Grace

The Undiscovered Country

Exploration of the unknown was a common theme in Gene Roddenberry’s fictitious Star Trek stories. Roddenberry sought to avoid spiritual truths, yet there are many lessons for Christians…

How You Can Grow in Authentic Community

How do you make your church, group, or class more authentic? Over the years I’ve discovered the following principles, most of which work best in smaller groups .…

Feb. 20 | Discovery

Based on this passage from Romans 8, what is God’s plan and progression for those he calls?

A President’s Faith

Jesus fought for our freedom, as president Calvin Coolidge described, “not with the sword, but with the cross.”

Feb. 13 | Justified by Faith

If grace is God’s love for us that we do not deserve, then faith is how that grace is appropriated in our lives.

Feb. 6 | Justified by Grace

As the Justifier, how can God stay true to his character and punish sin (that is, how can he be “just”), and at the same time release the…

Masks

With Jesus, we don’t need to wear a mask. Even if, out of habit, we try to wear one in his presence, he can see past the camouflage…

Draining the Cup

As we gather around the Lord’s table, consider two things about this “cup of death” Jesus drained: (1) the potency of the cup, and (2) the resolve of…

Jan. 23 | Application

The word "leftover" sounds stale and unappealing. The Law of Moses instructed the Israelites to give the firstfruits of their labors, not the scraps. However, the Bible also…

Jan. 16 | Righteous Abraham

Be careful of idolizing Bible characters. They all have feet of clay, and they can marginalize God as the real hero of the biblical narratives. That being said,…

Extremist for Love

At Calvary, Martin Luther King Jr. contended, "Jesus Christ . . . was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment."

Jan. 9 | Application

In Romans 1, the apostle Paul lowers the hammer of God’s righteous wrath on Gentile sinners. Then in Romans 2, Paul pivots toward his Jewish readers . .…

Building a Leadership Pipeline

How to Prevent Message Drift When You Call Your Next Preacher

Jan. 2 | Application

If God had no capacity for righteous anger, it would create some difficult dilemmas.