Most of us know the great command we have to edify the church, Christ’s body. Leaders in particular hear this command in their callings. Ephesians 4:11 speaks of the leadership offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and bids us to all work together as Christian leaders in unity. We work in the edification of the church until Jesus Christ returns. In edification, we build up the body and reach maturity this side of heaven. The call to leadership... Read more
Did you know that trees hold spiritual relevance across religious lines? Throughout the world, trees are important symbols of religious faith, inspiration, and spiritual devotion. With the upcoming observance known as Arbor Day, people worldwide stop and pause to consider the value and necessity of planting trees. Dating back to Spain in 1594, Arbor Day reminds us all that trees are an important of our ecological system. In a spiritual sense, trees teach several different values to people of various... Read more
Last week, we explored the world of New Testament parables. The parables of Jesus are among the most famous stories in the Bible. Short, sweet, to-the-point, and relatively easy to understand (at least most of the time), parables are great stories that illustrate important points of faith. As an unexpected surprise, however, there are parables outside of the New Testament! the tradition pre-dates New Testament times. Likewise, there are various examples of parables – or stories like them – both... Read more
New Testament parables are among the most popular teachings of Jesus. Young and old alike laud them for their practical insights, simple language, and short, wise faith building teachings. In this column, we’re going to look at the New Testament parables: where they are from, why they’re important, and what the essential New Testament parables have to tell us about our spiritual lives. What are parables? Parables are stories, given through prose or verse, that have a few specific characteristics:... Read more
In our last column, we explored five facts to help in Old Testament Bible Study. Contrary to what we often think, it’s not impossible to understand the Bible. It takes some effort, but it’s not impossible. Just as we explore topics in-depth when we find them interesting, so we should dive into Bible study in the same manner. Remembering that the Bible isn’t a novel, studying Bible text in context of history and culture, and drawing on word studies (hint:... Read more
Many think understanding the Bible is impossible. It’s not impossible, but it does take some effort. The Bible is not a novel, something we read cover-to-cover in a few sittings. It’s a Scriptural record, consisting of a collection of different types of writing spanning thousands of years. It wasn’t written in modern times, and in many ways, doesn’t suit modern sensibilities. Studying it – with the goal of faith and life application – doesn’t happen if we approach it improperly.... Read more
Understanding the Bible is not a fly-by-night task. For one, whenever we set to read the Bible, we are reading a translation. Anyone who’s involved with language translation knows words don’t always cross cultures. It’s even more challenging when we consider the Bible was written thousands of years ago, in a language far different than our own. Bible translation is a huge task, and Bible words don’t always translate according to plan. This means Bible word studies are not just... Read more
Every generation or so, rumors and accusations alike that some major figure is the Antichrist start to circulate. Books and blogs are written, sermons are preached, theories are devised, and as quickly as these ideas surface, they fall dormant…until they rise again. Given current events in the United States, many have revived discussion on the antichrist again. As much as we speak about the antichrist, who (or what) is it? What do we know about this mysterious figure, and what... Read more
There’s a temptation to assume that Christian women should both be – and want to be – mothers. Our churches tend to celebrate women and motherhood at the same time. For example, sermons around women are usually reserved for Mother’s Day, Christmastime (involving Mary), and special days devoted to motherhood among a congregation. We don’t hear sermons of the powerful Deborah or Jael, we skip over the Prophetess Huldah, and stick to images of women that are culturally comfortable. Bible... Read more
Living in the “in the Meantime” I talk often to several people who are in a place classified as “in the meantime.” The majority of us spend an overwhelming amount of our spiritual walk in this place. We wait for leaders to call us back, for events to come forth, for the Lord to speak through us, for His elevation, revelation, and the fullness of manifestation. When we are in “in the meantime,” we see part of what God has... Read more
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