When Your Heart Isn’t In It

 When Your Heart Isn’t In It – “Do you really think that avoiding worship will be the means by which your heart will changed, prepared to engage in worship?”

5 Things Every Christian Leader Should Pray for Themselves Everyday

5 Things Every Christian Leader Should Pray for Themselves Everyday – These are appropriate for any believer whether they lead adults or children, at home, community, or church.

How God Broke My Goodness Addiction

How God Broke My Goodness Addiction – “I lived according to the goodness gospel for far too long. But God pursued me. He used multiple people to reveal my goodness addiction and to show me both his true nature and the truth of what he had done for me at the cross.”

Why Are Behaviors the Bible Condemns Considered ‘Morally Acceptable’ by Christians?

Why Are Behaviors the Bible Condemns Considered ‘Morally Acceptable’ by Christians? - According to a new Gallup survey, Americans consider a variety of behaviors that the Bible condemns to be “morally acceptable.”

Conflicts: Our Laboratories of Love

Conflicts: Our Laboratories of Love – It’s important to note that when Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20), it is sandwiched in the context of dealing with sin, conflict, and discipline in the church.

Does God Really Love You?

Does God Really Love You? – “Your suffering is a great enticement to Satan. He and his anti-God federation are irresistibly attracted to persistent pain.”

Gospel-Centered Husbandship

Gospel-Centered Husbandship – “The opposite of a gospel-centered husband, I think, is a comfortable husband.”

Praying Most For What You Love the Most

Praying Most For What You Love the Most - “Your prayer-life is a measure of your spiritual maturity.”

Leaving and Cleaving

Leaving and Cleaving - “Leaving and cleaving does not negate honouring father and mother: it produces a mature honouring that uses parental training and teaching to contribute to church and society.”

10 Reasons Why Spiritual Disciplines Matter in Church Revitalization

10 Reasons Why Spiritual Disciplines Matter in Church Revitalization - They do matter.

In Search of an Honest Atheist

In Search of an Honest Atheist – “Do honest atheists exist? Many profess to be atheists, but my question is whether or not these people, in the depth and quiet of their own hearts, honestly believe there is no God.”

Drunk You Is Not the Real You

Drunk You Is Not the Real You – “The promise on tap is that excessive alcohol will unlock you to yourself and all your friends. It’s liberation by libation. But the Bible presents a different picture of freedom.” 

Are All Christians Hypocrites?

Are All Christians Hypocrites? - “The revelations about Josh Duggar have brought to the forefront a much broader discussion about Christians and hypocrisy.”

What You See When You Read

What You See When You Read - You may be surprised to discover just how much your culture determines what you see in the Scriptures. This was really interesting. I’ve found the same phenomenon in Africa.

Anxiety Is a Spiritual Issue

Anxiety Is a Spiritual Issue - How the Bible deals extensively with anxiety—and its roots.

Americans Vastly Overestimate Size of Gay and Lesbian Population

Americans Vastly Overestimate Size of Gay and Lesbian Population – This makes for a very interesting Gallup survey. You’ll be surprised.

Servant Leadership

Servant Leadership - Matt Perman highlights the 7 characteristics of servant leadership.

Thigh, Breast or Door? The Joys of Learning a Tonal Language

Thigh, Breast or Door? The Joys of Learning a Tonal Language – This is from a missionary blog. The missionary shares the difficulties of learning languages. Be sure and listen to the recording…then pray for missionaries around the world!

A Requiem for the Boy Scouts

A Requiem for the Boy Scouts - Speaking in Atlanta, Secretary Gates told his fellow B.S.A. leaders that “we must deal with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be.”

7 Steps to Conflict Resolution

7 Steps to Conflict Resolution - The Lord gave us detailed advice on how to handle explosive disagreements; it’s found in Philippians 4:2-9.

Do You Ever Have a Hard Time Completely Trusting God?

Do You Ever Have a Hard Time Completely Trusting God? – Perry Noble reminds us why that may be so and what to do about it.

Pew: Evangelicals Stay Strong as Christianity Crumbles in America

Pew: Evangelicals Stay Strong as Christianity Crumbles in America—This article may make some people want to return their "Evangelicalism is Dying" books.

Responding to God’s Perpetual Invitation to His Banquet of Grace

Responding to God’s Perpetual Invitation to His Banquet of Grace: Praying through Isaiah 55:1-3 (NLT) – Praying through this passage was a particularly meaningful blessing to me today.

