A good shepherd protects the flock from wolves, and feeds them good food. What does it look like when we conduct our churches and ministries in a biblical way? What happens when churches stop protecting, and become interested in selfish gain? Is it even okay to ask these questions?
Jason Russell, Greg Mortenson, and Ted Haggard claimed to dedicate their lives to helping others but lost credibility when the truth came to light. What happened and how should we respond?
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God's word tells us that a people without vision will perish. However, the problem is that those with the vision are waiting for someone else to act upon them, leaving these good ideas unrealized. The church has a great deal of vision, but what it is lacking is passion.
A growing number of Western Christians have dropped out of local church life, claiming their disdain for organized religion has caused them to love Jesus but also want to leave the church. In a day and age when believers can download the world's top sermons and songs at will, does the local church still matter?
Several years ago, my husband and I changed our perspective on children. We haven’t been able to have kids of our own, but we decided that instead of moping around and bemoaning our lack, we would enjoy life and serve others. One of our greatest joys is being able to invest in the lives of other people’s children. One way we have done this is through Compassion International.
God is never more glorified than when His servants loosen the bonds, undo the yoke, set the captive free, and break every yoke. Ministry is a process that takes time and the sufficiency of God’s grace flowing through our lives on a consistent basis—not have-it-your-way, consumerism church.
During the Protestant Reformation in Europe that began in the 1500s, leaders developed a list of five “solas” to define the differences between their movement and what they perceived as the unbiblical excesses of the Roman Catholic Church. A quick look at this list of solas reveals that their influence has been great.
Mercy To The Least Of These - A Spiritual Warfare Challenge. One of the greatest forms of spiritual warfare that we can wage is to be obedient to the Holy Spirit and to look for opportunities to bless "the least of these".
Infertility can be very difficult for women who desire children, and Mother's Day can be a painful reminder. Here are a few tips for surviving Mother's Day with your heart intact. If you're a woman struggling with infertility, this letter is for you.
The Bible is filled with great pictures of the love of the Father. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
As we read about the pastor in Pilgrim's Progress, some thought it was the Apostle Paul, others thought a good teacher and still others, a "spiritual person." Why, I wondered, did not one person see in this description a portrait of their, or anyone's, pastor?
Bible verses about submission and not speaking in church can be difficult for women to accept. Those same verses have been skewed by some scholars to eliminate conflict. However, it can't be denied that God means what He says.
Some may argue that the good parachurch ministries do far outweighs the dangers inherent in the system. But are we becoming too pragmatic? What is the guiding principle that Christians follow, and how are we tempted to depart from it?
Rituals and religion can make people feel good. The dedication of time and observing strict guidelines gives people a sense that they are reaching out to a higher power. But what does Jesus have to do with any of that?
As the human spirit inhabits the human body, so the Holy Spirit inhabits the Body of Christ, the Church. How does this work? How is the human body like the church, and what does this analogy mean?
How could the same God who said "love your enemies" and to "do good to those who hate you" also order the Israelite people to engage in violent warfare?
Is the Bible corrupted, or changed? How can we be certain that we have the same words written down by the original authors? How can we be sure that we are reading what they wrote?
What makes Tim Tebow Christian? Is it 'tebowing' in prayer? Is it charity for others? Or is it something else? Read an amazing story about Tebow's love for hurting people, and the work he does for others off the field.
The Ceiling Fan podcast uses silly humor and engaging audio production to connect with kids and teens, and adds a refreshingly authentic voice to the world of Christian youth ministry.
Angelica Zambrano, an Ecuadorian teenager, claims a vision during which she met Jesus, who led her through hell and heaven so that she would be able to come back and warn people. But Jesus declared such a thing would be worthless.
Dufflepudism is rampant in the evangelical world. Witness the rush to elevate a former Miss California to near-sainthood for her stand on gay marriage. Just like the Dufflepuds in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, undiscerning Christians cry "Yes! Hear her!"
Dufflepudism is rampant in the evangelical world today as Christians are buying into every new fad that comes along, and blindly accepting each new philosophy. Just like the Dufflepuds in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, we cry "Yes! That sounds good!"
Exploring the Word
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