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 […]
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 […]
Reflecting on the St. Paul Church Protesters
January 21, 2026 Minnesota’s Twin Cities have erupted again. A large deployment of President Trump’s ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents in the area met with icy resistance. Protests […]
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 […]