Ancient Words
on April 21st, 2023
One of the things I often have to remind people about as a preacher and teacher of the Gospel is that the words of the Bible have an original, ancient audience. Why? Not, why is it necessary to do this, but why is do I have to do it so often? Part of the answer is actually something really amazing about the Bible. Read More
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Three Hours in John's Gospel
on April 12th, 2023
Apart from his discussion of the crucifixion, there are three times when John calls our attention to the our of the day. What reminders do these three hours give? Read More
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The First Gospel Sermon (According to Mark)
on April 7th, 2023
Have you ever heard that the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? While these truths are at the heart of the Gospel, it is important to see the Gospel as the entirety of the New Testament message. Mark reminds us that the Gospel was preached before Jesus even died on the cross. Read More
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Are Christians Saved by the Skin of Their Teeth?
on April 1st, 2023
More than once I’ve heard a preacher say that Christians are saved by the skin of their teeth, meaning "by the thinnest or barest of margins." Is this how we should envision our salvation? Read More
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Church Membership - Why Does Local Membership Matter? (Part 2)
on March 24th, 2023
Even before 2020's global pandemic created habits that saw Christians worshipping on a couch in front of a screen instead of on a pew in front of pulpit, the concept of church membership was under attack. Why is it important to identify, work, and worship with a local church? Read More
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Church Membership - What Exactly Is Church? (Part 1)
on March 19th, 2023
It's pretty common to hear Christians today claiming that they are members of the church at _____________ location. Does this understanding of the term "church" arise from the Bible? Read More
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Quit Playing the Blame Game in Evangelism
on March 11th, 2023
It's fairly common to encounter Christians who bear guilt because of good faith efforts in evangelism that have failed. Here are some things to remember when reflecting on your less than perfect efforts to win souls for Jesus. Read More
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The Importance of Following Even When There Are Not Elders Leading
on March 2nd, 2023
In this final article in our series discussing church leadership without elders, we'll discuss the need for Christians to continue to follow leaders even when those leaders aren't elders. Read More
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The One Quality Christian Leaders Need to Survive and Thrive Without Elders
on February 25th, 2023
In this third article in our series discussing church leadership without elders, we'll consider an absolutely vital quality leaders must exhibit and how it works practically. Read More
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How Should Men Organize Themselves to Lead the Church in the Absence of Elders?
on February 18th, 2023
While God desires "elders in every church" (Acts 14:23), churches sometimes don't have men who are ready to serve in that capacity. What can these congregations do in the meantime? In this article, we'll discuss how Christian men can organize themselves so as to effectively lead when there are no men qualified to serve as elders. Read More
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What Should Church Leadership Look Like Without Elders?
on February 11th, 2023
While God desires "elders in every church" (Acts 14:23), churches sometimes don't have men who are ready to serve in that capacity. What can these congregations do in the meantime? In this article, we'll reflect on some guiding principles from Scripture in establishing leadership in such situations. Read More
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Do Bulwarks Need to Take Sabaoths? (Reflections on the Hymn, "A Mighty Fortress")
on January 31st, 2023
It's a testament to Martin Luther's skill in hymn writing that we still sing "A Migthy Fortress" about 500 years after he wrote it. Though it's likely that we sing a translation rather than Luther's original German, the translation that appears in many hymnals is quite dated. Let's see if we can translate the translation to get the most out of this powerful hymn. Read More
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