Is “Unified Church” an Oxymoron?

Just about every week, I am grateful for the emails and conversations you send my way. Most of them contain excellent questions and thoughts about the Bible passages we are studying or the sermon from the week ...

Opportunity and Opposition

This Sunday is Mother's Day, which reminds me of one of my favorite characteristics of a great mother: the "Mama Bear" response. Even the kindest, gentlest mother becomes fiercely focused the moment she learn...

Vision

Nehemiah had a problem. The wall of his home city was shattered and his people were living in “great trouble and shame” (Neh. 1:3). But even though the problem was enormous, Nehemiah didn't let its magnitude ...

Church: A Shared Life (The 5:15)

Have you ever glanced down at your fuel gauge and suddenly discovered you were running on empty? One thing is certain, you did not find the experience enjoyable. If you are driving, there is only one solution: ...

An Acceptable Sacrifice

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! -Psalm 133:1 There is something hard-wired into our hearts that longs for unity. Something deep within us resonates when it’s present. A...
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The War for Community

In John 1, Jesus called his disciples to “Follow me,” and then the first place we know he took them was to a wedding celebration. In Mark 2, he told Matthew to leave his tax booth and “Follow me,” and the first place they went was back to Matthew’s house to host a big party with a bunch of his friends and fellow “sinners.” The early church was devoted to being together, eating together, praying together, as well as worship and studying the Apostles teaching. Many know what it’s like to have a Bible study or to come to a worship service, but do we really know how to experience authentic community with one another? Are we being the church, or are we simply coming to church? [more...]
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The War For…

“Is God really good?” Maybe in the middle of some chaotic occurrence, that kind of question just seems to hang in the air. Maybe you would not even feel free to verbalize your feelings. Something like, “If Go...