Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.
Consider How the Example of the Early Church Can Inform Our Actions Today What is your perspective on miracles and supernatural signs? I’m talking about the things we read about in the Bible, especially the New Testament. This is about people receiving healing from their physical ailments and deliverance from their nonphysical afflictions. It’s about […]
The Holy Spirit Gives Jesus’s Followers Special Abilities In the Bible, Paul talks about spiritual gifts, special abilities given to us by the Holy Spirit. These aren’t for our personal use but for the common good of Jesus’s followers, that is, his church. Some of these supernatural abilities enhance our existing capabilities, while others are […]
Hanging Out with Those Who Share Our Beliefs May Be Comfortable, But It Isn’t Good In the post “Can You Be a __ and Still Be a Christian?” we discussed our tendency to judge other Christians and evaluate their faith through the lens of our life and the spiritual decisions we make. But these choices […]
Be Careful Not to Judge Others Based on Who We Are or What We Do Over the years I’ve heard many people wonder out loud about the validity of another Christian’s faith based on what they do or some aspect of their life. Often this takes the form of, “Can you be a ______ and […]
The first time someone said this to me, I was both excited and dismayed: “God’s calling me to full-time ministry—so I’m going to seminary.” Though I’ve now heard it many times since, my reaction is the same to the thought of seminary training. I’m thrilled whenever anyone desires to work full time to support God’s […]
Our Spiritual Health Should Be Our Most Important Healthcare Concern Many people today worry about their health. This can relate to their physical health, mental health, or emotional health. They have less concern, however, about their spiritual health—if they give it any consideration at all. But our spiritual health is the most critical of all […]
Peter returns to Jerusalem, amazed at what God has shown him: God doesn’t just want to save Jewish people, but non-Jews (Gentiles), too. He has a heart for all people. Imagine that. The Jewish believers, however, are quick to criticize Peter. Even though Jesus set the tradition-breaking precedent of embracing non-Jews, when Peter veers from […]
Hide God’s Word in Your Heart God gave us the Bible so that we might learn about him and draw closer to him. While some people think of the Bible as God’s instruction manual for right living and proper performance, I think of it more as a love letter. Because God loves us (Romans 5:8) […]
Discover What the Bible Says and Doesn’t Say We’re supposed to tithe to the local church, to give 10 percent of our income, right? Hold on. Not so fast. What does the Bible say about tithing? The Bible talks a lot about tithing, of giving one tenth of what we have to God. However, there […]
God’s Promises to Us Reveal His Character The Bible talks a lot about covenants. In a generic sense a covenant is an agreement or compact. But in the Bible, it takes on an elevated meaning. In Scripture a covenant is a promise from God to his people. There are two types of covenants. One is […]