November 14, 2022
"One part of the 23rd Psalm puzzles me," David Faust writes. "It’s the verse that says, 'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies' (Psalm 23:5a). Who wants to sit at a table surrounded by enemies?"
April 4, 2022
The woman poured out her repentance in several ways—weeping (in contrition) over Jesus' feet, letting her hair down so she could use her “glory” as a towel, kissing his feet, and pouring expensive perfume on them.
The Key Elements to Making Your Time Together More Effective By David Roadcup Effective elders’ meetings are an important part of a healthy leadership culture. Our meetings should be organized times of fellowship, powerful prayer, communication, and decision-making. The focus of elders’ meetings should be on the shepherding of staff and the business matters of the congregation. Elders’ meetings can be extremely fruitful and enjoyable, or they can be hours of torment and wandering in the wilderness. It all depends on planning and on the leader of the meeting (the elder chairman) and lead minister working together for the best
July 23, 2018
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 7 (weeks 25–28; July 22—August 12, 2018) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott Eating is a form of thanksgiving and table fellowship is sacred. Jewish table grace went something like this: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.” When we eat we are acknowledging that God has provided for our needs. When
May 5, 2017
By Randy Gariss It must have seemed an odd table. David was king of Israel, and when he sat down to eat he had his family and his sons. As king, he naturally would have included some friends and perhaps a favorite servant or two. And also a crippled man by the name of Mephibosheth. The backstory has all the human interest we can handle. Years before, Saul had been the king and he had made the young David”s life miserable””repeatedly attempting to cut it short! Saul”s despotic life and desperate panic were all an ill-fated attempt to keep David,
April 15, 2016
By Mark Krause Why did the early church celebrate the Lord”s Supper every week? The answer to this is very simple, but for some Christians it requires a different way of thinking. Most believers are well acquainted with the church tradition and expectation of meeting together on the first day of the week. This weekly gathering is reflected in a term we sometimes use for a particular, local church, the congregation. This word literally means “those who gather together.” Churches are made up of members who assemble, who come together. But why? If you were to ask believers why they
February 8, 2016
By Casey Tygrett Jesus didn”t give us words about God. He lived as the Word of God. What does that show us about what impact God”s words should demonstrate in our lives? When I was a kid, I had an uncanny resemblance to my dad. Our facial structures, mannerisms, and senses of humor were so closely aligned that the folks in my small hometown knew whose I was before they knew who I was. They looked at me””my long angular nose and the way my eyebrows elevated and separated when I spoke””and they saw my father from years past. There
October 19, 2015
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the October 18 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott Not everyone is happy with church growth. The wide embrace of the gospel can really mess with prejudice. When the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius”s house, God was turning a new page in the church”s history. The church would never be the same. Perhaps the
September 13, 2011
By Matt Proctor MATTHEW 1. His Gospel is primarily (though not exclusively) a Jewish Gospel. There are 65 Old Testament references””21 direct quotations from Isaiah alone. Luke traces Jesus” genealogy from Adam, the father of the human race, but Matthew begins his Gospel with a genealogy going back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. 2. He does show some interest in Gentiles. Wise men worship Jesus (2:1-12). Many from east and west will feast with Abraham in the kingdom of Heaven (8:11, 12). Christ proclaims justice to the Gentiles (12:18). The Gentiles hope is in Christ (12:21). Christ
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok