger. My home church never emphasized anything about Lent, or even Good Friday for that matter. In my experience growing up […]
Who’s on the Throne?
I’m going to be honest. I am hit—way more than I care to admit—with the realization that my agenda is my agenda and not God’s. I might have just preached a sermon […]
Summary of Joshua: Understanding the Basics of Joshua in the Bible
The book of Joshua is named after the primary character and likely author, Hoshea, son of Nun to whom Moses gave the name Joshua (Numbers 13:16). The title is the […]
God’s Judgment: A Summons to Repent
One of the most important questions you can ever wrestle with is this: Which judge of your life matters most to you? Lots of people will have this or that […]
Who Was Miriam in the Bible?
Miriam was one of the three siblings whom God appointed to rescue the Israelite nation from bondage in Egypt. A little background will help us understand Miriam’s place in time […]
Who Was Barnabas in the Bible? Reflections on Being a Man of Encouragement
“A personal relationship with Jesus Christ” has been a popular catchphrase in Western Christian circles for over a century. Theologically, there is merit in the phrase as we all must […]
Bringing Our Expectations in Line with God’s Truth
“But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.” (Luke 7:30, NIV) What expectations have we placed […]
Renew Review: Dallas Willard’s ‘Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables Revolutionize Life with God’
In Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God, the late Dallas Willard’s teachings on the parables of Jesus have been gathered together to serve […]
Sermon on the Mount: What Is Love in Christianity?
What is love in Christianity? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us about the love God has for us and we are called to have for each other. […]
Good News for the City
We know that gospel means good news, but what does that mean? The gospel has too often been reduced, personalized, and spiritualized so that it’s merely about acknowledging sin, accepting Christ, and […]
Powerless Authority: A Retelling of the Jesus-Pilate Dialogues
Drugged with sleep, Pontius didn’t stir at his servant’s words: “Sir, Caiaphas and his priests are here to see you.” “I don’t care,” he snarled from the corner of his […]
Discipling Lost People into Salvation
“Metanoesein kai pistos emoi genesesthai!” These were the words of Flavius Josephus to a group of Jewish rebels in 66 A.D., commanding them to abandon their current course of action and […]
When a Worldview Leads to Crisis
It’s a beautiful grace that worldviews can change! The one you hold now is probably somewhat different from the one you held at an earlier stage in life. Each metamorphosis […]
Review of Dallas Willard’s ‘The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God’
The Scandal of the Kingdom is the latest collection of Dallas Willard’s teaching on living as a disciple of Jesus. Dallas served as a professor of philosophy at the University […]
How Can We Treat the Bible like Jesus Did?
In times of increasing skepticism about the Bible’s authority, we need to return to who Jesus is and how He viewed the Bible. (See articles 1 and 2 here.) How […]
The Quickest Path Isn’t Always the Best
Here is something I’ve learned about myself over the years: I tend to have a certain way I like to do things! I have a routine, a set pattern that […]
Preach and Normalize Being a Disciple of Jesus
In a previous article on preaching and normalizing “King Jesus,” I argued that we want to avoid the false dichotomy of “King Jesus” vs. “Savior Jesus” by integrating and synthesizing […]
Jesus’ Genealogy and You
“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1, NIV) Prior to telling us about Jesus’ birth, Matthew gives us an […]
Who Was Mary in the Bible?
Imagine! The promised Savior would be born to an insignificant young Jewish woman, Mary, from an insignificant little town, Nazareth. Very little is revealed about Mary’s upbringing and circumstances other […]
Why Was Jesus Born? A Christmas Poem
Why Was Jesus Born? The Truth Behind Christmas Hope Christmas does not feel joyful for everyone, and this poem names the loneliness, shame, family pain, and loss that many people […]
How to Experience Joy
Bono once said, “Joy is an act of defiance.” I like the way he put it. A joy-filled disposition by a disciple of Jesus is an act of defiance against […]
Christmas & the Enemy
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV) Through all the wonder and […]
The Christmas Shepherds: Why God Picked Them and What They Teach Us
You ever feel like you’ve missed Christmas? Where it came, went, you did a bunch of activities—but you kind of missed it? Most people did. Most everybody in Israel and […]
Summary of Hebrews: Understanding the Basics of Hebrews in the Bible
The book of Hebrews is a message written to a group of Jewish Christians who were on the brink of giving up their faith in Jesus and reverting to Judaism. […]
Jesus and the Buddha: How Did They Interact with Society?
It’s impossible to overstate the influence of Siddhartha Gautama over the Eastern world and Jesus Christ over the Western world. But how did they minister in society? In this article, […]
The Pitfalls of Winning
I am a sports fan. I admit it. I also admit that my mood can rise and fall with the success, or lack thereof, of my favorite teams. Some of […]
Jesus and the Buddha: How Did They React to Suffering?
If we were to name the most important religious figures of the Western and Eastern world, they would be Jesus Christ for the West and Siddhartha Gautama, also known as […]
Jesus’ Transfiguration: A Visible Reminder That Jesus Fulfills the Law & Prophets
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. […]
Is Jesus the Only Way?
A few years ago, a really big question on the minds of a lot of people, especially around 9/11 (September 11, 2001), was about Islam: Is Islam a religion of […]
Sermon on the Mount: Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth. . . You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13-14, NIV) When Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth/light of […]
The Prophecy of Simeon: How Jesus Causes the Falling & Rising of Many
Aged Simeon nestled the eight-day-old Jesus in his arms and murmured wonderingly to Joseph and Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, […]
Summary of Daniel: Understanding the Basics of Daniel in the Bible
The book of Daniel is named after the prophet of the same name who likely went into Babylonian captivity around 605 BC when the Babylonians first began to dominate Judah. […]
What Did Jesus Believe about the Bible?
In light of increasing skepticism about the Bible’s authority in our lives (see “Are We Turning into Skeptics of the Bible”), we should take a fresh look at why we […]
Summary of 2 Timothy: Understanding the Basics of 2 Timothy in the Bible
Here is a short summary of 2 Timothy: 2 Timothy is a personal letter from the apostle Paul to his friend and colleague-in-ministry Timothy, and it’s the last letter from […]
God’s Will…Period.
I’m sure you’re familiar with the Lord’s Prayer. I wonder if we get too familiar with the Lord’s Prayer. We know the words. We know them so well that if someone started […]
What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness?
My girls are ages five and eighteen months, and because we live in a bicultural US-Chinese home, the Nickelodeon show Ni Hao, Kai Lan (2007-2011) is a staple for our […]
The Bible & My Vote?
A man in our congregation recently asked, “Would you preach a sermon about Christians and voting?” My inner voice said, “No!” Is there a topic more guaranteed to send people […]
Preach and Normalize “King Jesus”
Christ is one of those words in the New Testament that I believe it is unfortunate that we transliterated instead of translated. Jesus Christ would have been understood in the […]
What Was Jesus’ Core Mission?
I’ve met many sincere Christians who spend considerable time wondering and praying, “What is God’s will for my life?” Maybe you have thought about that question in your quiet moments, […]
The Political Move You Haven’t Considered
In case you haven’t heard, Americans are electing a president soon. It’s all over news outlets, social media, and even Christian blogs and publishing houses. Amidst all the hype, I—like […]
The Decisions That Transform Eternity
I never met the man, but I wish I could have. He was my great-grandfather on my mother’s and grandmother’s side of the family. I am told that he died […]
God Parted the Red Sea. So, What Does That Mean for Me?
Which movie does the best job portraying the panic of seeing Pharaoh’s chariots closing in before God parted the Red Sea? Let’s do a multiple choice: The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton […]
Legion in the Bible: An Army of Demons VS Jesus’ Authority
Author’s note: Jesus claimed that all authority in heaven and on earth was given to him (Matthew 28:18-20). Although his authority blazes from every text of the Gospels, perhaps his […]
Who Was Zipporah in the Bible?
Zipporah lived approximately 1500 years before Christ and she was the wife of Moses. She acted decisively in a crucial moment to protect her family, and she helped her husband […]
What Is the Gospel?
Let me start by stating the simplified answer to the question, “What is the gospel?” The “gospel” is an expression in Scripture that simply means “good news.” It is best […]
What Is Unity in the Bible? (It’s Far More Important Than I Thought.)
And the first prize for most unifying religion goes to… Easy answer, right? Obviously, the answer is supposed to be Christianity, isn’t it? And yet the church isn’t always very […]
Because You Say So, I Will
God’s ways are higher than our ways, so it’s no wonder that some of His commands don’t always make sense to us. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of people […]
Why Do We Confess Jesus as Messiah and Lord?
We call the “good confession” what Christians confess out loud when they convert to Christ. Early Christian formulations of the good confession point to two important ideas. First, confessing that […]
Summary of Titus: Understanding the Basics of Titus in the Bible
Here is a short summary of the book of Titus: Titus is a personal letter from Paul to Titus, a long-time partner in ministry. Paul and Titus had begun making […]
Summary of Psalms: Understanding the Basics of Psalms in the Bible
The Hebrew title for the book of Psalms is tehilim, roughly translated as “praises.” In some ways, this is an unusual title, as the largest single category of Psalms are […]
Did the Gospels Borrow from Pagan Mythology?