20 Lessons in 20 Years

20 Lessons in 20 Years - The lessons are true for many areas of church leadership.

The Highest Obligation and Privilege of Citizenship

The Highest Obligation and Privilege of Citizenship - Have a blessed Memorial Day.

A Prayer for Memorial Day: The End of All Wars

A Prayer for Memorial Day: The End of All Wars – Amen. The day is coming.

When God Mercifully Ruins Our Plans

When God Mercifully Ruins Our Plans – There are plenty of times when God’s mercy is best shown in things we consider disappointments.

The Holy Spirit Before Pentecost

The Holy Spirit Before Pentecost - This is a helpful illustration of the Holy Spirit before and after Pentecost.

Atheism’s Foundation for Morality

Atheism’s Foundation for Morality – The article explores a philosophy of religion question. Randy Alcorn writes, “Choosing moral behaviors because they make you feel happy can make sense, in a Bertrand Russell/Sam Harris sort of way, but what if it makes you feel happy to torture animals or kill Jews or steal from your employer?”

Spiritual Dry Spells: Causes and Cures

Spiritual Dry Spells: Causes and Cures - We all go through a spiritual dry spell at one time or another.  Here’s a helpful word on what to consider in such times.

I Still Do

I Still Do – The author tells a moving story over years, “God gave me, a deeply flawed woman, the grace to love my deeply flawed man.”

When Feeling Discouraged and Tempted to Lose Heart: Praying through 2 Cor. 4:16-18

When Feeling Discouraged and Tempted to Lose Heart: Praying through 2 Cor. 4:16-18 – Here is another good prayer prompt from Scripture that applies to several of my friends today.

We Must Not Do Nothing

We Must Not Do Nothing  - “…a Memorial Day kind of remembering will not suffice for our suffering Christian brothers and sisters. The remembering that God requires of us demands sustained action…”

How Do You Pursue Joy in Jesus?

How Do You Pursue Joy in Jesus? – Here are three things. You can read the summary or watch the three-minute video.

What Your Church Needs to Know About Church

What Your Church Needs to Know About Church – “Church is not there to serve you. You are there at church to serve others.”

16 Secrets of One Happy Marriage

16 Secrets of One Happy Marriage – There are some good ideas.

I’m Divorced: How Does God See Me Now?

I’m Divorced: How Does God See Me Now? – “Divorce is not the unforgivable sin. As a Christian, the only scarlet God sees on you is the blood of Christ, which covers your sins and presents you before God as his blameless child.”

Seven Things Church Members Should Say to Guests in a Worship Service

Seven Things Church Members Should Say to Guests in a Worship Service - Here are some great suggestions on practical, Sunday morning hospitality.

Are You Ready for Marriage?

Are You Ready for Marriage? - 9 ways to prepare for marriage while you’re still single.

Conflict Is an Opportunity for Grace

Conflict Is an Opportunity for Grace – Conflict will come to us all. How can we redeem conflict for God’s glory?

Ten Unforgettable Lessons

Ten Unforgettable Lessons - Ray Ortlund shares 10 unforgettable lessons on fatherhood that he learned from his own father.

Five Things Every Christian Should be Doing with God’s Word

Five Things Every Christian Should be Doing with God’s Word - In Psalm 119 we find “David interacting with the Word of God in five ways that should be paradigmatic for all believers…”

4 Principles for Finishing Well

4 Principles for Finishing Well – Whether you are a student trying to finish the school year or your view is toward eternity, here are some good reminders.

3 Ways to Pursue Justice Every Day

3 Ways to Pursue Justice Every Day - How to commit to serving others and helping those in need—every day.

A Fresh Experience of God’s Beyond-Understanding Peace: Praying through Philippians 4:6-8

A Fresh Experience of God’s Beyond-Understanding Peace: Praying through Philippians 4:6-8 – Here’s another good prayer prompt.

Why Speaking Well of Your Spouse is So Important

Why Speaking Well of Your Spouse is So Important – Good words on marriage and testimony through marriage.

The Bloody Business of Killing Sin

The Bloody Business of Killing Sin – Take it seriously or it will take you.

Five Things To Keep In Mind During The Storm

Five Things To Keep In Mind During The Storm – Here are some good reminders from Perry Noble.

The Two Major Sins in the Old Testament

The Two Major Sins in the Old Testament – They are still around today.

