The early church was united in the practice of acapella singing; the thousands of denominations that exist today... aren't, to put it mildly. These days, one can find all kinds of music being offered in praise to God. Why were things so different 2000 years ago? Let's dig deeper in our Bibles and find out.   Read More

"Contend for the faith" is a command... except it isn't in the text of Jude 3. Instead, it's an infinitive, a verb form that describes an activity that Jude wrote to encourage. His brief epistle not only reveals how to contend for the faith but why one not only should but must do so.   Read More

Nostalgia is an incredibly powerful human emotion. At its best, it tethers a current generation to a past time so that the good of the past isn't rejected. At its worst though, it creates an unhealthy preoccupation with a time that's gone. Let's reflect on what the Bible says about seeing the past as "the good old days."   Read More

We tend to think of idolatry as bowing down to a statue symbolizing a false deity or one's ancestors. However, Ephesians 5:5 would have us think about the term differently.   Read More

Proverbs 31:6 is frequently used as a proof text for those trying to demonstrate a positive view of alcohol from Scripture. is that really how God intended for it to be used? Let's put the verse back in its context and reflect upon its meaning.   Read More

Rick Warren, a well-known denominational church leader, recently proposed that we should "go back to the first century" to discover "the church at its best." In his church though, there are "women pastors" who teach the assembled church. How did his church establish this practice, and is it really what the first century church did?   Read More

Edwin Louis Cole rightly said, “Being a male is a matter of birth. Being a man is a matter of choice.” Sadly, many men today simply aren't making that choice by neglecting the God given role of work in their lives. How can we help our sons choose to be men one day?   Read More

Up from the grave, He... a rose? Well, that's not quite what the hymn says, but there are hymns that refer to Jesus as a rose or a lily. Why? Let's reflect on metaphors used in hymns.   Read More

According to the teachings of John Calvin, man is spiritually dead because of sin and incapable of responding to God. Is this really what the Bible teaches about spiritual death?   Read More

Having a vehicle breakdown in the middle of nowhere can be a truly stressful situation. On one occasion, I found myself in that situation, and I was taught a lesson - not in patience as I expected but in kindness.   Read More

When we visit a restaurant or buy a coffee, we expect to get what we order. Is it reasonable to think that God should get what He ordered? Let's reflect upon what the Bible says about God's orders for our worship.   Read More

Some Christians view themselves as being incapable of judging others because Jesus said, "Judge not" (Matthew 7:1). But if Christians weren't meant to judge others, why did Paul expect the Corinthian Christians to be capable of doing so (1 Corinthians 6:5)? Let's discover the harmony between these thoughts and determine what Jesus meant when He said, "Judge not."   Read More