Mythology in the Greco-Roman world had dying and rising god-men—Apollo, Asclepius, Hercules, Tammuz. Serapis was called Lord. Half the Greek gods were said to be born of virgins. Hercules ascended […]
Encountering God’s Amazing Grace
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV) Literary editors claim that the phrase […]
Resisting the Lure of Legalism
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?” (Mark 7:18, NIV) Let’s talk about legalism. I know […]
Who Was Potiphar’s Wife in the Bible?
The actual identity of the woman known as “Potiphar’s wife” has never been verified, though in the book of Genesis chapter 39, she is the woman who caused Joseph to […]
Beatitudes: The Path of the Kingdom
Jesus’ original audience often misunderstood him because they filtered his teachings through their preconceived worldview and the skewed questions that flowed from it. We have a different worldview with different […]
David and Bathsheba and Affairs in Your Church
I recently preached through the story of David and Bathsheba from 2 Samuel 11:1-27 on a Sunday morning. There are several important learnings from within this story, as well as […]
Jesus Is God the Son? Exploring the Logic of Jesus’ Deity
Christians believe that Jesus was a human and God. He was somehow a God-man, God “incarnate.” But does this belief make logical sense? If you’d like to delve into some […]
Jesus Clears the Temple (and What He’ll Do to You Too)
Have you ever seen somebody get really angry who normally doesn’t get angry? It’s a little like, “Oh! Never seen that side of you.” You realize it must be really […]
Renewing a Focus on Unreached Peoples
Very few laborers are going to the unreached and unharvested parts of the world. This means we must rethink why, how, and where are we sending our people. If we […]
Was Jesus Jewish? A Summary of the Jewishness of Jesus’ Life and Ministry
Was Jesus Jewish? There are four ways in which Jesus’ life and ministry were thoroughly influenced by his Jewishness. He grew up and lived in a thoroughly Jewish world. His […]
Summary of Exodus: Understanding the Basics of Exodus in the Bible
Let’s start our summary of Exodus with a look at the title of the book. The Hebrew title for the book of Exodus is Shemoth (“names”), coming from the very […]
What Was Jesus’ Teaching? Rediscovering Jesus’ Primary Message
It would be a glaring understatement to say that the Church today is in deep crisis. And not just local churches and their leaders—but the whole enterprise of global Christianity. […]
What Is the Kingdom of Heaven?
We see throughout the Gospel of Matthew that the kingdom of God is a major theme in Jesus’ message. Kingdom can be thought of as a word made up of […]
What Prevents Us from Life Transformation?
At a ministry conference recently, I commented that, when measured against the heart of God in the Sermon on the Mount, large segments of American Christianity seem to be going […]
What Every Man Needs
*Editor’s Note: First Samuel 13 narrates the sad account of how Israel’s first king, Saul, lost the opportunity for his kingdom to endure. God’s prophet Samuel had told Saul to […]
Does Jesus Lower the Bar for Righteousness?
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17, NIV) We tend […]
Paul and Timothy: 7 Steps of Apprenticeship
The American church today is facing a pastoral succession crisis. The vast majority of church leaders struggle to find mature emerging leaders. But what if the problem isn’t a leadership […]
Original Sin or Ancestral Sin?
A nearly universal assumption we make as human beings is that we can do right and wrong things, good and evil things. This article isn’t about the basis for determining […]
Our Identity and the Enemy
I don’t even like capitalizing the word “enemy” in the title of this article. I get that it is an important word in the title, thus we capitalize said word, […]
Take My Yoke Upon You
Living in the world is tiring. From work, to school, to familial duties, to just living life, it can all be so much. The good news is that our God […]
Who Was Sarah in the Bible?
Who was Sarah in the Bible? God continually looks for those people who will be faithful to participate in His plan to bring salvation to the world. Enter Abraham and […]
Was Peter the First Pope?
Was Peter the first Pope? In the following excerpt from Tony Dupree’s eBook Differences Between Protestant and Catholic: My Search for the Biblical Path, Tony explores the Catholic belief that […]
‘Why the Gospel’ by Matthew Bates Book Review
As disciples of Jesus, we believe, obey, and share the gospel. But what is the point of the gospel? Author, theologian, and educator Matthew Bates’s newest book is Why the […]
Progressivism and the Resurrection of Jesus
Orthodox, biblical, historic Christianity does not stop at the death of Jesus. It goes straight from Jesus’ death to his resurrection—which is the flip side of the same redemptive coin. […]
Timeline of Holy Week
What’s the timeline of “Holy Week”? Sometimes, it’s also called Passion Week or the Final Week. Whatever you call it, the week of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion (Sunday to Saturday) […]
Summary of 1-2 Thessalonians: Understanding the Basics of 1-2 Thessalonians in the Bible
Here is a short summary of 1-2 Thessalonians: Paul wrote these two letters to a brand new church in the city of Thessalonica, the largest city in Macedonia. After starting […]
Which Is Our G.O.A.T? Reflection on the Greatest Commands and Great Commission
As an avid sports fan, I’m not one to object when pulled into a friendly debate discussing the merits of this or that player of this or that professional sport. […]
Church History Debates: Was Jesus One or Two Persons?
In its early centuries, the church wrestled with how exactly to describe Jesus. When Arius taught that Jesus wasn’t fully God, the church consensus clarified that Jesus was, in fact, […]
Peace on Earth: Being Peacemakers in Volatile Times
“If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, […]
Who Was Eve in the Bible? Exploring Her Temptation, Disappointment, and Hope
Who was Eve in the Bible? Eve’s name appears only four times in Scripture (Genesis 3:20, 4:1 – 2; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:13). Yet this one person set […]
Church History Debates: Is Jesus Fully Human?
At the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, the vast majority of the church’s leaders affirmed that Jesus was fully God (contrary to the teaching of Arius). Yet, if Jesus […]
Church History Debates: Is Jesus Fully God?
After the Roman emperor Constantine used Christianity to unify his empire, his son Constantius went one step further: He attempted to unify the Roman empire under an even more unifying […]
Who Was Deborah in the Bible?
Who was Deborah in the Bible? Scripture introduces Deborah as “the wife of Lappidoth, a prophetess, and a judge.” In the words of her celebratory victory song, she declares: “The […]
Where Was Jesus Born? Exploring 10 Historical Truths
Where was Jesus born? Historical Case for Bethlehem Old Testament prophecy and the Gospel accounts identify Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus the Messiah. Early Christian testimony and local tradition […]
Christmas: The Invisible Made Visible
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his […]
Christmas: Does the Wrapping Really Matter?
As Christmas nears, is all your gift wrapping done? And does the wrapping really matter? By the way, Americans use 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper every year (most of […]
Glory in a Feed Trough
“May God give you peace with yourselves; may He give you good will towards all your friends, your enemies, and your neighbors; and may He give you grace to give […]
Church Hurt: 4 Reasons from Jesus Why Churches Can Disappoint
Church hurt. Do you know what it’s like to be disappointed by church? In 1994, in the African country of Rwanda, one African people group named the Hutus tried to […]
Jesus: Our Guide for Affirming Both Testaments
The Bible, comprising the Old and New Testaments, holds a central place in the lives of Christians. It serves as a guide and a source of spiritual nourishment. However, one […]
From Yom Kippur to Jesus
“Because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.” (Leviticus 16:30) “In fact, the […]
The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock: 3 Questions to Ask About the Way We Build
“The wise man built his house upon the rock.” By “rock,” Jesus meant his teachings. Unfortunately, it is very possible to hear the teachings of Jesus but not to put […]
What Is a Parable in the Bible? The What, Why, and How of Jesus’ Parables
Let’s consider the what, why, and how of Jesus’ parables in the Bible. What are parables? Why does Jesus speak in parables? How should they be interpreted? These are important […]
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness?
Meals Ready to Eat or MRE are pre-packaged meals given to service members when cooking or preparing food is not an option. You should know a few things about them […]
How to Love Your Neighbor
Jesus tells us to love our neighbors, but what does that look like? How do we practice it regularly? Paul Huyghebaert shares intentional steps to make this a regular part […]
What Makes You Cry?
Why is it that some people rarely cry while others weep at the opening of a new supermarket? Sometimes it is a matter of maturity. While we expect babies to […]
Knowing Christ: The Goal That Makes Other Obsessions Look Like Garbage
Being a disciple is not just about attending church once a week, or on the “special” times throughout the year, like Christmas and Easter, putting some surplus cash in the […]
The Relationship Between Surrender & Self-Control
One of the beautiful and frustrating things about biblical Christianity—about following Jesus—is the tension that we face between seemingly incompatible things. I say incompatible in the sense that we try […]
Jesus Washing Feet: Why Humble Service Makes a Lot of Sense
What are we to make of the story of Jesus washing feet? This act was meant to give Jesus’ disciples a dramatic example of love to follow so that they […]
Who was John the Baptist in the Bible? Meet the Prophetic Preacher who Prepared People for the Messiah
Who was John the Baptist in the Bible? John the Baptist, who lived in the wilderness of Judea, was a prophet and a preacher who prepared people for Jesus, the […]
Who Was Peter in the Bible? A Summary of Simon Peter’s Life
Who was Peter in the Bible? The way you understand the Apostle Peter may have been shaped by the church you attended. If you didn’t attend church at all, you […]
“Jesus is Lord”: A Revolutionary Echo from the Greco-Roman World
In the modern church, “Jesus is Lord” rolls easily off the tongue in sermon and song. It has invaded our vocabulary and become standard in our liturgy. As an ancient […]
Did Satan Waste His Last Temptation?
