We Must Examine Our Church Meetings to Make Sure They Are Truly Beneficial In Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he talks about worshiping God and then he talks about celebrating the Lord’s Supper. In between these two topics he slips in a condemning one-liner. He says that their meetings are more likely […]
Walking in our Parents’ Footsteps The books of 1 and 2 Kings are filled with the accounts of many rulers who reigned over the nations of Israel and Judah. Most of them were bad kings, with varying degrees of disobedience to God’s laws and exhibiting evil. A few, however, were good rulers, mostly following God […]
We Can’t Witness for Jesus When We Sequester Ourselves on Sunday Mornings Just before Jesus leaves this world to return to heaven, he instructs his followers to go into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). In an expanded version of this incident, Jesus tells his followers to wait for Holy Spirit power and then […]
Our destination is not a church to visit but a revisit, returning to the congregation we were part of a decade ago. Consider these four discussion questions about Church #52: 1. This church would be bigger, except they keep sending members away to plant new churches. How could your church do better at sending people […]
Celebrating the Sabbath People have different ideas about what you can and can’t do on Sundays, how you should and shouldn’t act. This ranges from Sunday being the same as every other day to it being a solemn set-apart time when you go to church, rest, and do nothing else. Though I have never pursued […]
We Must Remove Anything That Threatens to Push God Aside Asaph writes that God’s ways are holy, and that no other god is as great as he. Great is our God. In the context of that day, other gods refers to idols or made-up deities aside from the God revealed in Scripture. Today bowing down […]
The sprawling facility provides an impressive view from a distance. Their larger, new building suggests a thriving, dynamic community. But our experience there does not align this this, but the teaching about church discipline really connects with me. Consider these four discussion questions about Church #46: 1. Yet no one responds to Candy’s phone messages […]
We attended this church years ago. This won’t be a visit as much as a reunion. It’s a familiar place. Consider these four discussion questions about Church #44: 1. The building is twenty-five years old and well-maintained. Too many church buildings show neglect, repelling people instead of inviting them. What are some low-cost ways you […]
The church meets in a middle school’s all-purpose room. Large portable signs direct us to the entrance. We enjoy a refreshing church service. Consider these four discussion questions about Church #38: 1. People mill about: talking, sipping coffee, or munching snacks. They represent all age groups, with many kids. Younger people are the future of […]
The Church of Jesus Needs to Focus on Three Things and Master Them All In our normal usage, church is a building, a place we go to—often on Sunday mornings. I’ll be there later today. Other definitions for church include a religious service, organized religion, and professional clergy. Yet a more correct understanding is that […]