Category: Uncategorized

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 […]

What We Learn from William Borden (Borden of Yale)

“Lord Jesus, I take hands off as far as my life is concerned. I put Thee on the throne in my heart. Change, cleanse, use me as Thou shalt choose. […]

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 […]

Finding What Matters (It’s Different in Retirement)

If you have met me, chances are good that you also have met my ego. It’s hard to miss. It usually dominates conversations, going on and on about its accomplishments, […]

Masculinity Is Not Inherently Toxic…and Neither Is Empathy

We don’t do nuance very well these days… We tend to take complex realities, find their absolute worst expressions, and then decide the whole thing must be the problem. If […]

Having Cancer in the Name of the Lord Jesus

Colossians 3:1-17 is one of the first extended passages of Scripture I attempted to memorize. It’s worth spending time reading, praying, and reflecting on, whether you commit it to memory […]

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, […]

Review of ‘Joyful Outsiders: Six Ways to Live Like Jesus in a Disorienting Culture’

What Makes This Book Different “So do you want to know why you’re an outsider in this world? It’s not because the world is changing or because of a political […]

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, […]

What Does “Set Apart” Look Like in a Regular 9 to 5?

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those chosen, living as exilesdispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of […]

Why does something exist rather than nothing?

How would you answer the question, “Why does something exist rather than nothing?” Here’s the answer we’ll explore: “Everything (from ants to God) has an explanation for why it exists: […]

Review of ‘The Gospel After Christendom’

I begin every semester of teaching my undergraduate apologetics class with a unit on “meta apologetics.” That’s a fancy-sounding phrase, but it simply refers to the study of the nature […]

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 […]

Is Masturbation a Sin? A Thoughtful Christian Exploration

“Of all the moral issues which face the community of Christian believers, there are few issues that Christians feel more uncomfortable discussing than the issue of masturbation.”[1] Masturbation is a […]

Costly Obedience and the Restoration Movement

The Restoration Movement emerged from a collective belief that Jesus’ prayer in John 17 called for obedience rather than admiration. Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell thought that Christian division […]

Is it my fault my adult children don’t believe?

Raising children carries an unavoidable companion: guilt. If you haven’t felt it yet, you will. I remember the first time I disciplined my daughter. She was five years old and, […]

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 […]

What Does “God Fearing” Mean?

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “God fearing”? One of the first things I picture is an old movie. Maybe it’s even black and white. And one […]

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? […]

Seven Churches of Revelation: The Church in Pergamum

Going on the road north from Smyrna you would travel along the coast for 40 miles, then you’d go northeast up the valley. Ten miles east from the shore was […]

Eternal Life…Now?

Heaven. When Christians think of eternal life in heaven, we may think of the imagery of heaven: gold streets, pearly gates, mansions, other believers, and the presence of God. We […]

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 […]

Bible Verses About Peace in the New Testament

Words Translated as Peace In the New Testament, many usages come from the Greek root eiréné (εἰρήνη), meaning “peace,” but other words include hésuchios (ἡσύχιος) and hésuchazó (ἡσυχάζω), both of […]

What Does the Bible Say about Elders? 10 Clarifying Questions

One of the many distinctives of churches in the RENEW.org Network is that our congregations are elder-guided (along with holding high views of Scripture, baptism, weekly communion, etc.). Being elder-guided […]

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 […]

Fighting Apathy

Apathy means, “I don’t care.” Ignorance means, “I don’t know.” Complacency means, “I am satisfied with my current status.” Laziness means, “I don’t feel like doing anything.” There may be […]

The Sound of Silence: Being Still and Knowing God

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10, NIV) I am really […]

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Churches

All of us have habits. Some good; some bad. In The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, Alan Kreider calls habits our embodied behaviors—our reflexes. Habits are not strategies; they are […]

6 Ways People Read the Bible

People throughout history have done all sorts of things with Bibles. Some have bought them and left them on shelves. Others have burned them in book burnings. Bibles have been […]

Bible Verses About Peace in the Old Testament

Putting it lightly, the Bible has a lot to say about peace. In fact, in the King James translation, the English word “peace” appears about 470 times, making it one […]

N. T. Wright on the Atonement: New, but Not Improved?

A subject about which N. T. Wright has produced a ton of material is the atonement and its benefits. His 1996 academic book Jesus and the Victory of God includes […]

10 Bible Verses About Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one of the core elements of Christianity. There is no other religion or supposed deity that offers forgiveness as God does. Forgiveness is the “intentional act of ceasing […]

A Journey from Secrecy and Control to Truth and Freedom in Christ

My name is Kirk Taylor, and I’m a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who has found freedom from gender dysphoria, codependency, and a lifelong struggle with trying to control how […]

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 […]

Can a Christian Join the Military? Some Arguments For and Against

Can a Christian join the military? Should Christians participate in war? What role should Jesus’ teachings on nonviolence play in all this? If we are encouraged to carry the light […]

When Resistance Comes: 3 Options

The following is an excerpt from Josh Branham’s book What Are You Waiting For?: A Young Leader’s Guide to Changing the World, from his chapter on Fight. Everything fell apart […]

What Is God Like?

How would you answer the question, “What is God like?” Here’s the answer we’ll explore in this article: “The God of the Bible is perfectly loving and good, knows all […]

Words of the Wise

I wonder what percentage of the human population has been wiped out because of cancerous human words. I wonder what percentage of people’s souls have been crushed because of words—said […]

Standup Sermons? What Preachers Can Learn About Communication from Comedians

Introduction: No, I Don’t Mean “Add More Jokes” If you’re a preacher, you might have seen the title and assumed, “This guy is making a connection between comedy and the […]

N. T. Wright on the Gospel: Swinging the Pendulum Too Far?

If there is any one subject that has been central to N. T. Wright’s teaching and writing ministry, it just might be the gospel. From academic books and articles to […]

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

Herod and Jesus: They were both kings. They both died excruciatingly painful deaths. They both built kingdoms. They both had powerful, formidable enemies. Both significantly affected history. They both lived […]

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 […]

What Are Angels in the Bible?

What are angels in the Bible? Starting out, it’s helpful to clarify that the original words often translated as angel do not always refer to supernatural, angelic beings. The Hebrew […]

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 […]

What are Seraphim in the Bible?