When you’ve been fasting longer than a day, food becomes a temptation. When you’re trying to get nationally known, popularity becomes a temptation. Likewise, when Jesus was fasting in the […]
Stumbling Blocks: What They Are and How to Avoid Becoming One
What are stumbling blocks? The metaphor of “stumbling block” is used in various ways throughout Scripture, but it often depicts an obstacle along the path of life that makes us […]
What Are You Worth?
Have you ever been to the grocery store and your jaw dropped at the skyrocketing food prices? That was me a few months ago as a broke college student wanting […]
Freedom in Christ: Discerning True Freedom from Its Counterfeits
Amid counterfeit freedom, we need freedom in Christ. Although we naturally want freedom to do whatever our impulses tell us we want, such unrestrained “freedom” often leads us to a […]
How Does Jesus Teach Disciple Makers to Conquer Fear?
I am constantly trying to learn skills and tactics to help me be a better dad, husband, writer, teacher, and how to be a better disciple maker. In my reading […]
The Light Shines in the Darkness: 4 Effects of Seeing Jesus’ Light
The apostle John explains at the beginning of his Gospel, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:5). By “the light,” John is […]
The Offensive Words of Jesus
Several years ago, I was confronted by a disgruntled woman about something I taught in a Bible study video. “What you said in that lesson offended me!” Looking for an […]
What Was Jesus’ Disciple Making Method?
It was a tough few weeks for me. I was juggling my responsibilities with the church I serve as lead pastor. I was working with a small group of senior […]
The Breastplate of Righteousness: 3 Ways Righteousness Guards Our Hearts
In describing spiritual “armor” which protect followers of Jesus, the apostle Paul includes the “breastplate of righteousness.” But what is it about righteousness that protects us? How does righteousness, as […]
Is Jesus God? A Narrative Journey into the Evidence
Is Jesus God? Based on what Jesus claimed about himself, what Jesus did to back up his claims, and what both his Old Testament predecessors and New Testament contemporaries said […]
What Is the Meaning of Easter?
What is the meaning of Easter? Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, which happened the Sunday after he was crucified on Friday. Jesus’ resurrection is worth celebrating […]
What Happened on Good Friday?
What happened on Good Friday? It was the day Jesus was crucified by Roman soldiers on charges of blasphemy from the religious leaders. According to the biblical record, his death […]
When the Devil Gains a Foothold in a Nation
“And do not give the devil a foothold.” (Eph. 4:27, NIV) Be forewarned. This article is going to ask all of us to do something that sounds impossible. Especially something […]
Sermon on the Mount: “Lord, Lord”
For most of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been happy to dance in the fuzzy intersection between the “now” and the “not yet”—between the old age that is […]
Keep Speaking These Unspeakable Words
We’re discovering some words which used to be fine to talk about, but which now have become increasingly unspeakable. These aren’t cuss words; rather, they’re Bible words. One of these increasingly unutterable […]
What Is the Glory of God in the Bible? A Q&A with Donnie Berry, PhD
Editor’s Note: What is the glory of God in the Bible, and why does it matter to learn about? Far from being a peripheral concept, God’s glory is actually central […]
Jesus Is Lord: On Finding Our Identity by Discovering the Identity of Jesus
What does it mean to declare that Jesus is Lord? The Greek word kurios is a word that can mean lord, master, or sir. It is also the Greek word […]
Sermon on the Mount: False Prophets
One thing that makes walking the narrow path difficult (Matt. 7:13-14) is that the wide path has a lot of hype men. They’re not hard to find. Thomas Keating recounts […]
Summary of Ephesians: Understanding the Basics of Ephesians in the Bible
Here’s a short summary of Ephesians: Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus and the churches in the neighboring cities to help them see all […]
Theology of the Body: What the Bible Teaches About the Importance of Bodies
What is a theology of the body? It is easy for us to see our bodies as disconnected from our spirituality. Yet the Bible teaches us much about the purposefulness, […]
5 Learnings from Participating in Deliverance Ministry
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. […]
Sermon on the Mount: Narrow Gate
In Luke, someone straight-up asks Jesus, “Are only a few people going to be saved?” (Luke 13:23). In his answer, echoed in Matthew, Jesus clearly says, “Yes”: “Enter through the […]
Jesus Turns Water into Wine…And Turns Worry to Faith
The Gospel of John narrates how, to save a wedding feast which has run out of wine, Jesus turns water into wine. As Jesus’ first public miracle, the Gospel of […]
What Is Holiness And Why Is It Such A Big Deal?
What is holiness, and why is it such a big deal? God’s holiness means that he is entirely unique, pure, and powerful, and to enter into his presence in a […]
Jesus’ Baptism: What It Did and Why It Matters
What was the point of Jesus’ baptism? Of all the baptisms John the Baptist did, the one that most confused him was when the Messiah himself came to be baptized. […]
The Greatest Thing You Can Do In 2023
Paul knew Jesus. He experienced him personally on the road to Damascus. Paul was inspired. Paul had the Spirit. Paul had visions. Paul knew Jesus but there was still much […]
Why Jesus? My Testimony of Being Found
Jesus will leave a herd of ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost (Matt. 18:12-14). Jesus will stay when the whole world walks away (John 14:18). Right before […]
How to Avoid Dancing Off a Cliff
God redeems the seemingly unredeemable. Taking that hope as my cue, I’m going to try to redeem some time I accidentally spent absorbed in a Paw Patrol episode my kids were watching. […]
Sermon on the Mount: Do Unto Others
Do unto others what you would have them do unto you… So that’s the Sermon on the Mount. At least the meat of it, anyway. Matthew 7:12 is the second […]
The Original Christmas
Original Christmas: Historical Truth Behind Jesus’ Birth Christmas is not only a cherished tradition but a historical event rooted in real places, people, and biblical testimony. Bobby Harrington explores Bethlehem, […]
Give and It Will Be Given to You?
Jesus once told his disciples, “Give and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38, NIV). Really? I struggle to see how that works at times. Logically, if I give […]
The Christmas Gift the World Didn’t Want
During yesterday’s sermon, the preacher focused on the nativity scene and the sweetness surrounding the birth of the baby Jesus, which is the norm this time of the year. But unlike […]
4 Ways to Live the Christmas God Intended
One of my favorite Christmas movies is Elf. In the movie, the female lead character, Jovie, is less than excited about Christmas. One time, while decorating a Christmas tree, she […]
The Christmas Bride & Bridegroom
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Ps. 107:1) Tis the season . . . for romance. Or so it seems—gauged […]
Jesus Was the Messiah. So, What’s a “Messiah”? Q&A with Jon Kehrer
Around Christmas, we often hear how Jesus was the Messiah, a long-awaited figure who would arrive and rescue people from their sins. But what does the word “messiah” mean? The […]
Op-Ed by Herod the Great
Herod the Great, the villain of the Christmas story, was a master of political survival. His long reign under the Caesars came at the cost of constant paranoia, even having […]
What I Learned from Walking in Jesus’ Footsteps
“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:6, ESV) Last May, I carved out nine days for an […]
Sermon on the Mount: Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged?
Judge not lest ye be judged. In the larger flow of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ command to “Judge not” (Matt. 7:1-6) seems to come out of nowhere. Here […]
Walk by Faith, Not Sight: What It Means, What It Doesn’t
What does it mean to walk by faith, not sight (2 Cor. 5:7)? It’s common to think that, as inspiring as the phrase sounds, walking by faith would make a […]
Sermon on the Mount: Don’t Worry
Storing up treasures in heaven makes sense. Serving God and not Mammon is obviously the right choice. But if you follow this train of thought all the way, it brings […]
Messianic Secret: Why Did Jesus Quiet People Down About Him?
In what has been called the “Messianic Secret,” Jesus told both demons and people not to tell what they knew about him. Sometimes it was during an exorcism, after a […]
Did Jesus really exist? Don’t we have just untrustworthy copies of copies of copies of the Gospels?
Did Jesus really exist? Although some scholars have questioned Jesus’ existence, we actually have remarkable evidence for the historicity of Jesus. In addition, there is remarkable evidence that what we […]
Sermon on the Mount: Mammon
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot […]
6 Discipleship Insights We Learn from Watching Jesus with Disciples
Watching Jesus with disciples is one of the best ways we learn to disciple others. There are a lot of healthy conversations in churches and Christian leadership about discipleship methods. […]
Christ the Victor: How Did Jesus Beat Our Worst Enemies?
Christ the Victor Meaning and How Jesus Defeated Death Christ the Victor means Jesus defeated the devil, death, and fear through his death on the cross. By dying and rising […]
Who Was Mark in the Bible? A Quitter Who Finished Well.