Stop Renting Your Church Home

Stop Renting Your Church Home - Here's a great word on the importance of church membership commitment.

Praying through Psalm 23

Praying through Psalm 23 – Here is a good example of praying scripture.

What to Do When Your Life Doesn’t Go as Planned

What to Do When Your Life Doesn’t Go as Planned - Not married? Don’t have your dream job? Still living at home? That’s OK. Sometimes our plans aren’t the same as His.

What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say

What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say - How to offer support for a friend who is hurting.

17 Ways to Meditate on Scripture

17 Ways to Meditate on Scripture – Here are some ideas to enrich your study of the Bible.

10 Unforgettable Lessons on Fatherhood

10 Unforgettable Lessons on Fatherhood – Here’s a good testimony and challenge to be a godly father.

Can Doubt Actually Be a Sign of Devotion?

Can Doubt Actually Be a Sign of Devotion? - How questioning and seeking truth can be part of loving God with our whole mind.

Four Ways to Fight the Fear of Missing Out

Four Ways to Fight the Fear of Missing Out - It’s the belief that something apart from God holds a key to our happiness if only we could have it or more of it.

7 Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Twenties

7 Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Twenties - A few big mistakes to avoid in order to not get stuck.

5 Reasons to Be Silent

5 Reasons to Be Silent – Silence is not highly valued in modern culture.

Can You Be a Christian Without Believing in Christ?

Can You Be a Christian Without Believing in Christ? – Some people think you can. 

What Does It Mean to Accept Jesus?

What Does It Mean to Accept Jesus? - Ray Ortlund explains by way of a helpful illustration.

8 Items for Christian Parents to Ponder

8 Items for Christian Parents to Ponder - The purpose of these 8 considerations is not to make parents despair, but to help them see their responsibility.

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Give Up on Church

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Give Up on Church - No church is perfect. But that doesn’t mean we should abandon them when they need us—and we need them—the most.

The "Christian Sky is (NOT) Falling"

The "Christian Sky is (NOT) Falling"— American Christianity is not dying; but it's slowly being clarified.

Fourteen Key Reasons for the Breakdown of Church Unity

Fourteen Key Reasons for the Breakdown of Church Unity - “One of the greatest problems in our churches is the
breakdown of church unity. It is insidious, debilitating, and destructive.”

Evangelicalism Continues to Grow While Christianity in America Declines

Evangelicalism Continues to Grow While Christianity in America Declines – Here is a helpful breakout of the information in the recent Pew Research study.

The 10 Commandments of Christian Leadership Development

The 10 Commandments of Christian Leadership Development - Here are good suggestions for Christians in any area of leadership.

How to Poison Your Marriage in 3 Easy Steps

How to Poison Your Marriage in 3 Easy Steps - A few subtle wounds that can destroy a marriage—and how to guard against them.

Is Christianity Dying?

Is Christianity Dying? - Russell Moore responds to the Pew Research Study – “The
future of Christianity is bright. I don’t know that from surveys and polls, but
from a word Someone spoke one day back at Caesarea Philippi. The gates of hell
haven’t gotten any stronger, and the Light that drives out the darkness is
enough to counter every rival gospel, even those gospels that describe
themselves as 'none.'"

Nominals to Nones: 3 Key Takeaways From Pew’s Religious Landscape Survey

Nominals to Nones: 3 Key Takeaways From Pew’s Religious Landscape Survey - How are Christians to understand the data from the newest Pew study on Christianity in America?

Laughter Is the Sound of Joy

Laughter Is the Sound of Joy – “It is more than reasonable to assume that the happiest person in the universe, after taking our flesh and our sorrows, untarnished by his own sin, often boiled over with the best of laughter.”

Pouring Out Your Heart in Lament to God

Pouring Out Your Heart in Lament to God - Did you know that even in sadness you can worship God in prayer?  

Standing as One

Standing as One – The author writes, “I’m often asked why I prioritize the global persecuted church when there’s so much suffering in our own backyard.” Then, he crunches the numbers.

A Prayer for Knowing God’s Goodness and Nearness in the Storm

A Prayer for Knowing God’s Goodness and Nearness in the Storm – This is a blessed prayer expression from Scotty Smith.

13 Needs That Christianity Meets

13 Needs That Christianity Meets – Here is a brief summary of several basic needs met by relationship to Christ.

Apologetics: Who Really Wrote the Gospels?

Apologetics: Who Really Wrote the Gospels? – Here is a simple answer to the skeptics.