The Hebrew word śārāp̄ appears seven times in the Old Testament and is used to describe both a serpent and a class of supernatural beings (seraph/seraphim). References to a serpentine […]

Why I’m Excited About the Future of the Restoration Movement

Full disclosure: I’ve been a part of a “Restoration Movement” church since preschool. If I sound like a “Campbellite,” it could be due to being dyed in the wool as […]

What Are Cherubim in the Bible?

Beyond the scope of angels/archangels are two other categories of beings that have rightly or wrongly been conflated with the descriptions of angels. Those categories/terms are cherubim and seraphim. Whether […]

Seven Churches of Revelation: The Church in Smyrna

The city of Smyrna is actually the only one of the cities of the Seven Churches of Revelation still around. It is modern-day Izmir, Turkey. Traveling from Ephesus, the first […]

The Vanity of Knowledge: Aiming for Wisdom in an Artificial World

With what set of assumptions do you begin as you open the pages of Scripture? I find myself in agreement with James B. Jordan, Protestant theologian, with Matteiu Paggeau, the […]

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. […]

Bible Verses About Anxiety

To understand what the Bible says about anxiety—and to understand anxiety itself—it’s helpful to look at the words that are translated as anxiety through Scripture. In the Old Testament, what’s […]

What is Spiritual Success?

While most people are chasing the idea of being “successful,” what if we got the definition of success wrong? What if we don’t even know what success really is? Which […]

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 You Still Believe in God?

Today, during worship, my wife handed me her phone. She had received a text from an old friend from high school. Her friend was clearly exasperated, frustrated, and searching. “In […]

The Hazard of Comparing Ourselves to Others

One of the more charming elements of the modern workplace is the conducive environment it provides for comparing yourself to others. Sometimes it feels like we are all in one […]

Why Isn’t the Book of Enoch in the Bible?

What do we know about 1 Enoch and the Bible? The first thing to say is that 1 Enoch is pseudepigraphal, that is, it was not written by Enoch. The […]

How to Extend Your Thanksgiving Meal

What’s the most encouraging note a teacher wrote on your report card? Maybe it was, “Great job this quarter!” Or “Fantastic job bringing your math grade up!” The earliest comment […]

Summary of the Book of Enoch: Five Sections

1 Enoch naturally divides into five sections: The Book of Watchers (1-36), The Book of Parables (37-71), The Astronomical Book (72-82), the Book of Dream Visions (83-90), and the Letter […]

Have You Developed a Theology of Leadership?

Everybody who leads has a philosophy of leadership. Every leader from Michael Scott to Genghis Khan has absorbed principles and values that guide them. If you are a Christian leader, […]

When You Have Eaten and Are Satisfied: On Wealth and Forgetting God

Now that you have wealth, you’ve crossed over into the financial promised land. Or have you? From the days of Adam, God cursed man with the burden of painful toil […]

5 Things to Expect from a Missionary

People sometimes place unfair expectations on missionaries that they support. They might expect the missionary to convert an entire nation to Christ before their first furlough. They might expect the […]

Leadership Without Vision?

When we talk about leadership we talk about vision. But is vision what truly makes leaders successful? The answer might surprise us. I recently did a deep dive into three […]

Seven Churches in Revelation: The Church in Ephesus

The book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor, the first of which is the church in Ephesus. In this article, we’re going to take a look […]

30 Days of Prayer for Your Children

Prayer, as a spiritual discipline, requires time, effort, and consistency. The same goes for praying for your children. This 30-day prayer guide I’ve put together can help you cultivate the […]

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 […]

Summary of the Book of Enoch: Background and Purpose

A recent ad on X (formerly Twitter) promoted a tweet by the “Apostle John Welty” (if you doubt his apostleship, know his account is verified with a blue check). He […]

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 […]

Values and Practices of High-Functioning Elder Teams

The model for plural church leadership finds its origin in our holy, triune God, who exists in perfect relationship. From the beginning, He has invited us into that divine relationship—calling […]

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 […]

Three Paths in Ministry to Muslims: Interreligious, Interfaith, and Gospel-Centered Approaches

In an age marked by religious pluralism and global migration, Christian engagement with Muslims demands more than good intentions—it requires theological clarity, cultural wisdom, and missional conviction. At first glance, […]

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 […]

Leadership Alignment Training for Disciple Making

Dear RENEW.org Network Leaders, Join me by wrapping your mind around an important truth: fewer than 5% of churches in North America have a disciple making culture (see here). That […]

Mark, Me, and the Making of Second Chances

The second book in the New Testament bears his name. However, he’s not the actual source of the original content for the narrative and teaching of Jesus. Most biblical historians […]

What’s Halloween Supposed to Be About?

What’s Halloween supposed to be about? It is difficult for 21st century Americans to comprehend why people persecute their neighbors for religious reasons. Nonetheless, people have persecuted others for religious […]

From Cornfield to City: How One Congregation Followed Jesus into the Heart of Middletown

There’s a moment every week that still catches me off guard because it’s so new. Unhoused men and women, some still recovering from addiction, gather alongside longtime believers on a […]

Barriers to Spiritual Growth in the Book of Acts

Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey that is often shaped as much by resistance as by resolve. The Book of Acts offers more than a historical account of the early […]

Battle-Ready Discipleship

Why do so many Christians crumble under cultural pressure? Why do churches so often resemble spiritual daycare instead of boot camp? The Church cannot afford to raise spectators. We must […]

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 […]

Who Were Naomi and Ruth in the Bible?

Naomi and Ruth lived during the period of the Judges, probably during the time of Gideon, around 1200 B.C. Their story is told in the Book of Ruth in the […]

VIDEO: Review of John Mark Comer’s ‘Practicing the Way’

In this Renew Review, we explore John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Jesus, Do as He Did. This book is the cornerstone of Comer’s […]

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 […]

Saying ‘No’ Can Sometimes Be the Right ‘Yes’

It’s amazing how often Jesus stopped to respond to the needs of others. He made time for a blind beggar calling out from the roadside, welcomed mothers who wanted Him […]

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 […]

Must Every Disciple Be a Disciple Maker?

