The news coming from Israel is gut-wrenching. Reports of mass murder, kidnappings, women being rapped, and ongoing hostage situations continue to shock us. Graphic videos flood the internet with atrocities we can’t even imagine. Then, we find out that forty babies were murdered, some even being decapitated. Soldiers found forty small bodies that had been…
Growing in Grace- Links 10/9
A collection of links from around the web to encourage your growth in grace: Finding Beauty in the Local Church in Our Age of Social Media “Social media provides a way to connect with others, laugh at funny memes, and keep up with our favorite sports teams, but it also tempts us toward comparison and…
Growing in Grace- Links 9/25
A collection of links from around the web to encourage your growth in grace: Love Your Church Anyway “I know that if I continue to connect with people at my church, there’s a chance I’ll eventually be misunderstood, betrayed, and rejected by some, but it’s worth the risk for the chance that I’ll be understood,…
God’s Good Design of the Local Church
For years I sat a few pews back from Mrs. Maggie every Sunday morning. I would walk into the auditorium, and she’d already be in the front row with a smile on her face and her portable breathing machine next to her. I’d lean over her walker to hug her while she said in her…
Resources for Managing Your Child’s Screen Time
Technology is advancing faster than parents can keep up. Every new gadget promises new opportunities, but also provides dangers and temptations. Here is a list of resources to help you navigate such difficult questions, provide accountability, and protect your children. Filters/Accountability Software: Canopy– Creates a VPN that monitors all activity on your device (including text…
Growing in Grace- Links 8/28
A collection of links to encourage your growth in grace: Let God Prove Himself “Why give money to the church when you aren’t certain you’ll be able to afford next year’s tuition or put down first-and-last on an apartment? How does it make sense to give money away when you have so little and need…
Remember Those in the Nursing Home
I had recently become a pastor in a new town and wanted to meet some church members living in the local nursing home. I walked through the doors and immediately heard the TV in the lobby blaring loudly. Some residents slept on the couch while others rested comfortably in their wheelchairs watching “Wheel of Fortune.”…
Thinking and Emotions in the Christian Life
Human beings are people of extremes. The pages of history give testimony to our ability to diagnose a problem and then overcorrect to an opposite error. Children raised under the pressures of legalism often gravitate toward licentiousness. Reacting against an overemphasis in logic, some have gone to the opposite error of relative truth. The church…
Will We Work in Heaven?
Everyone seems so busy in our fast-paced society. There’s always more work to do or places to go. We fill our calendars with appointments and tasks while marveling at our administration skills. We complain about our lack of rest but we seem more afraid of down time, and the threat of burn-out always looms. God…
Joy and Enjoyment
Sometimes a specific moment hits you hard. Maybe while playing with your kids and hearing them giggle and squeal with laughter you are immediately struck with a deep gratitude. Your whole life seems to flash before your eyes in an instant and you can’t imagine ending up in a better situation than here in this…