Doctrine is one of the most divisive things in the church. What we believe Scripture teaches determines our understanding of God, the gospel, salvation, ourselves, others, life, and much more. Have you ever heard the saying, "There is no doctrine a fundamentalist won't fight over and no doctrine a liberal will fight for." You may not consider yourself a fundamentalist or a liberal when it comes to...  Read More

Church Family:Can you imagine not having a church family? Can you imagine that you have never heard the gospel or of Jesus Christ? Can you imagine living in a country as an ethnic group where you have no knowledge of anybody following Jesus Christ? Can you imagine having no hope? Tragically, there are over 3 billion people on this earth who are part of over 7000 different people groups that are in...  Read More

What is a miracle? Our culture today uses the word “miracle” to mean just about anything that is amazing or extremely unusual. Even within the Church the word “miracle” is loosely used for everything that amazes us or not easily explained. But what really is a biblical miracle?There is no universally agreed-on biblical definition of miracle but probably the most useful one is: A miracle is a super...  Read More

Church Family: We talk about the gospel all of the time but do we know the fundamentals of the gospel? Do you know the gospel well enough that it remains your only hope and confidence before our Holy God? Do you know the gospel well enough to share with others? The gospel has become a victim of massive distortions or over-simplifications to the point that many times it is not the gospel any longer...  Read More

Church Family: Astonishing Good Friday to you! Today we celebrate one of the many benefits of Christ's death. The Son of God put on flesh and blood so that through His own death He would destroy the one who has the power of death, the devil (Heb. 2:14-15). While God cannot die the incarnate God-Man can die and He did die. Jesus, the Son of God, was born to die. His death was the very purpose for H...  Read More

Church Family: Today is the Thursday of Holy Week, it is known as Maundy Thursday. The term maundy comes from the Latin root mandatum, or commandment, from Jesus’s words in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”  This commandment was given by the Lord on the Thursday before his crucifixion when He was te...  Read More

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, “the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’ ”(Mat. 27:41-43). The arrogant, powerless crowd were taunting t...  Read More

Church Family: You and I were created to hope. Hope is what motivates us to get out of bed in the morning and keep doing what God has put before us to do – go to work, teach the kids, go work out, serve the Lord and others, or whatever else may be on our schedule for the day. The general equation of hope goes something like this: You hope that if you do _____ you will then receive _____ as a resul...  Read More

Welcome... How are you doing... See you later. That can sometimes sum up our effort of a welcome to another. Is that the way God intended it to be? Actually, that is somewhat opposite of what God intended. Romans 15:7, commands us as followers of Christ "to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." Paul does not say, “say hi to one another.” The Greek word translated “...  Read More

Church Family: As a family of believers there is no greater evil that we can do against each other than cause another brother or sister in Christ to sin (Luke 17:2). The end that awaits those who cause others to stumble into sin is horrific. It is so horrific that it is better for that person who leads others into transgression to have a "great millstone" hung around their neck and to be cast into...  Read More

Church Family: Do you ever struggle as a Christian to make God honoring decisions? Many times we come to do a decision that needs to be made in life where the answer is given clearly in Scripture. We can find specific behaviors and actions strictly prohibited no matter who you are or in what situation you find yourself needing to make a decision. God has given us His commandments, precepts, statut...  Read More

Church Family: Christ is coming back! Are you living in a way that you will be found faithful? Throughout Scripture we are told that Christ is coming back unexpectedly. We have no time to be living carelessly, fulfilling the desires of the flesh. For believers, the return of Christ is meant to give us great hope and joy as we endure sufferings in this present world. Also, the anticipation of Chris...  Read More

Church Family: We live in a world that demands us to define love according to whatever feels right to us now. In many churches the common belief has become “love is all that matters” or even “love is love, just show them love.” Many think that love is an enemy to the law saying that they oppose each other. It is very easy to fall into the thinking that there should not be any guidelines on what lo...  Read More

Church Family: If you are in the middle of baking an apple pie and you need just one more cup of sugar should you not go ask your neighbor to borrow some sugar? Or what about borrowing money to buy a house or even a church building so you can escape rent? Or what about a car payment so that you travel to your job? Or what about borrowing for an education that will help you earn money? Undoubtedly,...  Read More

Church Family:When you see or hear the news from your favorite news source you quickly see that most of the news has something to do with politics, politicians or the results of policies they have passed. The results of bad policies can be devastating to say the least. The daily news tends to create within us a political response that can quickly become our worldview. What is a worldview? A worldv...  Read More

Church Family: Does any governmental authority have the power to ban Christians from meeting in corporate worship? Does any governmental authority have the power to determine when human life begins? Does any governmental authority have the power to define what it means to be male or female? Church, your Christian responsibility to discern how to live under governmental authoritieshas never been mo...  Read More

In the last eight verses of Romans 12, we find twelve of the most difficult actions we are commanded to do in this life. Here is my version of the list:1- Speak well of and act kindly towards those who oppress and harass you (12:14)2- Rejoice with rejoicers – weep with weepers (12:15)3- Get along with each other (12:16)4- Do not be self-important (12:16)5- Share life with the downhearted and downc...  Read More

Church Family: Every living plant has roots that do the life-giving hard work of strengthening the plant for seasons of drought and storm. The work of roots is hidden but you definitely see the effects of the life-giving root work. The work of prayer is the same. It is hidden work that strengthens our faith to endure during times of hardships, sufferings, tragedies and spiritual drought. Plants wi...  Read More

Church Family: Our world is constantly changing. Some of the change is predictable. Most of it isn’t. But the truth is, the only thing that won’t change is that life will always change. Let me say it a different way: the only thing that is certain is that life is uncertain. However, as redeemed followers of Christ we can take comfort in the truth that God will never change. He is the CONSTANT in a...  Read More

Church Family: Jesus was never God’s second plan. From the creation of the universe itself, the Godhead was pleased to work out the salvation of man before there was ever the first sin committed or even the first man created! The plan had been set in eternity’s past, but there was to be a moment destined in history for that plan to come to fruition.  The Word became flesh, and God Himself dwelt am...  Read More

Church Family:  Sunrises seem to make all things new. The sunrise declares "here comes a fresh new day." The colors are new every morning. Every second of the hour before sunrise brings another color into focus. The sunrise brings forth heat and light to bring growth and warmth to all of creation. The sunrise brings light to reveal what was hidden in the darkness just moments before. The sunrise r...  Read More

Church Family: God is joy. Joy is not only essential to the being of God but also Joy is the ultimate purpose of God in creating you and this world. Right now God is leading everything in His purposeful plan for creation and His Church to experience everlasting joy (Is. 35:10; 55:12-13). What is joy? Joy is a delightful feeling produced by the Holy Spirit that lives in your soul, opening your eyes...  Read More

Church Family: The Son of Man has come to do what? Seek and save the lost - Yes. To serve and not to be served - Yes. To give His life as a ransom for many - Yes. And Luke adds, "the Son of Man has come eating and drinking" (Luke 7:34). Jesus’ life was filled with having meals and interacting with strangers. He was eating with strangers, prostitutes, tax collectors, pharisees, neighbors and discip...  Read More

Church Family: Do you ever wake up in the morning wondering if God loves you or if He still delights in you? Do you doubt if God even really likes you any longer? Has fear flooded your heart with thoughts that you will never be good enough to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Have you lost passion or given up the fight to live a holy life because you doubt that God even exists? Nothing extinguishes you...  Read More