At the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus instructed the disciples he had made to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father […]

7 Reasons to Arrive Early to Church

If church is important enough to come to, it’s important enough to arrive early to. If you’re going to set an alarm, wake everyone out of bed, fix breakfast, get […]

Make Your Small Groups Like A.A.

Instead of church small groups looking and feeling like a classroom, small groups should look and feel more like A.A. That’s right…Alcoholics Anonymous. To truly make disciples of Jesus, people […]

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 […]

Finding Our Identity in Christ—Not Our Personalities

We are all created in God’s image, but we each have a unique role to fill in his kingdom. Our identity is equally secure and beloved in Christ, yet our […]

Review of ‘Practicing the Way’ by John Mark Comer

Practicing the Way is the signature book for John Mark Comer’s current ministry (which bears the same name as the title of the book), the aim of which is to […]

When a Famous Christian Dies

One of the sadder facets of building a personal library is pausing every few years to realize how many of your favorite authors are now dead. I recall the first […]

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 […]

What’s Sunday Really For?

Back in the 1950s, the Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz discovered a fact of nature everyone should know: ducklings, it turns out, are gullible. Arriving in the world without any innate […]

Should We Use Generative AI Chatbots For Research?

A bestselling Christian author I follow recently said that he uses generative AI for research. I challenged his rationale, and want to share more here. Why use GenAI for research? […]

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 […]

Do Animals Go to Heaven?

I’m a 90s kid, so I grew up with the 1989 classic Don Bluth movie All Dogs Go to Heaven about Charlie, a mobster-type dog who’s been murdered but is […]

You Can Evangelize.

*This article was adapted from Dylan Kirkland, Starting Your Journey with Jesus: A 30-Day Devotional for New Christians. Evangelism is a spiritual rhythm that every disciple of Jesus can and […]

What ChatGPT’s Students Are Looking For

September 19, 2025 Why do we dose off the moment the flight attendant begins the seatbelt speech? What she’s saying is accurate but feels long and, might we say…impersonal? Why […]

Worship Leaders and Identity

For those of us that are musicians and worship leaders, where does our identity come from? Is it in our musical talents? Our artistic spirit? Our ability to lead a […]

VIDEO: Review of Jordan Peterson’s ‘We Who Wrestle with God’

In We Who Wrestle with God, psychologist Jordan Peterson weighs in on the meaning of foundational stories from the Hebrew Bible. According to Peterson, what are the messages we should […]

Questioning God: 5 Questions Asked of God in the Old Testament

How well do you handle unresolved questions? When the answer is as pointed as a ball of spaghetti noodles—“Well, that’s a good question . . . various answers have been […]

Dear Divorced Christian

Dear divorced Christian, You are not what was done to you. You are not the choices you made in the fog of sorrow or survival. Divorce may be a chapter, […]

Spiritual But Not Religious? Reflections on Balaam

Have you heard the phrase or maybe even said it yourself: “I’m spiritual but not religious”? It’s a description that has become so widely used in America and the West […]

Dear Disciple, It’s Okay to Grieve What You’ve Lost

Dear young disciple, You have come so far in your journey with Christ, and I am proud of you. I know it doesn’t feel like you’ve developed and grown much, […]

Review of Jordan Peterson’s ‘We Who Wrestle with God’

Jordan Peterson is a cultural phenomenon. His books are bestsellers (12 Rules for Life has sold over 10 million copies!). His online video lectures and in-person lecture tours have captivated […]

Pastoral Burnout: Intentional Times of Reflection

Author’s note: This is my sixth and final article in a series dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting. […]

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 […]

How the Ordinary Becomes Holy

We say Jesus began his ministry at thirty—but the Greek text never says that. Luke 3:23 reads, “Jesus, when he began, was about thirty years of age…” Most English translations […]

Why Connect with People of a Different Worldview?

What does it mean for Christians to connect with people of a different worldview? Here’s what we mean: it’s cultivating relationships with and learning from people whose perspective differs significantly […]

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 […]

Making Room: Reflections on a Ministry Internship

I had the opportunity to intern at a church for the first time this summer. With two years of college under my belt, I knew that I was prepared to […]

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. […]

Don’t Let Anger Preach Your Sermon

We often pray, “Your Kingdom come, your will be one, on earth as it is in heaven.” But what if the greatest barrier to God’s Kingdom being seen through us […]

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 […]

Does the Bible Say the Earth is Flat?

In study of the scriptures, even during the time of Jesus, there are some questions that are far more loaded than they need to be. Think back to when the […]

In Ministry? Beware of Isolation.

Early on in ministry, one of my pastors sat me down to have a heart-to-heart about entering ministry. In this long conversation, my pastor imparted much of his own personal […]

How to Prioritize Your Family

“Put me on the next flight. My son needs me.” In the middle of the 2008 NBA playoffs, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade received a call no parent wants to […]

For Those Making Pilgrimage Through Spiritual Landscapes

I have always loved road trips. Mostly for the view and the scenery. It’s the adventure of discovering different landscapes I love most. That and traversing God’s good creation. On […]

When Sports Conflict with Sunday Worship: Some Questions to Ask

*Editor’s Note: In this article’s final paragraph, the author rightly calls this sports-church conflict an “elephant in the room.” As such, it’s an elephant that has plunked down in the […]

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) […]

Christformation and Embracing Forgiveness

What is God up to in our lives? When we look throughout Scripture, we see that, above all, God is restoring his image in us so we can be fruitful […]

Calvinism: Perseverance of the Saints?

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 Books Are in the Apocrypha? A Summary of Each Book

In an earlier article, we defined the Old Testament Apocrypha as a collection of Jewish books written from the fourth to the first centuries B.C., included in and apparently canonized […]

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 […]

When to Teach Your Kids About Sexuality and Gender?

When is the right time to teach kid(s) about sex, sexuality, gender, and LGBTQ+ topics? I wish it were as easy as offering a specific point in childhood development; unfortunately, […]

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, […]

Wild at Heart After 25 Years

*Editor’s Note: How should Christians view masculinity? As something godly to be cultivated? As something toxic to be suppressed? John Eldredge’s 2001 New York Times bestseller Wild at Heart: Discovering […]

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, […]

Communion Training Tools We Use at Our Church

When I was around twelve, I got swept up into a “Men’s Leadership” class at my suburban Detroit congregation. The class intended to prepare a new generation of young men […]

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 […]

Just Over the Horizon

When the apostle John was just a small child, he likely made his first pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem with his family. His father Zebedee, his mother Salome, […]

Who Is the Beast in Revelation?

