Jared ordered his mocha grande from the church's Jehovah Java coffee shop and headed into the sanctuary. He was looking forward to being back in church after missing several weeks. Worship always encourages him, and this week, he felt the need more than others because he had taken a few hits politically at work. He noticed an attractive woman sitting to his right. CLICK TO READ MORE
In our church services, we go through all the external bodily motions, but as to the prostration of the soul, we are, for the most part, oblivious and unconcerned. We think that we have done our duty to God if we have gone through the appointed external rituals, though our heart has not accorded with … Continue reading When Church Becomes an Empty Ritual
Some of the most significant damage we inflict on our life together is caused by our efforts to create Christian community. If you asked 100 churchgoers to define “Christian community,” you would end up with 100 variations—many idealistic and unfeasible. Now, consider that many of those churchgoers expect their church to meet their expectations, and … Continue reading Does Your Church Lack Community? This Might Be the Problem.
We often approach the Word of God as if we are above it—as if we are the judge to determine what is significant and what is not. We do this unconsciously when we give Scripture a surface-level reading and think we have given it the consideration it deserves. We regularly sit as judges over the … Continue reading An Encounter with the Word
Sin wants us to itself. We find this heart-stopping line in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic work, Life Together. “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in … Continue reading Sin Wants Us Isolated
I am concerned that our preponderance of virtual activity affects us more than we realize, especially concerning the church. Context is crucial when it comes to worship; let me give an example. If I were sitting alone at my kitchen table and took a small piece of bread and gave it to my dog, it … Continue reading The Sacrifices of Virtual Church
Many preachers today seem to know our anxieties, worries, and depression. When they speak, it is as if they know what we’re going through. We hang on their every word with bated breath, for it seems that the “secrets of our hearts are disclosed” (1 Cor 14:24-25). However, many of these preachers describe our hearts … Continue reading Warning: False Prophets in Pulpits this Christmas
We are all vulnerable to deception. Even the church, which has the truth of God's word and clear commands, can make poor choices if we do not seek the Lord's guidance. An illustration of our vulnerability can be found in the story of Israel and the Gibeonites in Joshua chapter 9. God had commanded Israel … Continue reading Avoiding Gibeonite Deception in Modern Churches
Aiden W. Tozer once said, “Christians don’t tell lies–they just go to church and sing them!” This is one of those quotes that jolt us to the core once it is properly understood. Without context, however, many people misunderstand what he is saying. CLICK TO READ.
There will be an empty chair at Friendsgiving this year. Many people are feeling sadness over the death of Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends. Perry's tragic death was due to drowning, and he was only 54 years old. Though most had never met him, millions … Continue reading An Empty Chair at Friendsgiving
The Fight of Faith 