Who was Mark in the Bible? He’s an early Christian and Gospel writer who was friends with Peter, Paul, and Barnabas. He was called Mark (Acts 15:39) and John (Acts […]
Sermon on the Mount: The Eye Is the Lamp of the Body
Where is your focus? I think that’s the question Jesus poses in Matt. 6:22-23: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body […]
Jesus Heals a Leper (and Trades Places with Him)
In Mark 1:40-45, Jesus heals a leper. Although Jesus was notorious for defying social boundaries, the way he healed the leper was unthinkable: he reached out and touched him. In […]
Better to Be a Good Samaritan Than a Good Priest
“Good Samaritan” has entered our English vocabulary to mean someone who helps a person in a tough spot. The phrase comes from a story Jesus told of an unlikely hero […]
What Does the Bible Say about Divorce? 10 Truths About Marriage and Divorce.
What does the Bible say about divorce? Through Scripture Jesus teaches us that marriage is good and its purpose is for companionship, sexual enjoyment, and raising godly children. It is […]
Meaning of “Christ”: Rediscovering What’s Been Lost in Transliteration
Meaning of Christ and Why Jesus Is the Anointed King Christ is not Jesus’ last name but a transliteration of the Greek word christos, which means the anointed one or […]
Who Was Nicodemus in the Bible? An Introduction to the Gospels’ Longest Fence-Sitter
Who was Nicodemus in the Bible? Nicodemus was an esteemed rabbi who had a favorable view of Jesus, but who kept his admiration of Jesus a secret. We meet him […]
Discipling the Next Generation by Inviting Them into God’s Mission
Discipling the next generation may seem daunting. But it’s in the church’s DNA. We see Jesus disciple and launch young men who changed the world with his gospel. We see […]
Bible Verses About Money & 10 Questions That Follow
There are surprisingly numerous Bible verses about money. What does the Bible teach about money? Biblical teachings on money emphasize our need to steward it wisely and never let it […]
Summary of Colossians: Understanding the Basics of Colossians in the Bible
Here’s a short summary of Colossians: Colossians was written by the apostle Paul to teach the Colossian church that Jesus is all they need to experience the fullness of God. […]
Sermon on the Mount: Treasure in Heaven
In English, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21), almost sounds redundant. We use the word “treasure” to mean something we care about (e.g., “Those […]
Lord’s Prayer: Deliver Us From Evil
Seriously? The last word in the Lord’s Prayer is “evil”? That’s a terrible ending (Matt. 6:13). An early Christian community couldn’t handle it, so they decided to come up with […]
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 […]
Loving Your Actual Neighbor: Starting Where You Live (Part 1)
In 2017 on a return flight from Orlando back to Ohio, I sat quietly contemplating one main question posed at the Exponential conference I had just attended. And that question […]
Lord’s Prayer: Forgive Us Our Debts
The Lord’s Prayer is short. That’s kind of the point (Matt. 6:7-8). If you’re going to whittle things down and say no more than what absolutely needs to be said, […]
Amid Unspeakable Tragedies, This Is What I Most Appreciate about Jesus.
Nineteen children and two teachers were gunned down yesterday in a 2nd–4th grade elementary school in Uvalde, TX. Their parents will be sobbing and rocking themselves in grief tonight at […]
Fearing the Waves, Trusting in Jesus
I like to blame my fear of water on the 2006 film Poseidon. In the movie, a cruise ship is hit by a massive wave, and nearly everyone drowns. It’s […]
Who Were Jesus’ Brothers? A Q&A with Brian Cunningham, PhD
Who were Jesus’ brothers? The sons of Joseph and Mary were James, Joseph, Jude, and Simon. While they were skeptical of Jesus during his ministry, this changed after Jesus’ resurrection. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Resurrection: a Creative Lie or the Key to Life?
On a number of occasions, well-known Christian author and speaker Chuck Colson remarked that he knew the Resurrection was true based on the Watergate scandal. Before he came to Christ, […]
How Did Jesus Die for Our Sins?
How did Jesus die for our sins? He did it by first entering our human story and being everything we had been created to be but failed to be. Then […]
Good Friday Quiz: Score Yourself on a Scale from Jehovah’s Witness to Joel Osteen.
“Good Friday” is a fascinating name for a commemoration of history’s worst injustice. Just how should we feel on such a day? “Good” suggests happy, but that Friday was anything but. […]
Why Do We Celebrate Easter? J.E.S.U.S. gives us 5 Easy-to-Remember Reasons.
Why do we celebrate Easter? Easter is the most important event that has occurred so far in human history. It is the day Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. […]
What Are the Gospels in the Bible? A Summary of Each Gospel
Have you ever wondered what is unique about each of the Gospels in the New Testament? The four Gospels in the Bible are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Gospels […]
A Lesson from Peter on Making It Through Dark Valleys
The apostle Peter followed Jesus but experienced his share of dark valleys. From his life, we see what carried him through these seasons. Sometimes you’re on top of the world […]
Lord’s Prayer: Your Kingdom Come
What did Jesus mean we told us to pray, “Your kingdom come”? It’s worthwhile to pause and ask how this core concern ought to shape our prayers. Jesus’ discussion of […]
What Psalm 23 Means for Your Relationship with God
We’ve all heard Psalm 23 quoted, but have you ever wondered what Psalm 23 means for your own relationship with God? Here are 3 threads that connect the psalm to […]
Sermon on the Mount: Why Philanthropy & Prayer in Secret?
Why would Jesus tell us to practice our righteous acts such as giving and prayer in secret? It’s a crucial test of the heart. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before […]
Who Jesus Is: A 15-Scripture Tour Through Who He Is and What He Does
Jesus gets talked about and quoted a lot, but have you ever wondered who Jesus is? This 15-Scripture tour walks us through who Jesus is and what he does. The […]
Zacchaeus of the Bible & the Cure for Little Man Syndrome
Who was the Zacchaeus of the Bible? Zacchaeus was a little guy with a massive salary. Although a Jew, he collected taxes from the Jews for the Romans and climbed […]
Getting to Enough: Lessons from Leah in the Bible
What can we learn from Leah in the Bible? We’ll learn quite a bit about contentment, if we, unlike her husband Jacob, can pause and appreciate her. It’s the oldest […]
Good News, Good Fear, and Good Change
The good news of Jesus brings good change, and that’s not always something that leaves us feeling warm and secure. For the last decade, I have been blessed to teach […]
The Fall: Adam and Eve, You and Me, and God’s Persistence
In the fall of Adam and Eve, humans stopped trusting God’s goodness, and they made their own decisions about what was right and wrong. Yet God continued pursuing the hearts […]
Where Christmas Originated
Where Christmas Originated: From Jesus’ Birth to Global Traditions Daniel McCoy explains that Christmas originated with the birth of Jesus in ancient Israel, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew […]
10 Ways the Holy Family Experienced the Stress of Christmas
Stress of Christmas: How the Holy Family Faced It Daniel McCoy shows that Mary and Joseph experienced real Christmas stress through poverty, fear, confusion, inconvenience, and danger. The article traces […]
A Thrill of Hope: Rediscovering Joy by Returning to the Original Christmas
Original Christmas: Rediscovering Joy in the Real Birth of Jesus Tim Casey argues that Christmas can lose its meaning when nostalgia, tradition, and romanticism overshadow the real story of Jesus’ […]
Did Jesus Have Siblings?
Did Jesus Have Siblings? What the Bible Says About Jesus’ Family John Whittaker argues that the Gospel references to Jesus’ brothers and sisters refer to real siblings within Mary and […]
The Spiritual Meaning of Christmas: It’s Bigger Than “God Loves You”
What is the spiritual meaning of Christmas? The central message which defined the original Christmas and continues to shape spirituality today is that Jesus has come to earth as our […]
5 Insights from the Wise Men in the Bible
What can we learn from the wise men in the Christmas story of the Bible? By digging into the historical narrative, we come away with five surprisingly robust insights from […]
Who is King Herod in the Bible?
Who is King Herod in the Bible? He was a great builder, dynasty namesake, skilled politician, and paranoid king who killed any perceived threat. Although an Idumean, he married into […]
What’s Stronger Than the World’s Most Powerful Nation?
What’s even stronger than the world’s most powerful nation? It’s something God has placed deep within the human soul. “You know what? How about I get you a one-way way […]
Sermon on the Mount: An Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth
What are we to make of Jesus’ take on “An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth”? Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount explains that there’s a better […]
Letting Jesus Define Our Terms
Letting Jesus Define Our Terms for Powerful Discipleship and Kingdom Living Definitions matter because even small tweaks can drain words like disciple and kingdom of their biblical power. Jesus defines […]
Peter on Water: The Lesson Is Bigger Than We Think
Peter on Water and the Powerful Point We Keep Missing Peter on Water is less about Peter’s bravery and more about Jesus revealing himself as God, the one who treads […]
Faith Didn’t Heal My Daughter: A Deconstruction Story (Part 1: Jesus, My Best Friend)
Deconstruction Story: When Suffering Challenged What I Believed About God Mandy Parsons recounts how early faith, Catholic practice, and charismatic teaching shaped her belief that obedience would bring blessing and […]
Should a Christian Celebrate Halloween? Two Bible Stories.
Should a Christian Celebrate Halloween? Two Biblical Lenses Halloween’s history blends Samhain practices with All Hallows’ traditions, which explains why Christians often disagree. Acts 8 and 1 Corinthians 8 offer […]
What Is a Disciple?