Editor’s Note: There seem to be as many interpretations of the book of Revelation as there are readers. It’s true that we find core Christian truths in Revelation— truths which […]

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,” […]

Paul the Missionary: How Gospel Preaching Fueled 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, […]

A Letter to My Fifteen-Year-Old Self

*Editor’s Note: If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would you say? How would you advise your younger self in navigating the difficulties? What would you […]

Calvinism: Irresistible Grace?

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 […]

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 […]

The Story of the Old Testament Apocrypha

The Apocrypha. Even the word is mysterious, perhaps conjuring up some Amazon.com-only work on the “lost books of the Bible.” For evangelicals, the Apocrypha can be intimidating, as its presence […]

Giving Your Family the Best of You

I’ll never forget a story I heard once about a father who had to stay late in the office to finish up some work. He felt so guilty about the […]

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 […]

Is there Neurological Evidence for the Soul? A Review of Egnor and O’Leary’s ‘The Immortal Mind’

Thinking through the nature of evil, a young Augustine found himself wrestling with the relationship between physics, which he called “corporeal things,” and the mind. His account of this struggle, […]

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 […]

Is Discipleship the Wrong Paradigm for the Church Today?

*Editor’s Note: Is Jesus-style disciple making the core mission of the church today—or was it meant to be a pre-Pentecost paradigm? Does contemporary disciple making work? Or does it leave […]

Once Saved, Always Saved?

The idea of “faithful faith” is a distinguishing mark of RENEW.org and historic Restoration Movement theology. Article 5 (Faithful Faith) of Renew’s Faith Statement for Leaders reads: “We believe that […]

5 Ways to Pray with Your Kids

How do our children see God based on the way we pray? Do they picture Him as the almighty Creator of the universe, the Shepherd of their souls, the One […]

Baptism According to Scripture: A Discussion

What if the clearest voice on baptism wasn’t a tradition, denomination, or preacher–but Scripture itself? Join Bobby Harrington (RENEW.org), Jerry Harris (Christian Standard), Gary Johnson (e2 Effective Elders), Karl Halverson […]

Celebrating Unborn Life with Light

June 24, 2025 Three years since the overturning of Roe v. Wade When God said, “Let there be light,” He glorified the moments of creation with His own light. Light […]

Salvation: We Have Been, Are Being, and Shall Be Saved

When I was a kid, around ten years old, my mom took me to a big revival meeting in some large municipal auditorium in our city. I forget who was […]

Abiding Prayer: a Posture of Simply Being with God

Author’s note: This is my fifth article dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting.[1] My own research for a […]

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 […]

Sola Scriptura: Are the Scriptures Our Final Authority?

Understanding Sola Scriptura and Its Role in Church Authority Today Is Scripture the church’s ultimate authority? This article explores the Protestant view of Sola Scriptura, which upholds the Bible as […]

A Jesus-Centered Approach to Technology: Why This Article Was Not Written With AI

How Technology Shapes Us: Embracing a Christ-Centered Approach in a Digital World A Jesus-Centered Approach to Technology invites reflection. Explore how faith and discernment guide our use of AI in […]

Church Planting Resident? It’s Easier Than You Think

Article Summary: A turnkey distance residency program can help your church play a part in equipping church planters. Distance-based residencies let the emerging planter stay rooted in the local church […]

Act Like Men?

Growing up, I thought the Marine Corps had the best recruiting commercials out of all the armed services. Maybe that’s why I spent so much time in the Marine recruiting office […]

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 […]

Can A Growing Church Still Feel Like Family?

In 2012, I had back surgery that left me sidelined for months. I secretly looked forward to the rest—books to read, movies to watch, naps to take. But what I […]

Top 10 YouTube Videos Critiquing Calvinism

Five-Point Calvinism has many able defenders online. Can the same be said for biblical critiques of Calvinism? We have compiled a list of helpful books critiquing Calvinism HERE. Similarly, here […]

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 […]

Teen Counseling Insights from the Book of Job: The Need for Listening & Encouragement

AUTHOR’S NOTE: One of the best ways we can learn what people in crisis need is by examining case studies of people who have successfully survived a crisis. The biblical […]

What Disciple Making Churches are Actually Doing

In my last article, I (Paul) shared stories from church leaders who are working to shift away from a purely attractional model and embracing a culture of disciple making. I […]

The Music of Worship: What Jacob Collier Reminds Us About the Heart of Discipleship

If you have not yet stumbled upon the musical phenomenon that is Jacob Collier, it is worth pausing for a moment to witness it. Collier, a young British musician whose […]

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 […]

10 Reasons I Go To Church

I’ve heard it said, “We aren’t called to go to church. We are called to be the church.” Halfway true. Here’s the problem with that statement. Being and going strengthen each other. I can’t imagine how the being part […]

Calvinism: Unconditional Election?

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 […]

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 […]

Teen Counseling Insights from the Book of Job: The Need for Dignity & Presence

AUTHOR’S NOTE: One of the best ways we can learn what people in crisis need is by examining case studies of people who have successfully survived a crisis. The biblical […]

Your Kids Are Watching

In the 1960s, an educational psychologist named Laszlo Polgar conducted an experiment on his own children. He believed geniuses are not born, but rather trained. So, he and his wife, […]

Worship That Walks: a Restoration Reading of Acts 3

It’s a small detail, easily missed, but it shows the power of worship to energize discipleship. Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, […]

Fasting in the Old & New Testaments

Fasting in the Bible is a setting aside of time to abstain from food to repent from sin and seek God. We see this practice span both Old and New […]

Does Something Feel Off with Modern Church Leadership?

In this article, I’d like to share a journey for me and why it has been so necessary to my own health to walk away from a modern church mentality […]

What Jesus Said About Fasting: When You Fast…

Growing up in Pakistan, I often heard from my Muslim friends that Christian fasting is incomplete and improper because Christians drink or eat during their fast. In Islam, Muslims are […]

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, […]

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 […]

Should We Use Generative AI Chatbots for Ministry?

