Expectations are everything. Though not a Bible verse (I’m pretty sure), this maxim is very wise and widely used. Expectations are everything. It seems with the right expectations everything goes smoother, becomes more enjoyable or more endurable, and we stick to our goals better. We all have our own expectations, but there is one expectation …
Continue reading Why Planting A Church Is Challenging… And Why that Is A Good Thing
(A follow-up article to a sermon I preached on Song of Solomon 2:8-17) Song of Solomon is a poetic book that praises the practice of marital intimacy God’s way. Throughout history all the way up to our current cultural moment it’s message is indispensable. But, we tend to believe, it is narrowly focused: the message …
Family missions can take on a number of variations, mainly falling into two categories - either the parental mission of discipling children toward Christ or going on a evangelistic/service missions trip together as a family. Both are right and good, but they are not the only ways a family can be missional. Home discipleship being …
We are in the holiday season. Meaning, among other things, you will be spending more of your time with family and friends. Gathering with those closest to you during the holiday season is an instinctive impulse. Admittedly, gathering together is not always joyful nor easy. Nevertheless, to the best of your ability, I encourage you …
One of the most immediate and pressing concerns of Roe v. Wade’s reversal is the surplus of families considering alternatives to abortion and children in need of foster care and adoption. This calls for action on behalf of the church - first to the care of struggling expectant mothers and families and, secondly, to enter …
Church is a blessing. The church, a local group of redeemed sinners worshipping God through loving Him and loving others, is a blessing to those who participate in it. Our goal is to help young adults and teens see and experience God’s blessing by participating in the church body. We first looked at the Sunday …
Continue reading Raising Teens into Church Life pt. 3: Fellowship
Church is a blessing. The church, a local group of redeemed sinners worshipping God through loving Him and loving others, is a blessing to those who participate in it. The center of the church’s worship is Sunday morning; through prayer, singing, giving, and responding to God’s Word in faith the church collectively blesses God and …
Continue reading Raising Teens into Church Life pt. 2: Serving Others
Think of a time when it was difficult for you to love your child. Not when it was difficult to smile at them or think positively about them… But when it was difficult to seek their best at any cost. More than likely, it was either while they were steeped in sin or right after …
God’s providence leads us to John 3:16-17 this week – a great Christmas preparation passage. John 3:16-17 famously reads, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn …
Something caught my attention in Jeremiah 3:6-18. So far in Jeremiah, God has not held any punches about Israel and their unfaithfulness. Israel has no concern for God while they pursue false gods. So, God blatantly condemns them for their sin and their indifferent attitude toward their sin. Yet, in 3:11-12, God mercifully calls Israel …
Continue reading The Before and After of Repentance (A Devo on Jeremiah 3:6-18)
Familyhood 