December 22, 2025
LORD FROM BEGINNING TO END
From the first day of the year to the last, from the beginning to the end, Jesus is “the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13).
Articles for tag: Genesis
January 18, 2021
The Power of Blood
By Randy Ballinger During the pandemic, blood donation centers have sought out individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. Apparently, the antibody-rich blood plasma these individuals donate possibly can save the lives of those critically ill with the virus. The lone purpose for blood is to sustain life. Donating blood brings healing. There is power in the blood. God personified blood in rebuking Cain after Abel’s murder: “Your brother’s blood cries out to me” (Genesis 4:10). After the flood, God instructed Noah, “Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” (Genesis 9:4, New American Standard Bible,
SPOTLIGHT: Mount Carmel Christian Church, Batavia, Ohio
Spiritual Growth Emphasis Spurs Numerical Growth By Rick Lowry Mount Carmel Christian Church in Batavia, Ohio (about 20 miles east of Cincinnati), has experienced significant growth in recent years. Didi Bacon became senior minister 21 years ago when the church averaged about 400 in worship. In 2015, Mount Carmel moved into a beautiful new facility and now consistently averages more than 1,000. Bacon and the rest of the staff are convinced a major reason for the numerical growth has been their emphasis on spiritual growth. Teaching minister Tim Peace, who works with groups, said a significant dialogue started when the
July 17, 2015
Ethan Magness’s Thought Leaders
We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Ethan Magness, pastor of spiritual formation with Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland. ________ I feel like I am learning so much right now in ministry. So many people are participating in fruitful experiments of ministry and biblical study, and I am grateful to get to learn from them. Here are a few who are especially influential to me right now. In
May 18, 2012
Interview with Mike Baker
By Paul Boatman Mike Baker has been senior pastor at Eastview Christian Church in Normal, Illinois, since 2007. He first served at Eastview as youth pastor, beginning in 1995, and became associate pastor in 2002. How do you happen to be in ministry? I was called to preach when I was 6 years old. It is all I have ever wanted to do. I did a side trip of 16 years in youth ministry. That let me be part of a team, learning from leaders in growing churches. I still preached””to the youth, occasionally to the whole church.
September 29, 2011
Bible Bowl: Beyond the Competition
By Robert Spruill Three years from now National Bible Bowl will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Since Bible Bowl”s creation, thousands of youth have benefited from the opportunity it provides for in-depth study of the Scriptures. Each year a portion of the Bible is chosen as the text that serves as the basis for competitions at the local and national tournaments. Participants study that text for the entire Bible Bowl season, which runs from October through May, but extends into June and July for teams that compete beyond local round robin tournaments. Many players memorize all or part of the text
February 17, 2011
Youthful Energy Unleashed
By Joni Sullivan Baker How does the idea of “unleashing” teens and children sound to you? Scary, maybe! But to those planning two dynamic conventions this summer, it”s an apt idea. “Students want and need to be challenged, so they expect a convention that encourages them to be bold and “˜unleashed” for Christ,” said Phyllis Fox, director of church relations and Youth in Ministry (YiM) at Milligan College. YiM produces the NACC Student Convention. “Through dynamic speakers, vibrant worship, and challenging workshops, students will discover how God is calling them to reach their friends, family, and communities for Christ,” Fox
January 11, 2011
Generation of the Ethiopian Eunuch
By Jeff Arthur It happened about six months after our church launched in 2007. I had preached about Abraham and Isaac that Sunday morning. After the service, one of our ladies told me she was familiar with Abraham and Isaac, because she had drawn the image of Abraham offering Isaac to God while pursuing her degree in art. But she had never heard of other Bible characters I had been talking about in my sermons. That resonated with me all week long. I knew I was preaching to a group divided into three parts””non-Christians, nominal churchgoers, and former Catholics””and that
February 3, 2008
God and Your Average Joe: Lessons from the Life of Isaac
By Mike Grooms The patriarch Isaac has been ignored by most as a sermon or study topic; there”s just not much to say about him. I”d never preached a sermon about him till a series through Hebrews 11 forced me to do so. I studied his life in Genesis, and frankly, he”s unremarkable. He”s always the supporting actor and never the star. He”s average, mediocre, and blasé. Yet he”s right there in Hebrews 11 with other Old Testament greats. I wondered why a boring, run-of-the-mill sort of fellow gets mentioned alongside superstars like Noah, Abraham, and Gideon. Isaac never did
July 8, 2007
For the Church . . . for Today
By Staff Faith Café is just another example of the Bible-teaching tools Standard Publishing provides for the local church. In addition to our Bible-teaching tools for children and teenagers, used by thousands of churches, Faith Café is the latest of several new products we”re offering to help adults study God”s Word. For example, our line of small groups materials is growing.   “¢ We”ve just introduced four innovative Tuning Into God small groups guides. Your group will listen to the music and then learn from God”s Word with each of these six-session guides: Songs from “The Beatles 1″ (item
March 11, 2007
How Much Does God Really Know? (Part 1)
Does God know everything in advance? This article frames key questions about foreknowledge, prayer, and freedom, introduces open theism, and surveys biblical texts often cited in support of an “open future.”