Editor’s Note: Is generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) a morally neutral tool helpful for generating sermon outlines and small group discussions? Or is it something attractive on the surface but deceptive […]

Calvinism: Total Depravity?

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 […]

Discomfort, a Missing Ingredient in Discipleship

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” (John 14:15-16, NLT) As dean […]

Review of Ross Douthat’s ‘Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious’

I have always appreciated Ross Douthat’s writing. For many years, he has written columns as both a committed Catholic and a conservative in the New York Times. He is an […]

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 […]

What Are You Measuring? A Call to Better Metrics.

Over the past four to five years, I’ve had numerous conversations with church leaders who have embraced the challenge of shifting from primarily attractional strategies to a culture that prioritizes […]

Auschwitz and the Agnostic

It was in the spring of 2007, if I’m recalling correctly, that I first traveled to Slovakia. I was younger then, though not so young as to believe I had […]

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 […]

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 […]

Four Disciple Making Essentials

You want to make disciples because it was Jesus’ last command and one of the most important expressions of love you could show to another human being. I cannot think […]

Grandparenting Advantages for Discipling Kids

It’s true that the Bible talks about parents way more than it talks about grandparents. The most foundational family discipleship passages in Scripture are written with the parent-child relationship in […]

Pastoral Burnout: Why Community Matters and How to Find It

Author’s note: This is my fourth article dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting.[1] My own research for a […]

I’ve Stopped Praying for Safety—And You Should Too

Growing up, I remember more than one man who, when appointed to lead Sunday morning’s closing prayer, would always conclude the final benediction along these lines: “and keep us all […]

Renew University Now Enrolling!

The wait is over, and Renew University’s Certificate in Theology program is now enrolling! The program is designed with you in mind, featuring great courses taught with excellence by teachers […]

Review of Austin Fischer’s ‘Young, Restless, and No Longer Reformed’

In Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed, Austin Fischer tells his own story about why he became a Calvinist and why he left Calvinism. Because it’s written as a story, the […]

What Is Logic & Why Does It Matter? A Q&A with Dr. Winfried Corduan

*Editor’s Note: As Christians, we ought to strive to be the best thinkers we can be. Why? It’s because thinking reasonably is one of the hallmarks of humanity as God […]

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 […]

Remembering Saint Patrick and Hope for Today

“Kiss me. I’m Irish!” That was the phrase on my friend‘s coffee mug. When I saw it, I thought, “I have no idea what that means, but I sure could […]

What Is Heaven Like? An Exploration of What Makes Heaven Heavenly

Have you ever said, “Well, it’s not my first choice, but considering my only other option, I guess I’ll go with it”? This is the kind of logic we typically […]

Preaching: The Importance of Context and Clarity

Middle school students have a way of humbling you. I was speaking at our student ministry’s midweek gathering and closed with a reference to the apostle Paul. Running short on […]

The Scoop on Happiness in Church

I believe summer nights should end with ice cream. And I don’t just mean frozen desserts; I mean ice cream. Frozen custard counts. Same for gelato. In a tight spot, […]

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 […]

A 3-Step Way of Telling Your Story

Assuming that you, the reader, are a Christ-follower, what if an unbelieving friend or family member came to you and said, “You know, I’ve been thinking about this Jesus, and […]

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 […]

What Is the Book of Enoch?

The Book of Enoch is perhaps one of the most widely known pieces of literature from the corpus known as the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. It purports to be the work […]

A Tasteful Way to Share the Gospel

God has given us the greatest gift that a person can ever receive through the gospel. If we truly appreciate what we have received and truly love people, we naturally […]

Don’t skip this step in evangelism!

There is one thing we are likely to skip when it comes to evangelism and discipleship but which makes all the difference: prayer. Okay, you may be better at it […]

God Does Not Give Us a Spirit of Fear

A meaningful conversation is like lightning. You never know when it is going to strike. On the way back from Dairy Queen, I had a conversation that changed the course […]

Idolatry in the Bible (and in Our Own Hearts)

Satan is always scheming and making efforts to tempt us, to dishearten us, and to break us with many other things that can take away our focus from God. The […]

The Book of Revelation Explained Simply

Do you ever like to experience the thrill of a good scare? For some of us growing up, that was what the book of Revelation was for. Perhaps as a […]

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 […]

Why Does God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart?

Summary: Why does God harden Pharaoh’s heart in the book of Exodus? This article will explore how There is hope when we listen to God and unharden our hearts to […]

Relearning the Forgotten Art of Possibility

The following is an excerpt from Josh Branham’s book What Are You Waiting For?: A Young Leader’s Guide to Changing the World, from his chapter on Possibility.  I don’t know […]

Ten Common Characteristics of a Healthy Church Regardless of Size or Location

Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of visiting hundreds of churches across the country. Recently, I’ve highlighted several exceptional examples on my website. While there are many […]

Bible Sales are up 22%. What Does That Mean?

I recently saw some good news in a Wall Street Journal article explaining that, according to book tracker Circana Bookscan, Bible sales have increased 22% since last fall, and signs […]

What We Must Learn from Andrew Tate Even If We Don’t Want To

What do you do with a man of arrogance and rebellion who inspires the hearts of countless young men and boys in a world deliberately set against them? What do […]

What I Said to the Preteens About Marriage, Sexuality, and Boundaries

Once a month, I teach at the preteen youth group at church. My assigned topic a few weeks ago was what the Bible teaches about marriage, romance, and godly boundaries. […]

How to Have a Successful Sabbatical: Timing, Structure, and Flow

Planning a pastoral sabbatical? Here’s your go-to guide, packed with wisdom gleaned from seasoned practitioners and personal insights from my recent transformative three-month renewal. Whether you’re seeking rest, clarity, or […]

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 […]

Why I Chose to Preach on Sexuality and Gender, 
Part 1

It is no secret that one of the most explosive topics of our day is sexuality and gender. For many decades, there has been a concerted effort to change the […]

2 Fundamental Reasons to Pray

In what follows, we want to share with you two of the most fundamental reasons we pray. God Calls Us to Pray The first reason to pray is that God, […]

Internships 101: Tips from a Veteran Intern

It is no secret that fewer people are going into local church ministry now than they were twenty or thirty years ago, and there is a whole slew of reasons […]

How Should Christians Think About Nuclear War?