What Is a Disciple: A Biblical Framework for Following Jesus What Is a Disciple? A disciple is someone who follows Jesus, trusts Him in faith, and begins their journey through […]
Sermon on the Mount: How to Cut Off Your Hand
Cut Off Your Hand: Practical Steps to Fight Lust Jesus’ “whatever it takes” warning targets the earliest moment of temptation, calling you to cut off lust at the level of […]
Truth About God in Special Revelation
Special Revelation: How God Reveals Himself in History Knopp highlights that God’s miracles in real moments—like the Exodus, Mount Carmel, and Jesus’ works—aim to reveal the Lord’s unique identity. Scripture’s […]
Why Is the Second Coming of Jesus So Important?
Second Coming: Why Jesus’ Return Is So Important Johnson explains that Jesus promised to come again, and when He appears for all to see, it will be too late to […]
Why Storytelling is Important to the Life of a Christian
Christian Storytelling: Why It Matters for Faith Chime argues that storytelling is a constant part of human life, building connection, unlocking memory, and helping people make meaning. Scripture models God’s […]
Answering Questions with Stories
Answering Questions with Stories: Powerful Truth Jesus often taught through stories, answering questions in ways that shape what we believe and how we live. Family narratives form identity, and Scripture […]
Learning to Pray: Ask (Part 3 of P.R.A.Y.)
Prayer Request: Ask Boldly and Expectantly Even when prayer feels awkward, the article reminds us that asking is central to prayer and invites discouraged believers to start asking again. Through […]
5 Types of Miracles
Types of Miracles and How God Works in the World Types of Miracles include creational acts where God brings reality into existence, making the universe and its laws a profound […]
Sermon on the Mount: Lust and Objectification
Lust and Objectification: What Jesus Teaches in Matthew 5 Jesus extends the command against adultery to “looking with intent,” exposing objectification as a heart-level form of unfaithfulness. Biblical sexual ethics […]
5 Insights Jason Whitlock Has Given Me About Being a Disciple of Jesus
Jason Whitlock Christian Insights for Fearless Discipleship Today Fearless conviction is needed to call out deception and resist cultural pressure with biblical clarity. Ruthless honesty builds credibility when confronting sin […]
How to Tell the Story of the Bible in 7 Kingdoms
7 Kingdoms in the Bible That Reveal the Kingdom We’ve Longed For Biblical history moves through Egypt, Israel, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, showing how human kingdoms repeatedly bring tragedy […]
What Does the Kingdom of God Look Like Through the Church?
Church and Kingdom Through the Authority of the Ekklesia Jesus builds his church as an assembly of kingdom people who display what God’s reign looks like under King Jesus. *Through […]
What Is the Kingdom of God?
Kingdom of God and the Reign of King Jesus The Kingdom of God is the realm where God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven through the […]
Introduction to Kingdom Life: Experience God’s Reign Through Love and Holiness
Kingdom Life and the Questions That Guide God’s Reign Kelvin Teamer introduces Kingdom Life as living under the majestic rule of King Jesus. This series walks through five key questions […]
How Does Faith Respond to the Enthronement of King Jesus?
King Jesus and Faithful Responses to His Enthronement Faith responds to the enthroned King Jesus by living faithfully and pursuing the Great Commission with compassion, hope, and worship despite hardship. […]
How Does Jesus Call Us to Both Salvation and Discipleship?
Salvation and Discipleship: The Lifelong Invitation of Jesus Jesus defines salvation as a lifelong relationship, not merely a one-time event like baptism or forgiveness. Through healing and restoration, Christ reunites […]
What Is Faith?
What Is Faith: The Biblical Meaning Behind True Belief Faith is not a feeling, because it stands on the historic truth of the Bible and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. […]
Learning to Pray: Rejoice (Part 2 of P.R.A.Y.)
Rejoice Always: Learning to Pray with Praise and Thanks Thanksgiving and praise belong at the heart of prayer, because rejoicing honors God for what He has done and who He […]
Introduction to Faithful Faith: Reclaiming Faith from Culture and Tradition
Reclaiming Faith: A Roadmap for Faithful Faith Mark E. Moore introduces Faithful Faith as biblical teaching meant to empower the church to live authentically and make disciples. Five questions guide […]
Sermon on the Mount: Contempt
Contempt: Jesus’ Heart-Level Call to Reconciliation Jesus links contempt to the whole spectrum, from anger and “Raca/Fool” name-calling all the way to murder as its ultimate expression. Rather than policing […]
How Is Jesus’ Kingship Beneficial?
Jesus’ Kingship and the Benefits Scripture Describes Clarify what kind of King Jesus is—crowned with thorns, born in a manger, and riding on a donkey—so his kingship isn’t left ambiguous. […]
Why Do We Need Royal Good News?
What is the Gospel and Royal Good News Royal good news is necessary because God’s gospel restores His original purpose for humanity to reflect His image and rule on His […]
Book Review: The Man Called Messiah, by Corey Stumne
The Man Called Messiah and a Slow Motion Look at the Cross The Man Called Messiah draws readers into Jesus’ betrayal, flogging, death, burial, and resurrection with gritty detail and […]
What is the Gospel?
The Gospel: What It Is and Why It Truly Matters The Gospel announces Jesus as the saving King—promised, incarnate, crucified for sins, buried, resurrected, enthroned, and returning to rule. Counterfeit […]
Introduction to The Gospel Precisely: Surprisingly Good News about Jesus Christ the King
The Gospel Precisely: Why the Gospel Must Be Clear The Gospel Precisely equips believers to participate more fully in God’s saving mission by learning the gospel with greater nuance and […]
The Gospel Precisely Author Q&A – Matthew Bates with Bobby Harrington
Definition of the Gospel: Clear & Urgent Q&A Definition of the Gospel is clarified as the story of Jesus the saving King—sent by the Father, incarnate in David’s line, crucified, […]
What Does It Mean to Be Baptized for the Forgiveness of Our Sins?
What Does It Mean to Be Baptized? Clear Forgiveness What does it mean to be baptized? Bapism is described as the normative point where faith connects with God’s grace and […]
Your Reconstruction Story as Told by Jesus
Faith Reconstruction and Jesus Repairing the Foundation Faith Reconstruction highlights how Jesus deconstructs what cannot remain, leaving only what God intends to be truly foundational. John’s “I am” statements show […]
What Does It Mean to Confess Jesus as Lord?
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What Does It Mean to Repent?
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Habitual Sin: Do We Want to Get Well?
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What Does It Mean to Place One’s Faith in Jesus?
Faith in Jesus: What It Means to Truly Believe and Follow In John’s Gospel, belief is an action word, showing that real faith includes an outward response. Trusting Jesus means […]
Why Is a New Birth Necessary?
New Birth and the Restoration of Our Relationship With God New Birth is necessary because sin disrupted humanity’s relationship with God, beginning with Adam and Eve’s choice to do life […]
Which Is a Better Way to Grow Disciples: Vine-Ripened or Mass-Produced?
Better Way to Grow Disciples and the Vine-Ripened Path to Fruit Better Way to Grow Disciples is illustrated through vine-ripened tomatoes—slow, nurtured growth that produces lasting, flavorful fruit. Modern efficiency […]
Learning to Pray: Pause (Part 1 of P.R.A.Y.)
Pause in Prayer: The First Step Toward Deeper Connection Discover how slowing down before you speak helps you center your heart on God and approach prayer with reverence. Learn why […]
What Are the Essentials of Biblical Christianity?
Essentials Of Biblical Christianity and Bullseye Beliefs For Salvation Identify the essential beliefs for salvation, such as God exists, Jesus is Lord, and Jesus is risen from the dead. Understand […]
Sermon on the Mount: Fulfilling the Law
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How Does the Holy Spirit Move Us toward Jesus?
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Why Did Jesus Pick Fishermen? Answer: The Gospel.
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What Is the Result of Disciple Making?
What Is the Result of Disciple Making: Fruitful Growth and Generous Love What Is the Result of Disciple Making is a church that grows fruitfully as God brings the increase […]
A Spiritual Slaughter We Aren’t Talking About
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What Is a Disciple of Jesus?
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Why Are the Teachings and Life of Jesus Important for Disciple Making?
Teachings and Life of Jesus in Disciple Making Teachings and Life of Jesus anchor the Great Commission, where making disciples means teaching people to obey everything he commanded, not just […]
On What Basis Will God Evaluate Our Lives?
