32713 Proclaiming the Gospel

The gospel means good news.  The rightful, righteous, benevolent King of all creation has returned to restore peace out of chaos, to bring life out of death, to shine light to dispel all darkness, to execute justice, and to cause his creation to prosper once again. And you have an honored and unique role to …

32443 Empowered by the Holy Spirit

“And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit,” – Ephesians 5:18 You come under the influence of alcohol when you get drunk. You come under the full influence of the Holy Spirit when you are filled with Him. The Spirit-filled life is a lifestyle under the loving …

32430 The Exchanged Mindset

Living a worldly lifestyle is natural and instinctive to us. We don’t have to choose it. It’s automatic. But it’s impossible to live supernaturally through human means. Supernatural living is based on our relationship with God and requires the right mindset. Our frame of mind toward God, the future, and others has a profound effect …

32813 Resisting Isolation

Westerners are conditioned to love the rugged hero. Whether superhero, Jedi knight, cowboy, soldier, or politician our heroes are individuals who have had courage to single-handedly defeat their foes. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of courage, but we import that mentality into our Christian life. We easily assume that if we are “real Christians,” then …

32632 Encourage, Instruct, and Spur On One Another

A congregation does not thrive on a foundation of superstars. The passages below call everyone into the foundational work of building each other up. It is not solely the leaders’ work. In the Church everyone encourages, teaches, and motivates everyone else, and should do so with the warmth and equality of teammates. No one in our congregations …

32621 Finding a Church

How to Avoid Church-Shopping but Still Decide on a Church “What’s the most I can get for my money?” Whether it’s a return on an investment or looking for the best deal on a product, this question is central to a consumer mindset. Not a bad question to avoid wasting resources, but it’s a terrible question to …