*Editor’s Note: The following is a thoughtful Christian perspective on a difficult topic. There isn’t one, official Christian view on war in general, or on nuclear war in particular. This […]

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 […]

Where Is God in the Fire? Reflections on the California Wildfires

January 27, 2025 Long Beach, CA “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a […]

Our Summer Sun and Winter Fire

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter are seasons that we walk through, both literally and figuratively. The most evident seasons are winter and summer. The summer season of life is easy […]

Four Rules for Christian Friendship

We know integrity when we’re around it, but what does the word “integrity” actually mean? It’s got the same root word as the one found in “integrate,” “integrated,” and “integral.” […]

7 Ways Luke’s Introduction Shows the Truthfulness of His Gospel

Luke begins his Gospel with an introduction that gives us multiple reasons to trust his Gospel as a whole. Here’s Luke’s introduction in the first four verses: “Many have undertaken […]

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 […]

Esther: A Book of Reversals

“Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good […]

5 Questions for Church Leaders to Ask About Generative AI

With the rise of generative AI, are we closer to Clippy, your old animated friend from Microsoft Office 97—or to the Terminator? Are we closer to Buzz Lightyear or to […]

Flip the Script in Disciple Making

Let’s imagine that India and China go to war. Let’s pray they never do, but for the sake of this illustration, the two largest nations in the world are revving […]

Review of ‘The Anxious Generation’ by Jonathan Haidt

The title of Jonathan Haidt’s new book is not remotely controversial or debatable. That Gen Z is a uniquely anxious generation is demonstrated time and time again both in anecdotal […]

Rejoice in Suffering for Your Faith

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as […]

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 […]

The Reason We Became Foster Parents

There are 27 kids on my family picture wall. My wife Grace gave birth to 1 son. A judge gave us legal custody of another. A foreign exchange program gave […]

Top 10 RENEW.org Articles in 2024

“Yes, but . . .” It can be annoying to hear someone say “Yes, but . . .” to correct something you’re saying. It’s like when a parent says, “Yes, […]

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

One of my favorite phrases in the Bible was spoken by an angel to a group of shepherds on the first Christmas. The angel came to announce “great joy for […]

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 […]

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. […]

Our Identity in Crisis

From the moment we open our eyes and cry out for the first time, life sets us on this winding road where we begin trying to figure out who we […]

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, […]

Seven Lessons from ‘The Confessions of St. Augustine’

“For Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it rest in Thee” (1.1). So begins the acclaimed memoir from St. Augustine of Hippo, the 4th Century […]

Come to the Water: Accepting Christ’s Invitation to Baptism

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do […]

Learning from Lausanne: Reflections on an Evangelical Movement of World Missions

As many of us in America turned our eyes to the recent political election, you might’ve missed what happened a couple months ago when 5,000 believers from 200 countries gathered […]

Why Our Church Decided to Pray About the Transgender Bill

December 9, 2024 *Editor’s Note: When, if ever, should a church take a public stance over local legislation? Recently, the leaders of Harpeth Christian Church in Franklin, TN (located just […]

What Your Kids Really Want

Each month, at our church, we ask the students in our Student Ministry one question about their relationship with their parents or their family as a whole, hoping to provide […]

Letter to the Struggling Man in our Day

Hey brother, I heard you’ve been knocked around a bit lately, and I just wanted to stop by and see how things are going. Don’t worry, I won’t tell you […]

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. […]

A New Missional Era

For the last year couple of years, I have been using a phrase that many people don’t seem to recognize. When referring to our task of taking the gospel to […]

What Does the Bible Say About Hell?

We live in a time when few people have difficulty believing in a God of love. Some central texts in Scripture emphasize this point. Here are a couple key passages […]

Sabbaticals: An Exploration on the What, Why, and How of Pastoral Sabbaticals

When I mentioned the idea of taking an extended sabbatical to our elder chairman, a man of proven character and wisdom, he hesitantly said, “Huh, okay . . . I […]

Review of Max Lucado’s ‘What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide Through the End of This Age’

In What Happens Next, well-known inspirational writer Max Lucado takes his turn offering his understanding of the end times. His motivation is to provide hope for believers today because “hope […]

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 […]

Fear and the Men without Names

If you’ve been around the church for a while, you’ve probably heard the names Joshua and Caleb. They were brave men who heard the promises of God and followed Him even in the […]

Making Disciples Among College Students: Q&A

What might a disciple-making movement look like among college students? Recently, RENEW.org’s point leader Bobby Harrington and editorial director Daniel McCoy caught up with two disciple-making leaders who are seeing […]

Which Definition of Love Do You Use?

Even if you don’t necessarily love New York, the odds are good that you or someone you know has one of those “I Love New York” mugs. If you don’t know what […]

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. […]

How to Preach with Consistency? Q&A with Dr. Jason Poznich

*Editor’s Note: With the demands of ministry and Sunday morning around the corner, it can be tempting to cut important corners in sermon preparation. Sometimes, it’s easy to emphasize what […]

Is It Possible to Vent without Gossiping?

We all need someone to talk to. And if we don’t talk about the things that bother us, we often internalize our angst in ways that can become debilitating and […]

Pastoral Burnout: How Silence and Solitude Restore Us

*Author’s note: This is my third article dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting.[1] My own research for a […]

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 […]

Revitalized Churches Pray, Preach, And Persist

I’ve wanted a Jeep Wrangler my entire life. In 2017, the stars seemed to align when I found the perfect Jeep and also stumbled across an argument that convinced my […]

Should Men Remain Silent on Abortion?

November 5, 2024 I’ll just cut to the chase. In the past several weeks, I’ve been told about a half dozen times by both men and women that I shouldn’t […]

What Matters More than the Election?

November 3, 2024 In my corner of the world, we vote this coming Tuesday. How should Christians view national elections? I want to suggest that elections can function for us […]

Ichabod: When the Glory Has Departed

The first time we see the word “glory” in the Bible is in Exodus, when God is preparing to show his glory through rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. […]

What Does the Bible Say About Anxiety?

What comes to your mind when you think of the word “anxiety”? It reminds me of my first year in high school. I was (and still am) a small, 5’1”, […]

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 […]

Church and State: 4 Ways of Church-State Interaction in History

First, some bad news. The bad news is that, historically, churches haven’t always resisted the allure of false, prepackaged gospels. Sometimes churches have traded their call to be the 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 […]

Should Christians Watch Horror Movies?

His friends were aiming only to be able to laugh and say, “Made you look!” Yet Alypius would go a lot farther than one look. As his friends dragged poor, […]

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 […]

Joy in Tough Times? 3 Reasons to Choose Joy from James 1:1-8

We all want what the Bible calls “joy.” We want that gladness that keeps going no matter what life throws our way. But in order to have joy in your […]

Church History Debates: The Filioque & From Whom the Holy Spirit Proceeds

From whom does the Holy Spirit proceed—just God the Father or the Father and the Son? And does it matter? This debate would go on to play a pivotal role in fracturing […]

What Is the Day of the Lord? And So What?

Think of a problem, pain, or predicament you’re facing right now. What is it? Perhaps something related to a difficulty in your relationships? Or an inner struggle with sadness, shame, […]

What If This Election Is About Discipleship?

“The basic problem of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years or so, in regard to society and in regard to government, is that they have seen […]

The Final Judgment

After the resurrection of the dead, all humans who have ever lived will stand before God for a final judgment of their lives.[1] This final judgment is described several times […]

What Does the Bible Say about Mediums?

When I was younger, I didn’t believe in things like ghosts, psychics, and witchcraft. I believed ghosts and monsters were in the same category: figments of imagination and folklore meant […]

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 […]

Review of Richard & Christopher Hays’s ‘The Widening of God’s Mercy’

In The Widening of God’s Mercy, father and son Richard and Christopher Hays show why they believe same-sex sexual relationships and marriage ought to be fully welcomed in the church […]

Help! I’m Lonely: Good News for Lonely Leaders

I once heard Tim Keller say, “Wise leaders know that leaders are lonely, and they escape the trap of self-pity about it.” True, but Keller’s talk provided no answer to […]

3 Dead Mentors for Crazy Times

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! […]

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 […]

My Cup Overflows

“My cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5c, NIV). These three simple words come from one of the most popular psalms in the Bible, Psalm 23. These words have given me so much […]

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 […]

Pastoral Burnout: Getting Below the Surface

Author’s note: This is my second article dealing with pastoral burnout. Recent Barna research revealed that 33% of ministers had given serious thought to quitting. My own research for a […]

Why Is the Bible So Hard to Understand? 3 Reasons

Why is the Bible so hard to understand? Here are some key takeaways from this article: The Bible can be hard to understand because we don’t take time to see […]

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 […]

The Prophet Amos, the Day of the Lord, and Us

From the prophet Amos we read a prophecy against the northern kingdom of Israel that would have greatly surprised them. The warnings of judgment were first delivered against seven nations […]

Review of Richard and Christopher Hays’s ‘The Widening of God’s Mercy’

In The Widening of God’s Mercy, father and son Richard and Christopher Hays,[1] show why they believe same-sex sexual relationships and marriage ought to be fully welcomed in the church […]

Revitalized Churches Embrace Spiritual Parenting

When my son was young, I hadn’t yet learned to be the father I wanted to be. I was wrapped up in all of “my” things, and my tunnel vision […]

The Family You Know You Need

Serenity often overruns the clock (and everything else) during my morning coffee. My deck provides the perfect spectator seat to the herd of deer that frequently visit the back field. […]

Church History Debates: Should We Venerate Icons?

A hallmark of Old Testament Judaism was its strict opposition to idolatry, and hence to religious images that could lead to image worship. The earliest Christians seemed to follow their […]

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 […]

Which Character in Proverbs Are You?

Proverbs is a collection of sayings, stories, and metaphors that were used to train young men how to rule and govern themselves and others. Most proverbs are from Solomon teaching […]

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 […]

What Is the Resurrection of the Dead?

Although this article is about the final resurrection, let’s think about the future God promises his people. What will the new heaven and new earth be like? One common depiction […]

Feeling Alone in Ministry?

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that […]

Review of Justin Brierley’s ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’

Is Christian faith dying in the Western world? Have the “new atheists” succeeded in souring Christianity for thinking people? There are actually some fascinating signs of a resurgence of interest […]

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 […]

Sabbath Won’t Just Happen

It feels impossible to find time to meet. Check your calendar for openings, notify me of availability, and see what might look good in the next few weeks. Six months […]

“The Unexamined Life Isn’t Worth Living”

If you wanted to be a somebody in Athens, Greece, in the 400s BC, you needed to meet the city’s high beauty standards and/or be talented at winning arguments. It […]

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 […]

Preaching Politics? 6 Thoughts from the Book of Daniel

“Did I hear you say that you’re preaching on politics?” “Yes, I’m looking forward to this series.” “Hmm. Good luck.” Scary, huh? There are two things that make for impolite […]

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 […]

The Unintended Consequences of the Modern Church

It’s a good season to reexamine the effectiveness of the modern church. Our commitment, as RENEW.org leaders, is to continually go back to Scripture, to restore and prioritize what it […]

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 […]

Practicing the Presence: Being Present with God and People in a Busy World

“I’m busy!” Those words are uttered so frequently that we do not even notice them anymore. Our culture wears those words like a badge of honor. “I’m busy” unfortunately doesn’t […]

Review of ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’ by Justin Brierley

The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again is the culmination of years of conversations with numerous leading thinkers […]

Was It Loving to Affirm My Sin?

Years ago when I abandoned God and embraced sin, several Christians demonstrated their “loving like Jesus” by affirming my right to make my own choices, rallying around me as a […]

Revitalized Churches Prepare Well

*Editor’s Note: In this series on church revitalization, Adam Jones, senior minister of Connect Christian Church in Carl Junction, MO, walks through important steps a declining church can take. Revitalization […]

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 […]

What Is the Second Coming?