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Sermon on the Mount: 7 Questions to Ask of Each Beatitude
Beatitudes Part 13 Pathway into Kingdom Living Beatitudes Part 13 unpacks seven probing questions that help you draw out the virtues, paradoxes, and promises woven into each Beatitude. Seeing Beatitudes […]
The Secret to Telling the World a Better Story
Telling the World with Better Stories Telling the world a better story begins by recognizing that God has already given the church the richest stories in Scripture. By using a […]
The People of God Refuel in the Desert
People of God Strength in Desolate Places Desert encounters with God show that the People of God can become strongest against temptation when they withdraw like Jesus to lonely places […]
When Life Doesn’t Go How You Expect
When Life Doesn’t Go How You Expect and Learning to Trust God’s Will Remembering a childhood dream of overseas missions, Naomi Jones describes how returning home left her grieving unmet […]
What the Exile Can Teach Us about Returning to Church
Returning to Church with Exilic Hope and Joy Drawing from Israel’s exile and Psalm 126, this article pictures returning to Church as a joyful homecoming where God turns seasons of […]
Sermon on the Mount: The Persecuted
Persecuted in the Sermon on the Mount Beatitudes Drawing from Matthew 5, this article shows that being persecuted for righteousness marks believers as visibly different Kingdom people whose lives confront […]
The Deconstruction Story That Makes the Most Sense
Deconstruction as the Work of Jesus in Our Lives Christ-centered deconstruction exposes false views of God and self, as Jesus analyzes human beliefs, judges them by God’s standard, and replaces […]
Christian Parenting Is the Passing On of an Inheritance
Christian Parenting as Generational Faith Inheritance Christian Parenting treats faith like treasure, showing kids that trusting Jesus is a rich inheritance built through years of God’s provision, sacrifice, and grace. […]
There Are Two Crosses in the Life of a Christian
Life of a Christian – Walking the Path of Two Crosses Carrying the two crosses reveals true discipleship. Christ’s cross brings salvation, while our cross calls us to die to […]
Resurrection: From Fuzzy Hope to Living Reality
Fuzzy Hope to Living Reality – Meeting Jesus as Resurrection Fuzzy Hope to Living Reality begins with Martha’s fragile belief. Her vague hope in a distant resurrection is transformed when […]
What Sets Jesus Apart?
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Good Friday: Buffet or Cafeteria?
Good Friday Reflections on Christ’s Sacrifice Jesus’ suffering reveals how every individual sin carried real weight as he bore griefs, sorrows, and transgressions on the cross. Isaiah 53 and Luke […]
The Historical Evidence for the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus – Evidence for Easter (Part 3)
Historical Evidence for Easter—Death, Burial, Resurrection Scholars from skeptical to believing affirm Jesus’ crucifixion, with ancient sources and archaeology detailing the practice and its brutality. In Jerusalem, the empty-tomb claim […]
Mirage #4: I Want to Find Peace through Trusting What I Can’t Trust
Find Peace in Trust — Lasting Assurance Chasing stability in possessions, people, or success only ends in disappointment because all earthly things fade away. Jesus alone has proven trustworthy through […]
Sermon on the Mount – Peacemakers
Peacemakers in Community: Practices for Shalom Calming the emotional brain opens space for active listening and de-escalation, moving conflict toward real reconciliation. Scripture frames the calling—Jesus blesses peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) […]
A Microscopic Killer Gone Viral
Microscopic Killer in Isolation: Gospel Hope Linking the pandemic’s loneliness and loss to humanity’s deeper “infection” of sin reveals our universal need for Christ’s healing life. Through John 11 and […]
Sermon on the Mount: Pure in Heart
Pure in Heart — Cleanness that Sees God Jesus moves past externals to the inner life, insisting a clean heart matters more than ritual performance (Mt 5–7; 15). Leviticus’ pattern—confession, […]
Sharpening Our Focus on the Great Commission
Great Commission and the Church’s Discipling Mission As Jesus frames it, discipling is the main command of the Great Commission, with going, baptizing, and teaching describing how the church carries […]
Fruitfulness in God’s Kingdom Takes This Uncomfortable Step
Fruitfulness in God’s Kingdom and the Pain of Pruning Carefully cultivated blackberries illustrate how intentional, repeated pruning leads to a far greater harvest than wild, unmanaged growth. Through John 15, […]
A Resilient Church in a Cancel Culture
Cancel Culture — Practicing Church Resilience Grounded in disciple making, the church develops resilient believers who hold to biblical convictions with joy and courage. Facing cultural pressure, Christians reject timidity […]
When You Worry, Remember God Is at Work
Worry — Trusting God’s Work Today Remember Jesus’ call in Matthew 6 to release anxiety and fix your heart on the Father who provides. From wilderness sandals that never wore […]
Why Humans?
Humans — Purpose, Image, and Kingdom Work From Genesis and the Ancient Near Eastern backdrop, the story reveals a good Creator forming people to share His goodness and steward creation. […]
On Gender and the Bible: What Does It Mean to Be a Man or Woman? (Part 10)
Man or Woman — Design, Signs, and Culture Drawing on nature and biology, the article shows how male and female bodies shape behavior and complement one another toward intimacy and […]
Sermon on the Mount: Mercy or the Mob?
Mercy in a Culture of Outrage—Forgiveness Lived In Matthew 5:7, Jesus blesses the merciful, showing that mercy moves from seeing suffering to compassionate action, often expressed as forgiveness. Rather than […]
When the Foundations Are Being Destroyed
Foundations That Endure Through Faith Discover how Foundations grounded in God’s Word give strength when society feels unstable and divided. Explore David’s Psalms to understand why trusting the Lord offers […]
Walking: More than Exercise for the Disciple of Jesus
Walking with God in Practice Enoch’s example in Genesis 5:24 shows that Walking with God means living in His presence, where life overcomes death. Amid ordinary neighborhood routes, Walking opens […]
Church, It’s Time to Bring Back Apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships that Shape Ministry Readiness Rooted in Scripture, Apprenticeships mirror Jesus with the Twelve, Moses and Joshua, and Paul with Timothy to form leaders through life-on-life mentoring. Beyond classrooms, they […]
Sermon on the Mount: Hunger and Thirst
Sermon on the Mount and Kingdom Life Jesus presents righteousness as visible obedience—the lived Kingdom way that surpasses mere status and calls for transformed conduct. Instead of legalistic perfectionism, the […]
5 Shifts to Return to Jesus-Style Disciple Making
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Disciples of Jesus Choose Hope – Q&A with Michael Patterson
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When You Compare, Beware.
Compare — Following Jesus Over Envy Drawn from Luke 9:46, comparisons among disciples ignite pride and conflict, draining love for neighbor. From 1 Samuel 18:7, Saul’s fixation on David spirals […]
Shepherd
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Something to Behold
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Try to Avoid a Star Wars Christmas
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The Stages of Disciple Making: “Come and Be with Me” (Part 3)
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The Stages of Disciple Making: “Come and Follow Me” (Part 2)
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The Stages of Disciple Making: “Come and See” (Part 1)
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Sermon on the Mount: What Is Meekness and Does It Work?
What Is Meekness — Lessons for Disciples Today Drawing from the powerless Israelite and the virtuous Greek ideal, meekness rejects domination while embodying gentle strength grounded in Jesus’ teaching. Practically, […]
What Does God Think about My Mental Disorder?
Mental Disorder and God’s Redemptive Purpose John 9:1–3 reveals suffering can display God’s works, reframing mental disorder from punishment to a place for His glory. Rather than hiding in stigma, […]
Sermon on the Mount: What Is God’s Answer to the Problem of Evil?
God’s Answer in Mourning and Hope Jesus enters human grief (Jn 11:35), walking with mourners so no one suffers alone. Through the cross and resurrection, evil’s curse is confronted and […]
Sermon on the Mount: Poor in Spirit
Beatitudes and the Poor in Spirit Desperation reveals our limits; the “poor in spirit” see that this world can’t save them and turn to Jesus for the Kingdom. Rather than […]
Peter, Paul, and Race
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Church, You Can’t Lose on Tuesday
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Sermon on the Mount: the Pursuit of Happiness
Pursuit of Happiness — Kingdom Portrait Amid shallow buzzes and self-made idols, Jesus sketches a citizen of the Kingdom whose blessing comes first, not after rule-keeping. Drawing contrasts with Deuteronomy […]
The Inspiration of the New Testament
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Sermon on the Mount: The Sermon’s Most Important Word
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When the World’s All Wrong…Trust God
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Can We Be a Unified Church in a Divided World?
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America Is in a Spiritual War. Are You All-In or AWOL?
America Is in a Spiritual War — Weapons, Courage, and Hope Scripture exposes the unseen battle and calls us to demolish lies and take every thought captive to Christ (2 […]
A Fatal Misstep in Addiction Recovery
Addiction Recovery in Daily Dependence Overconfidence invites relapse since neuroplasticity keeps learned cravings, leaving former addicts permanently vulnerable. Ongoing community—AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery—and steady habits sustain sobriety and resist isolation. […]
Sermon on the Mount: Crowds or Disciples?
Crowds or Disciples: The Sermon on the Mount Call In Crowds or Disciples, the audience is split. Jesus addresses committed followers while seekers listen, pushing fence-sitters to step into genuine […]
Jesus, Suicide, and Our Lowest Points
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In Defense of Christian Missions
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Good Leaders Don’t Rush God
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On Gender and the Bible: Can Women Be Elders? (Part 5)
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When the World’s All Wrong…Persevere
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The Inspiration of the Old Testament
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A Simple Way to Share the Gospel
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Is a Late Canon Bad News for Bible-Believers?
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Sermon on the Mount: Who Does Jesus Think He Is?
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Great Leaders Are Led by Convictions
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When the World’s All Wrong…Set Your Mind
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Fishing & Faith
Fishing & Faith — Lessons from John 21 From the Sea of Galilee setting, the narrative shows that faith is enacted through obedient action, not merely held as belief. Peter’s […]
It Is Finished
Finished and the Meaning of Tetelestai Ancient uses of tetelestai—task completed, orders executed, promise fulfilled—illuminate Jesus’ declaration from the cross. Most powerfully, the term marked receipts “paid in full,” pointing […]
Break for…a God-Sized Question
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Persistence: Easy to Neglect, Impossible to Ignore
Persistence in Prayer, Justice, and Discipleship From the persistent widow to modern civil rights stories, steady pursuit shows that justice isn’t untouchable and change can come. Anchored in Luke 18, […]
Rethinking What Bible Character You Are
Bible Character in Self-Examination Looking closely at Gospel details challenges default identification with the “good guy” and exposes Pharisee-like habits. Considering Malchus’s healing reframes the scene: we were among those […]
What’s the Alternative to Judgmentalism?
