For both visitors and regular attendees, three keys exist to having a successful, meaningful, and Spirit-filled church experience: attitude, prayer, and expectation. Following these steps can make most any church experience—despite its shortcomings—a positive one. Consider these five discussion questions about How to Go to Church. 1. In going to church I’ve experienced both positive […]
3 Tips to Have a Positive Experience When going to church—whether as a visitor or a regular attendee—there are three keys to having a successful, meaningful, and spirit-filled experience. These are attitude, prayer, and expectation. Without addressing these critical elements, many church services will fall short of expectations. Following these three essential steps, however, can […]
How We See Ourselves May Differ from How Our Heavenly Father Sees Us I was recently reminded that God’s perception of us can be quite different from our own self-perception. The pressures of life overwhelmed a friend. One concern, a second, and then more conspired to weigh her down and steal her joy. She emailed […]
Once We Pray This, Our Part Is to Stay Away from It When Jesus’s disciples ask him how to pray, he gives a concise example to follow. One of the phrases in this short prayer is to deliver us from evil. We commonly call this prayer from Jesus the Lord’s Prayer (or the Our Father, […]
What Do You Focus on When You Should Be Focusing on God? This is a post I’m hesitant to share. Yet I’ve always been forthright when I talk about my spiritual journey. So there’s no point in holding back now. The disconcerting truth is I often struggle with church distractions during the service. I wrestle […]
Several months later we have a chance for a return visit to this same church. The opportunity to experience a normal service with their regular pastor should provide the chance to experience what we missed the first time. I hope to experience a spirit-led service. Consider these seven discussion questions about Church 66. 1. The […]
I met one of this church’s staff at a speaker’s conference. As we talked about the church’s belief in the present-day power of the Holy Spirit, that same Holy Spirit nudged me to visit. At last, we will. Consider these seven discussion questions about Church 65. 1. Inside is a bustle of activity, which beckons […]
Our home church canceled today’s Sunday service because everyone (except us) is off at church camp, a weeklong community experience on the shore of Lake Michigan. While many at church dislike camping, they so treasure the extended time with a church family that they go anyway. It’s a highly anticipated annual event, the highlight of […]
Job Prays for His Misguided Friends Who Criticize Him, and God Accepts His Prayers The book of Job is dialogue sandwiched between the story’s prelude and epilogue. The prelude, or premise, is that Job will remain devout to God regardless of how Satan might afflict him (Job 1-2). In the epilogue, or conclusion, God repudiates the […]
Each Day We Must Seek God for the Provisions We Need Asking God to supply us with our daily bread at one time mystified me. It seemed like a vain repetition (Matthew 6:7) for something that didn’t matter to me. Yet when I learned the context of this request, it made sense. Two thousand years […]