Among the twelve apostles, we see a variety of personalities and interests. Peter was bold, but sometimes foolish. Matthew was converted while on the job. Philip was an ally for the Greek community. John was deep and philosophical. The different representations, both good and bad, inspire us to follow Christ more closely, regardless of our faults and failings. Yet among the twelve, no name is more reviled than that of Judas Iscariot. I’ve often said it’s a shame that we... Read more
Whether you love or hate politics, it’s undeniable that the 2024 election season is upon us. We’re already inundated with ads for various electoral candidates at different levels, even though the United States presidential election far shadows everyone else. A total of 468 seats: 33 senate seats and all 435 house seats are up for reelection on November 5, 2024. From a political perspective, the 2024 election represents the possibility for massive change in United States politics. If we listen... Read more
Did you know the Bible names over twenty different apostles? This is surprising to many, especially those who believe there were only twelve apostles for all of time. While there were twelve to start who were closest to Christ, there were at least seventy in Jesus’ earthly walk, although we don’t have all their names. After the resurrection, there were a number of other apostles at work in the early church, including several women. Still, there remains a “lost apostle”... Read more
In exploring the twelve apostles, we’ve looked at some who were very common and some not so common. Some, such as Peter, Matthew, and John have prolific histories. Others, such as Philip, Simon the Zealot, and James son of Alphaeus didn’t have as detailed stories. The one thing we’ve learned from each one of them by exploring their stories is that God calls all of us in diversity, recognizing different gifts, abilities, and economic standing. All did marvelous things for... Read more
Every time I sign into social media, I am barraged by a host of posts about Project 2025. Some posts claim to highlight specific thought points from its pages, while others take a more threatening tone. With a great deal of uncertainty and rumor about its contents, purpose, and agenda, many are in fear that Trump’s election marks the beginning of Project 2025 and the end of American values. With a direct intent to cut through the hype and sort... Read more
Out of the original twelve apostles, only two are Gospel writers: the Apostle John and the Apostle Matthew. John’s Gospel reveals a number of details and facets the other Gospels don’t include. While people hand out single copies of John’s Gospel, it’s not uncommon for us to overlook the value in the other three…including the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew, also known as Levi, is an apostle with a rich history many overlook. In addition to his Gospel, Matthew led a... Read more
Some of the Biblical apostles reveal the complicated relationship between being called by God and being a human being. We see this in Peter‘s temper and James and John desiring positions of honor in the Kingdom. Perhaps there’s no greater example of the humanness of the apostles than that of the Apostle Thomas. Known forever as “the doubter,” Thomas went on record as doubting the resurrection of Jesus. While his best-known move, this wasn’t Thomas’ only theological misstep during His... Read more
The New Testament abounds with central and not-so-central figures who share first names. Among the apostles alone, there were two Simons, two Judes/Judases, and two Jameses. It doesn’t help that some also have additional names, nicknames, or surnames. To make matters more confusing, some of them were also brothers. It’s easy to confuse people, especially the more one studies. Who is who, and why does it matter? In this column we will examine the life of James son of Alphaeus,... Read more
Learning about the lives and work of the twelve apostles reveals much to us about leadership present in the early church. It is also a study in the way that God chooses us. God isn’t about having the perfect resume. He knows when He calls us what we can do for Him, even if we don’t see it in ourselves. We’ve reached the halfway point of six apostles, and now we are going to learn about one most never consider:... Read more
In our study of the first twelve apostles, we’ve examined the lives and ministries of those both known and unknown: Peter, Andrew, James son of Zebedee, John, and Philip. There are some we know much about, and others whose lives remain mysterious. In this study, I’ve discovered a third category of the twelve: those who have well-documented histories but, for whatever reason, we don’t hear much about their contributions to the faith. The Apostle Bartholomew (also called Nathanael or Nathaniel)... Read more
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