Judgmentalism — Paths to Empathy and Mercy Jesus’ “Judge not” warns of both human backlash and divine accountability, calling for humility instead of superiority. Proverbs-like wisdom shows criticism triggers defensiveness […]
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Function and Foe in Progressive Revelation OT usage of satan typically denotes an adversary or accuser, not a named devil; scenes like Job 1–2 and Zechariah 3 fit this role. […]
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Pigs and Dogs in Jesus’ Teaching on Judgment Pigs and Dogs illustrate unreceptive hearts. Jesus warns that offering correction to those unwilling to receive it often leads to frustration and […]
Q: Fearless or Fearful? Jesus’ Answer Is Confusing.
Fearless or Fearful and the Challenge of Trust Fearless or Fearful highlights how Jesus contrasts fear of people with fear of God, urging disciples to remain faithful under pressure. The […]
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Satanic Imagery in Scripture’s Story Satanic Imagery spans apocryphal voices and the Dead Sea Scrolls, where names like Mastema and Azazel shaped Jewish views of evil opposing God. Old Testament […]
Satan in the Old Testament
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Did Jesus Really Mean “Judge Not”?!
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Communing with the Church, from My Kitchen
Communing with the Church in Everyday Life Communing with the Church transcends distance, as taking communion at home during Easter revealed unity with believers around the world. Personal reflection deepens […]
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Unreached Communities and Transformative Storytelling Stories mirror the method of Jesus, who used parables to engage hearts and reveal truth, showing the power of storytelling for oral cultures. Oral learners […]
This Is the Weekend to Get Right with God
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Hope in Bleak Midwinter
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How Progressivism Refuels in Christian Thought How Progressivism Refuels explains how inconsistencies among Bible-believing Christians give progressives room to reinterpret Scripture. The article shows that How Progressivism Refuels highlights the […]
6 Lenses for Reading the Psalms (Part 2)
6 Lenses for Reading the Psalms Part 2 for Christ-Focused Reading Jesus’ prayers and quotes—from Psalm 22 on the cross to Luke 24:44—teach us to wear “Jesus glasses,” seeing his […]
The Slaughter of the Canaanites: An Answer
Slaughter of the Canaanites and God’s Justice Slaughter of the Canaanites reveals that the conquest was God’s wrath against wickedness, showing His sovereignty in deciding when judgment is due. Historical […]
Mansion
Mansion as God’s Eternal Abiding Place Mansion in John 14:2 reveals permanence, showing that Jesus’ promise points to a lasting dwelling with Him rather than earthly grandeur. Mansion also describes […]
The Slaughter of the Canaanites: Our Options
The Slaughter of the Canaanites – Exploring Interpretive Approaches Historical, theological, and allegorical explanations reflect how Christians wrestle with these ancient commands. Scholars offer views ranging from hyperbole and moral […]
Aaron Rodgers: Sacked by More than Doubt
Aaron Rodgers: Sacked by More than Doubt Raised in faith but moved to spirituality, Aaron Rodgers reflects on leaving Christianity, calling religion a crutch and embracing a broader worldview. College […]
God Meets You in Your Confusion
God Meets You in Your Confusion: A Story of Reassurance and Identity God meets Jacob in a moment of disorientation. After deceiving his brother and fleeing home, Jacob is filled […]
How the Resurrection Fuels Disciple Making
Resurrection Awakens Mission-Fueled Devotion Resurrection proves life-changing truth. Mary’s encounter with the risen Christ transformed her sorrow into bold testimony. Faith was reignited by Resurrection hope. Jesus’ tender call to […]
The 7 Rhythms Played Out
7 Rhythms Played Out Redefines Discipleship Jesus modeled relational rhythms like prayer, eating, resting, and serving that deeply shaped His followers into disciple makers. Chinese believers live out these rhythms. […]
Kingdom VS Democracy
Kingdom VS Democracy—Following a Higher Rule Kingdom VS Democracy contrasts the sovereignty of Christ’s Kingdom with the self-governance ideals of democracy. Jesus’ Kingdom perspective demands submission to divine authority, not […]
An Inviting Alternative to Defensiveness
Defensiveness: Responding with Grace Over Reaction Rather than snapping back, Christians can follow Jesus’ model of disarming skepticism with gentle invitations to explore faith. By shifting the focus from rebuttals […]
Holiness is Beautiful?
How Holiness is Beautiful in Light of God’s Design Holiness is Beautiful because it embodies truth, goodness, and spiritual virtue rooted in God’s nature. Scripture affirms beauty not in external […]
How Fear Cripples Faith
Fear and the Imagination That Limits Obedience Fear thrives in unfamiliar territory, convincing us that we’re unprepared to face what we’ve never experienced. Rather than protecting us, fear distorts strength, […]
Your Invitation to Holy Places
Holy Places: How Sacred Encounters Strengthen Our Faith Personal and biblical locations, like a hospital room or Jerusalem’s temple steps, become holy places when marked by life-changing encounters with God. […]
Immanuel
Immanuel: God with Us and Us with God Immanuel means “God with us.” Jesus came not just to visit but to dwell with us, fulfilling Isaiah’s ancient prophecy and bridging […]
The Virgin Birth: Q&A with Jared Johnson
Virgin Birth: Essential Truths to Know Virgin Birth belief shapes true Christian identity. Denying it undermines Scripture’s authority and Jesus’ divinity. Ancient prophecy and firsthand accounts align. Isaiah’s vision and […]
The Herod in Me
Herod and the Fight Against the True King Herod’s story in Matthew 2 reveals not only a king’s fear of losing power, but our own reluctance to surrender to Jesus. […]
Does Christmas Feel Different This Year?
Christmas Feel Different This Year? Embrace God’s Presence Christmas feel different when life brings grief, loss, or transitions—yet Christ’s peace can still reign in the broken places. Christmas feel different […]
Being Discipled in Discernment
Discipled in Discernment: Jesus Models Mercy Over Tradition Discipled hearts are shaped when we learn from Jesus how to apply God’s commands with compassion, even when others cling to rigid […]
The First Promise Keepers Event: Witnessing the Power of God
First Promise Keepers Event – How God Moved Among Men Massive response marked the First Promise Keepers Event, as over 600 men came forward seeking Christ during a powerful day […]
Peter Pan and the Fading of Youth
Peter Pan and the Crisis of Growing Up: A Hopeful Reflection J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan confronts adult struggles—from gender roles to existential disillusionment—and exposes the inevitable loss of youthful […]
Deep Roots in Jesus
Deep Roots in Jesus: Why Surface-Level Faith Isn’t Enough Deep Roots in Jesus start with surrender. Dave Clayton shares how self-reliance, even in ministry, can lead to spiritual emptiness without […]
Refueling When You’ve Been Rejected
Rejected: How God Refuels the Wounded Facing dismissal isn’t unfamiliar to Jesus. From His hometown to His closest circles, He knew the sting of being turned away—and still pressed on […]
How Do I Discern God’s Voice from the Rest?
How Do I Discern God’s Voice from the Rest — Training Your Ear Begin by seeking Him in quiet prayer so His voice becomes familiar and distinct even in daily […]
How God Used My Miscalculation, an Awkward Prophecy, and a Crowded Capital
How God Used My Miscalculation — Lessons in Providence A school transfer that looked like a mistake positioned Stephen to meet Joy and begin a story only God could script. […]
What Is the “Person of Peace”?
What Is the Person of Peace? Biblical Insight for Disciple-Making What Is the Person of Peace introduces the biblical principle Jesus taught His disciples—to find spiritually open individuals who become […]
Behold the Family of God
Behold the Family of God: Lessons in Spiritual Kinship Behold the Family of God reflects on Jesus’ tender moment from the Cross, where He entrusts His mother to a disciple—showing […]
A Brief Biography of St. Paul
Biography of St Paul: His Transformation, Ministry, and Theology Biography of St. Paul reveals his radical transformation from persecutor to apostle, shaping the Christian faith through missions and letters. Strategic […]
A Prophet for our Times
Prophet for Our Times: Why Jesus Still Speaks Today Prophet for Our Times explains how Jesus fulfills Moses’ promise of a prophet who would speak God’s words, offering clarity in […]
Planet
Planet: How the Bible Warns Against Wandering from the Truth Planet means “to go astray.” In Greek, planetes refers to wandering stars—mirroring how people drift from God’s truth. Spiritual wandering […]
Not My Call When It Comes to My Calling
Not My Call: Letting God Define Our Calling Not My Call explores how ministry isn’t about personal preferences, but surrendering to God’s direction—even when it’s hard. God often calls us […]
Grace in a Single Set of Clothes
Grace Through Childhood Hardship and Divine Care God’s provision was tangible in poverty. Despite wearing the same clothes for four years and enduring extreme conditions, Stephen Muhota never fell sick—demonstrating […]
What Were the Scariest Words of Jesus?