How Do I Know I’m a Christian?

How Do I Know I’m a Christian? - Kevin DeYoung provides an answer for a question people keep asking.

6 Problems With Trying to Be Sold Out For Jesus

6 Problems With Trying to Be Sold Out For Jesus - Sometimes, when you're trying to prove your love for God, you end up trying to earn His.

Why Islam Grows

Why Islam Grows - “It is as well to admit when your enemies are onto something.”

Mother’s Day Thanks

Mother’s Day Thanks – Here is the piece we shared in the worship hours on Mother’s Day from Amy Young:

·         To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you.

·         To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you.

·         To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you.

·         To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you.

·         To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.

·         To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you.

·         To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you.

·         To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you.

·         To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you.

·         To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience.

·         To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst.

·         To those who have aborted children – we remember them and you on this day.

·         To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be.

·         To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths.

·         To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you.

·         To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you.

·         To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart.

·         And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you.

This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you." Amy Young

Things to Remember On Your Very Worst Day

Things to Remember On Your Very Worst Day - 5 things to keep in mind when the going gets tough.

3 Things True Love Is Not

3 Things True Love Is Not - Debunking cultural misconceptions about what real love is supposed to look like.

You Can’t Hide from the Culture Wars

You Can’t Hide from the Culture Wars – “Why can’t we take a timeout or take a year off from the culture wars? In my experience I’ve found three reasons why the true gospel will always be at odds with any fallen culture.”

Should We Be Saying ‘It’s a God Thing’?

Should We Be Saying ‘It’s a God Thing’?  Why God’s sovereignty extends to both our good days and our bad ones.

9 Things Adult Daughters Want Their Mothers to Know

9 Things Adult Daughters Want Their Mothers to Know – The author shares that little girls grow up and need a different kind of mom.

Nothing Left to Hide

Nothing Left to Hide – It’s hard to live “without wax”.

God Is Bigger Than My Cancer

God Is Bigger Than My Cancer – Learning Lament and Joy in the Darkness

9 Things You Should Know About Prayer In The Bible

9 Things You Should Know About Prayer In The Bible – You should know…

To the Sons and Daughters of Divorce

To the Sons and Daughters of Divorce – “We will piece together some themes from Scripture to explain how God understands and relates to children of divorce, in ten points.”

What Influence Do You Have on Your Children?

What Influence Do You Have on Your Children? - John MacArthur writes, “Christian parents today desperately need to own this simple principle. Before the throne of God we will be held accountable if we have turned our children over to other influences that shape their character in ungodly ways.”

The Heresy of Indifference

The Heresy of Indifference – “Indifference about doctrine is the mother of every heresy in all of history, and in our day indifference about doctrine is spreading like wildfire in the pulpits and pews of our churches. Ironically, the assertion that doctrine doesn’t matter is in fact a doctrine in itself.”

What the Media Isn’t Telling You

What the Media Isn’t Telling You Regarding the Judicial Arguments Over Same-Sex Marriage – Here is another significant note from the Supreme Court hearing last week.

Why is today the National Day of Prayer?

Why is Today the National Day of Prayer? - Here's the story.

The Real Point of Prayer

The Real Point of Prayer – On the National Day of Prayer, we look at why the act of prayer really matters in our lives.

America Needs Healing! How We Can See It Happen…

America Needs Healing! How We Can See It Happen… - Thoughts on the National Day of Prayer.

3 Questions All Parents With Young Children Must Ask

3 Questions All Parents With Young Children Must Ask – A few important questions to help guide you on the journey of raising kids.

Worship as the Ultimate Act

Worship as the Ultimate Act – Historically, worship has been a divisive part of the local church experience. How might we rightly understand worship?

The Meaning of Sex

The Meaning of Sex - The article is an adapted version of an evangelistic talk given at a Campus Outreach event given at Georgetown University.

When a Leader Lets You Down

When a Leader Lets You Down – “Whether it’s a moral failing, a leadership blind spot, a deficiency of wisdom, or some other weakness—at some point and in some way we will be disappointed by even our heroes.”

A God Greater Than Google

A God Greater Than Google – “We’ve been trained to live without uncertainty. We’ve been taught that not only are we entitled to every answer, but that they’re all just a couple of clicks (and seconds) away.” 

Gnostic Sex

Gnostic Sex - Michael Wittmer shares two influencers that helped lead to where our culture is today.