December 20, 2025
Who’s That Guy?
Chad Broaddus tells us about reading the Christmas story with his family and how Quirinius reminds him of the authenticity of Jesus' birth.
Articles for tag: Christianity
November 6, 2025
Gone Fishing Lately?
If we’re serious about trying to reach lost sinners and fish for people like Jesus told us to, then it’s essential we understand the beliefs, behavior, and belonging of those we’re fishing for so we can use the right kind of “bait.”
December 9, 2024
December 15 | Discovery Questions
These Discovery Questions are for use with this week’s Lookout Bible Lesson, “He Comes With Distinction” (Luke 3:21-22; 9:18-21; 22:63-71), by Mark Scott.
THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘Cloned in God’s Image’ (1984)
"In one sense Christians are clones," Virgil Felton wrote in 1984. "We are cloned in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). We are cloned by a new birth (John 3:5). We are cloned as new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). . . ."
March 20, 2024
News Briefs for March 20
Register today for the RENEW.org National Gathering April 29-30 (prices go up on Thursday). Also briefs from Ozark Christian College and TCM, and sports briefs from Milligan University, Jessup University, and Great Lakes Christian College.
June 14, 2023
SBC Upholds Expulsions of Saddleback, One Other Church, Over Female Pastors
The Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to uphold the expulsions of Saddleback Church in California and Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., for having women pastors. Both churches had appealed those decisions, announced in February. . . .
September 19, 2022
September 25 | God’s Glory Returns
In the Aug. 28 lesson, God’s glory departed from the people (left the temple) due to their sin. With the temple cleansed and restored (chapters 41-42), God's glory can return, and the people can enjoy the new Promised Land (chapters 43-48).
April 12, 2021
Apr 18 | Application
You’re not a lunatic if you believe in God and accept the truth of the Bible. These are reasonable positions.
January 31, 2021
‘7 Reasons to Back Church Planters’
In Orchard Group's 2020-2021 Report, president/CEO Brent Storms shared these “7 Reasons to Back Church Planters” . . .
Archaeologists Unearth the Centrality of the Table
By Jim Nieman The discovery of a floor to what might be the earliest-known Christian church seems to confirm that early Christ followers came together around a table to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. In 2005, prisoners unearthed a 580-square-foot mosaic floor with three inscriptions likely dating to the third century. One of the inscriptions speaks of a table “offered . . . to God Jesus Christ as a memorial.” The mosaic floor was discovered within a prison holding 1,200 Palestinian inmates, in Megiddo, on a hill overlooking the Valley of Jezreel—“the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16).
January 11, 2017
Principled Pluralism
By Jim Tune When we all assumed Christianity held a special place in our society, the solution to differing views was simpler: work harder at bringing the Christian faith into the public square. We all assumed the Christian worldview was right, and that it should shape every part of culture. Things have changed. As acceptance of Christianity has diminished, we find ourselves living in a pluralistic culture. As I”ve said before, we”re no longer the home team. It”s now assumed the Christian worldview has nothing to offer culture. People value tolerance. Tolerance sounds good. The Oxford English Dictionary defines tolerance
November 16, 2016
You Are What You Want
By Jim Tune Jesus twice asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” It seems an odd question. The first time Jesus asks it, he”s talking to disciples James and John. Their answer isn”t good. They want prominent places in God”s kingdom. “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory,” they say (Mark 10:37*). Jesus knows they still don”t get it. I sigh, because I know I”m infected with the same desire sometimes. Who among us isn”t tempted by prominence and glory? A short time later, Jesus asks this
September 21, 2016
14 Observations about Church Today
By Jim Tune As a pastor and leader, I”ve noticed some changes in the spiritual climate of North America. Here are some of my observations about the current situation. 1. There”s very little nominalism anymore. This is a good thing. Cultural Christianity is dying. If someone attends church, it”s usually because he or she is investigating Christianity or committed to it. 2. Attending church isn”t on people”s minds. We used to talk about building churches with programs that would attract unbelievers. No matter how good your music, sermons, parking, or programs, most people won”t even think of coming. 3. People
September 14, 2016
Christianity Is More Than
By Jim Tune I wonder how often we fall for forms of Christianity, ideas that capture us because they fit well within the borders of our comfort zone. We truncate our faith when we redefine it in ways that are less than, more than, or even outside the essence of Christianity. Thus this list of things Christianity is more than: 1. Christianity is more than religion. Many people have so long identified the words religion and Christianity that many consider them to be synonyms. Religion emphasizes systems, propositions, piety, rules, observances, and human effort. “Religion,” according to Christian author and
February 17, 2016
The Limits of Relevance
By Jim Tune Relevance is a good thing. Relevance is about trying to communicate the gospel in an understandable way to a particular culture. It”s absolutely essential if we are going to reach people who don”t know Jesus. But relevance has its limits. In his new book Disappearing Church, Mark Sayers describes three cultures. The first is pre-Christian. The second is a culture that”s shaped by Judeo-Christian values. The third is post-Christian. To communicate the gospel to the first culture (pre-Christian), we need to find relevant ways to speak the gospel. The same also applies when we speak into the
December 4, 2015
John W. Samples and Saleem Hanna, ICOM 2015
John W. Samples from the Christian Holy Land Foundation and Saleem Hanna, pastor in Nazareth, Israel, join Mark Taylor for a conversation about the state of Christianity in Israel in this video interview.
October 29, 2015
Choosing the Best Story
By Joe Boyd The world is a dangerous place. Issues like extremist terrorism, systemic racism, and constant political backbiting seem insurmountable. As a Christian, I believe there is a way through God to a better future. But how? Where is that way? And how do I walk in it? I”ve come to believe that the kingdom (the Way of Jesus) comes in only one form: story. The problems I see associated with the world today all boil down to the big stories, the metanarratives we all live within. For many people, the biggest story they live inside is their personal
April 3, 2015
Resurrection Resources
By Richard A. Knopp William Lane Craig relates that a high school friend once said to him, “There ain”t gonna be no Easter this year.” When Craig asked, “Why not,” his cantankerous friend replied, “They found the body.”1 The questionable humor unintentionally reveals a fundamental truth: without the resurrection of Jesus, there is no Easter””or as Paul put it, “Your faith is futile” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But in spite of the bellows of unbelievers and the screams of secularists to make Easter an exclusive experience with the bunny, a multitude of valuable materials are available to sustain our faith and
June 13, 2014
What”s So Distinctive about the Christian Faith?
By Donald S. Tingle The world is full of religions. If Christianity is just one of many faith traditions, what makes it so special, so distinctive from all other religious claims? The answers Christian have given to that question often fit somewhere between two extremes. But somewhere in the middle lie the answers we need to show followers of other religions why Christianity alone truly leads us to God. On the extreme right some might say, “Christianity is true; therefore all non-Christian religions are false. Non-Christians are so thoroughly blinded by Satan that nothing worthwhile can be found among their
January 28, 2013
Get in the Game! Values, Vehicles, and Victories
By Jim Probst The Pareto Principle highlights the tendency for 80 percent of the work to be done by 20 percent of the people. We”ve all heard of this 80/20 principle, and we often see it as an inescapable rule inchurch cultures. Our beloved 20 percent have the “curse of competence” . . . or at least the “curse of obligation” . . . that fuels the fire to fill the volunteer void again and again. Meanwhile, the under-responsive masses settle into an uninspired consumer Christianity. As this scenario occurs and reoccurs in our churches, we are left with an
