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What makes a person mature? When it comes to our spirituality, of course, we shouldn’t act like babies, but become adults. In this podcast, we explore what makes a mature Christian and how we can grow up. In this study of Hebrews 5:11-6:20, we consider the four parts of this passage: the diagnosis, the call, the warning, and the encouragement. AUDIO
The Bible tells us to pay closer attention to Jesus Christ and the salvation that He brings. We should not take this lightly because there is always a danger of drifting away from God. Thankfully, we have many reasons to remember Jesus Christ. This podcast considers the command, the warning, and the reminder found in Hebrews 2:1-4. AUDIO
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past decade, you have probably heard Christians being criticized for being “one issue voters” or for trying to “legalize morality.” Even though both Christians and non-Christians defend their beliefs, Christians are often viewed as offensive, stubborn, and close-minded. That being the case, in this harsh political climate, how should Christians respond? Most U.S. citizens recognize that voting on a single issue is rarely a good idea. Even still, we all can imagine scenarios that would drive us to that extreme. If the tax rate were to increase to 75%, for instance,…
There are two ways to read the Bible. The one way to read the Bible is that it’s basically about you: what you have to do in order to be right with God, in which case you’ll never have a sure and certain hope, because you’ll always know you’re not quite living up. You’ll never be sure about that future. Or you can read it as all about Jesus. Every single thing is not about what you must do in order to make yourself right with God, but what he has done to make you absolutely right with God. And…
The family was designed by God to be a unique place, the most basic form of community, where much of our spiritual growth can occur. Because God designed families, churches should support families and minister to them. In this effort, churches need to encourage families to live out their faith outside of Sunday morning. It is during the week, within the natural context of our home, where we make our daily decision to follow Christ. At a formal level, midweek gatherings help parents, children, and youth to refocus on Christ. At the same time, there needs to be balance. Especially…
If you’ve ever wasted time with technology, take a few minutes to watch this video. Be sure to watch the whole video, though, because Josh makes some great points throughout. My hope is that this message will be helpful, as it already has for me. (Thanks to Phil Gons for bringing to my attention.)
Missional has become a buzzword in Christian circles, but what does it mean? There are many different responses to that, but in my mind, here are a few descriptions of what it means to be missional: Incarnational: You display God’s good news in the way you live. Contextual: You connect God’s good news with everyday life. Personal: You view yourself as a missionary wherever you are. Communal: You connect with others in order to spread the good news. Cultural: You communicate God’s good news in a relevant way. Continual: Your entire life is committed to God’s mission. Looking at that…
I wonder how much time we spend wanting something else. When a child, we want to be adults. When we are adults, we want to find a job and a spouse. Then we want a child, maybe a few. When we have children, we want a house, then a bigger house. We also want a car, a television, a computer, and so on. Our cravings never seem to cease. I was reminded of this today when my daughter ate her first ice cream cone. She never asked for ice cream because she never knew that it existed. But when it…
It is good to ask God, “Where are you?” Some of us are afraid to ask, thinking that our faith or our soul is in jeopardy. But in reality, it is quite the opposite. If we are asking God where He is, it means that we care and that we want to know where God is. In fact, we are better off when asking this question. As Scripture says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) Living in New Testament times, we are apt to answer this question too quickly. We dismiss passages like…
For Christians, the “good life” is not something reserved for an exclusive few. It is not hidden, or kept for those who have an ecstatic vision or some kind of secret experience. It is not monopolized by a particular class of people. Christianity is unique in that life is accessible to everyone, regardless of who you are. In 1 John, we are told that this life was “made manifest.” In other words, God fully disclosed His plan, so that all could see. It was a revelation that could be “heard,” “seen,” and “touched.” It is difficult to imagine what it…