What is the Second Coming? The most significant event in the future of human history will be the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. Acts 1:8–11 (NIV) describes the […]

‘Make Every Effort’: Intentional Relationships in a Culture of Laziness

If given the choice, many people would opt for living in a do-less, get-more world. With the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, it can be tempting for a student to […]

Church Is Boring? 3 Times It Actually Is

When someone says or thinks that church is boring, what is it exactly that they are bored by? Here are three times a church gathering actually is boring—to us and, […]

What Does the Bible Say About Demons: 10 Principles

This topic is an important one and not a topic to leave to speculation, especially today when spiritual and evil forces are often being discussed in significant ways by public […]

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 […]

The Lion Is Better than the Elephant and Donkey. But in What Way?

Some think a picture is worth a thousand words. Others aren’t so sure. So, to accommodate both kinds of people, here’s both: first, a picture, and then a (couple) thousand […]

Singing the Song of the Lamb: A Review of Jonathan Young’s Commentary on Revelation

Sitting on the back deck of my home one afternoon, my young teenage son, Jonathan, told me that he no longer believed in God. I cannot say I was surprised. […]

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 […]

Doctrinal Misalignment: A Relational Approach

*Editor’s Note: This article is a helpful illustration of how two people can confront doctrinal misalignment in a relational way. The specific scenario deals with the miraculous gifts of the […]

Gratitude and Meaninglessness

I’ve been doing some study from the book of Ecclesiastes lately. This is partly related to a book that I hope to write next year. I also spoke from Ecclesiastes […]

Sing to the Lord a New Song? Reflections on Psalm 98

Four times we are told in Scripture to “sing to the LORD a new song” (Psalm 96:1; 98:1; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10). Every song ever sung was new at some point. […]

What Happens at Death According to the Bible? An Exploration of the ‘Intermediate State’

One way in which the “end” affects us all is that someday we will all die. Every human being is aware, to one degree or another, of this truth. It […]

God Can Do Anything? What God Can’t Do & Why It’s Good News

Tennis can be fun unless you’re playing against someone way better than you are. When you’re playing against someone quite a bit better, they can hit the ball in ways […]

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 […]

Pastoral Burnout: Beating Burnout Before it Begins

Being a minister is hard. Being a lead minister in 2024, post-COVID in the United States, is harder than ever. Barna Research Group’s 2022 research revealed that 41% of lead ministers […]

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 […]

Our Identity in Christ

Many within the church where I (Michelle) serve have adult children who are not walking with the Lord. The children were raised in the church, had daily family devotionals growing […]

4 Reflections on the Attempted Trump Assassination

July 15, 2024 Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump was shot at a campaign rally in an unsuccessful assassination attempt. As I watched history in the making, I was […]

What Does the Bible Say About Jealousy? An Introduction to the Scariest Sin

Why does “do not covet” make it into the Ten Commandments? To covet is to strongly desire what someone else has. What’s an internal compulsion to want someone else’s stuff […]

Pray for the Gift of Seeing the Smallest Humans

July 12, 2024 “Zuzu’s petals! Zuzu—there they are! Burt! What do you know about that?!”—George Bailey, It’s a Wonderful Life A few years back, I let Nacho Libre get bumped […]

Beyond the Headlines: Recognizing the Faithful Shepherds

The recent news that Robert Morris, pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, was involved in a serious offense against a twelve-year-old girl over thirty years ago is exceptionally troubling. […]

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. […]

Do You Have Spiritual Heartburn?

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32, ESV) […]

Revitalized Churches Start Listening

*Editor’s Note: In this series on church revitalization, Adam Jones, senior minister of Connect Christian Church in Carl Junction, MO, walks through important steps a declining church can take. Revitalization […]

10 Biblical Truths About God, Life, and You

In times of chaos and confusion, it’s wise to look for biblical truths to hang onto. Maybe, for you, life is just really, really busy and you feel like you’re […]

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 Does Our Faith Teach That Our Society Needs?

Christianity emerged in a world vastly different from the values espoused by followers of Christ. Slavery was assumed to be a necessary part of a functioning society, and slaves could […]

Is Discipleship Required: 6 Steps for the Local Church

Curt recently wrote a previous article, “Is Discipleship Required,” because we believe that in Scripture, Jesus, the Apostles, and the other New Testament writers spoke and wrote specifically about being […]

Pray for Reign in Africa

They told us not to expect much rain in Botswana during June. It’s their winter: the dry season for a country that is already dry. Miami will see as much […]

Preaching That Engages the Skeptic: How (Part 3)

This is my third and final article on engaging the skeptic in our preaching. Let’s take a second to review: First, why do we need to engage the skeptic in […]

Review of Sandra L. Glahn’s ‘Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament’

*Editor’s Note: Rick Oster (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary), Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Harding School of Theology, spent a year doing postdoctoral research on ancient Ephesus and the Artemis […]

On Gender and the Bible: Does God Allow Women Preachers in 1 Timothy 2? (Part 4)

Does God Allow Women Preachers in 1 Timothy 2 – Context & Teaching Drawing from 1 Timothy 2:11–15, the article argues that Paul grounds instructions in creation order and aims […]

Preparing Students for College: Intergenerational Relationships

Intergenerational Relationships for College Resilience Research shows that church belonging and adult encouragement anchor students’ faith during the transition to campus. Shared experiences—worship, service, trips, and small groups—build authentic bonds […]

The Book of Job: A Guide in Suffering (Part 1)

Book of Job Part 1: Lessons for Suffering Disciples Book of Job Part 1 recounts Job’s righteousness, devastating losses—including his children—and his astonishing worship instead of cursing God. Amid searing […]

Russian Roulette with Your Soul

Russian Roulette with Your Soul – A Biblical Wake-Up Call What does eternal judgment really mean? Explore whether Jesus’s warnings of fire are literal or symbolic—and why either way, it’s […]

Is it a virtue to be fragile? (Reflections on Lukianoff & Haidt’s The Coddling of the American Mind – Part 1 of 3)

Is It a Virtue to Be Fragile? Understanding Safetyism Through a Christian Lens Is it a virtue to be fragile? Explore how “safetyism” promotes emotional fragility, shielding people from growth […]

Start where Jesus starts…with respect.

Start Where Jesus Starts With Reverence: Responding to a Disrespectful Age Start where Jesus starts—with reverence. True relationship with God begins with honoring His name, just as Jesus did in […]