What Were the Scariest Words of Jesus? – Lessons from an Uncommon Invitation Jesus’ words “Follow Me” challenge comfort and call us into courageous faith. True discipleship demands more than […]
Bridge the Gap
Bridge the Gap: How Faithful Preaching Connects a Changing World Bridge the Gap calls Christian leaders to remain faithful to Scripture while building relational bridges in a culture drifting from […]
It May Not Be Your Gift, but It Is His Command
Command for Evangelism and Disciple Making Command distinguishes gifts from obedience, urging every believer to share the gospel, not only those especially gifted. Mission and purpose are clarified—enjoy God and […]
The World Needs Your Words
The World Needs Your Words: Why Your Story Matters Your story strengthens others. When disciples share their faith journey, it encourages fellow believers and helps build up the Body of […]
This Is How the Ancient World Received Grace, Part 1
How the Ancient World Received Grace Part 1 – Gift Expectations Grace required a response. In ancient times, a gift wasn’t truly received unless it was reciprocated. Grace came with […]
How Not to Ruin a Legacy
How Not to Ruin a Legacy: Lessons from Saul’s Downfall Unchecked jealousy destroys legacy. Saul’s envy of David grew from a single lyric, ultimately unraveling his leadership and honor. Powerful […]
See if You Can Catch the End Result of the Gospel
Catch the End Result of the Gospel – Why Allegiance Matters Paul explains the Gospel’s true aim. In Romans 1 and 16, Paul teaches that the Gospel is meant “to […]
The Joker’s Smile
The Joker’s Smile: Disturbing Delight or Spiritual Danger? The Joker’s Smile isn’t frightening because of makeup, but because it celebrates cruelty without guilt, reflecting evil embraced without remorse. Sin seduces […]
The Mission of God: the Long and Short of It
The Mission of God and His Relentless Heart The Mission of God reflects the Triune pursuit of the lost through the stories of the Good Shepherd, the searching woman, and […]
Just What IS the Gospel?
What IS the Gospel in Its Biblical Fullness? The Gospel is often viewed incompletely, like seeing a single rosebush through a dusty window instead of the full, vibrant garden it […]
Choosing Joy with OCD and Messy Children
OCD and Messy Children — Practicing Presence over Perfection Relationships before chores. From Luke 10’s Mary and Martha, Jesus redirects priorities so time with Him and with kids outranks spotless […]
Peace
Peace in the Bible and Why It Still Matters Today Peace means more than no conflict. In Scripture, “shalom” refers to wholeness, security, and well-being—not just silence or safety. God […]
Image
Image of God: What Scripture Teaches Us About Identity and Purpose We are God’s intended image, not manmade idols. Ancient cultures crafted idols to reflect their gods, but the Bible […]
Meek
What Does Meek Really Mean in the Bible? Meekness means power under control. Ancient Greeks used it to describe strong animals like trained horses and elephants—never weak ones. Moses and […]
3 Dilemmas, 2 Discoveries, and 1 Desire: My Thoughts on Matthew Bates’s Gospel Allegiance
3 Dilemmas, 2 Discoveries, and 1 Desire: A Gospel Wake-Up Call Evangelism often lacks depth, leading to conversions without lasting discipleship or allegiance to King Jesus. Misunderstandings about the gospel […]
Apple of God’s Eye
Apple of God’s Eye – A Reflection of Divine Protection What does “Apple of God’s Eye” really mean? Explore the surprising Hebrew roots of this phrase, revealing how God views […]
Courage in the Storm (Part 2)
Courage in the Storm Part 2: Lessons in Divine Detours Courage in the Storm Part 2 shares how Paul’s unplanned stops became sacred moments, proving God uses even wrecks to […]
Courage in the Storm (Part 1)
Courage in the Storm Part 1 – Key Takeaways for Faith and Growth Paul’s storms weren’t random – they revealed his unwavering trust in God’s promises, even when shipwrecked and […]
The Loss of a Child and the Perpetual Comfort of Nain
The Perpetual Comfort of Nain: Jesus’ Compassion in Our Grief The Perpetual Comfort of Nain reveals Jesus’ tender response to loss, proving His power and love are present in life’s […]
Rabbis and Their Disciples between the 1st Century B.C. and the 2nd Century A.D.
Rabbis and Their Disciples: Ancient Practices That Still Shape Christian Discipleship Today Rabbis and their disciples shaped Jewish life through teaching, imitation, and service. These traditions were essential to preserving […]
The Power of Jesus
How the Power of Jesus Reveals God’s Kingdom and Transforms Lives The Power of Jesus challenges evil and restores lives. His miracles weren’t for show—they announced the kingdom and broke […]
God Can Even Use Fleas
God Can Even Use Fleas: Three Lessons of Faith in Suffering Fleas became a hidden blessing. In a Nazi concentration camp, Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy were thankful […]
Is God Petty?
Is God Petty – Wrestling with Divine Justice Divine punishment seems excessive. The article recounts the story of Elijah and the youths, asking whether God’s response appears disproportionate. Tension emerges […]
Do You Know What You’re Asking for Your Kids?
Do You Know What You’re Asking for Your Kids – Lessons for Parents The article Do You Know What You’re Asking for Your Kids explores how a mother’s bold request […]
Admonition.
Admonition in Shaping Godly Character Admonition is the biblical call to correct wrong attitudes, guiding hearts toward repentance and spiritual maturity. Instruction with admonition goes beyond teaching facts, aiming to […]
Could the Disciples Have Been Hallucinating When They Saw the Risen Jesus?
Could the Disciples Have Been Hallucinating When They Saw the Risen Jesus? Examining the Flaws in the Hallucination Hypothesis Eyewitness accounts challenge the hallucination theory. Disciples described physical interactions with […]
Triumph.
Triumph Proclaims Christ’s Unmatched Victory Triumph explores Paul’s portrayal of Jesus publicly defeating and disarming the powers of darkness at Calvary. The narrative compares Rome’s majestic triumph parades to the […]
What a Lousy Dad Still Got Right (And We Can Too!)
What a Lousy Dad Still Got Right Even flawed fathers can finish strong. David’s story shows that despite major failures, dads can leave a legacy that matters. It’s never too […]
Contrasting Measures
Contrasting Measures – Key Takeaways from the Gospel True worship is measured by the heart. Judas objected to Mary’s lavish act, but Jesus revealed that pure motives—not money—define genuine devotion. […]
Thoughts about Hell from Jesus Himself
Thoughts About Hell: What Jesus Actually Taught Thoughts about Hell rooted in Scripture: Jesus speaks more about Hell than any other New Testament figure, using vivid metaphors to awaken spiritual […]
Meals of Jesus
Meals of Jesus Reveals God’s Kingdom Through Table Fellowship Meals of Jesus highlights how Christ used shared meals to connect with outcasts, offering grace and belonging. Transformations unfolded as people […]
Jesus Never Lost at Rock, Paper, Scissor
Jesus Never Lost: What Rock, Paper, Scissors Reveals About His Priorities Discover how Jesus ranked justice, mercy, and faithfulness over ritual. See why “Jesus Never Lost” applies to His moral […]
First Century Tombs
First Century Tombs: Archaeological Insights on Jesus’ Burial First Century tombs followed a two-stage burial process. Jesus’ burial aligned with the common practice of laying the body on a stone […]
It’s Not Looking Good, But It’s Not over Yet
It is Not Over Yet: How Jesus’ Story of Victory Was Always Part of the Plan It’s Not over Yet—even when hope fades. Just like the final scenes of a […]
The Historicity of the Two Men Who Authorized Jesus’ Death – Evidence for Easter (Part 2)
The Historicity of the Two Men Who Authorized Jesus Death Caiaphas’ existence is archaeologically verified. Discoveries like his ossuary and ancient home align with Gospel accounts of his role in […]
Caiaphas’ House
Caiaphas House: Uncovering a First-Century Historical Landmark Caiaphas House Discovered: Archaeologists uncovered a first-century palatial home in Jerusalem that aligns with Gospel accounts, believed to be the actual Caiaphas House […]
Does History Demonstrate that Jesus Existed? – Evidence for Easter (Part 1)
Jesus Existed: Historical Evidence You Can Trust Non-Biblical Sources Confirm Jesus ExistedAncient historians like Josephus and Tacitus documented Jesus’ life, crucifixion, and influence—independent of the Bible. Scholarly Consensus Backs Jesus’ […]
How to Model Passionate Politeness
Model Passionate Politeness Model Passionate Politeness by Cultivating Christlike Civility: To model passionate politeness, we begin by embodying Christ’s kindness and gentleness. Reflecting God’s character in our conversations makes our […]
Illusory Truth Effect
Illusory Truth Effect: What Makes Repetition So Convincing in a Christian’s Search for Truth? Illusory Truth Effect is the cognitive bias where repeated information—whether true or false—feels more believable over […]
Abba.
What Does Abba Really Mean? Understanding This Sacred Name for God Abba is an intimate word Jesus used for God. In Gethsemane, Jesus cried “Abba, Father,” introducing a deeply personal […]
Two Halves That Make a Perfect Whole
Why “Two Halves That Make a Perfect Whole” Captures the Heart of Discipleship? Discipleship flourishes when service and learning walk hand in hand. The article explores how “two halves that […]