Good fruit and bad fruit: you know the difference. What kind do you consume? What kind do you produce? What kind are you? Pay attention to the Sermon on the Mount as Pastor David preaches from its conclusion, Matthew 7:13-20.
Living Out the Golden Rule
The percentage of people claiming no religious affiliation has grown significantly in past years. One reason? The privatization of faith. Maybe our faith is meant to be lived out in public! Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 7:7-12.
Sheerah or She-Ra?
Do you remember She-Ra? She was a fictional cartoon character created in the 1980s to counterbalance another character called He-Man. (They are related very similarly to how Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa are related, if that helps.) She-Ra was known for her immense strength and for her incredible intelligence; often she defeated her enemies with quick wits rather than aggressive action. She-Ra was known as the “Princess of Power” and “The Most Powerful Woman in the Universe.” Not bad, right?
He had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. (1 Chronicles 7:24 NLT)
Today’s Chronological Bible reading includes this one verse which, like many others, is easy to glance over and ignore. But perhaps we should pause to reflect on it! Continue reading
Dealing With Criticism
We are right, and they are wrong. Love the sinner, hate the sin. You love your brother, but what about the speck of sawdust in his eye? Listen in to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 7:1-6.
It Matters How You Read the Bible
A couple of Sundays ago, we watched the movie “Left Behind” (starring Kirk Cameron, from 2000) as part of our “Faith and Film” series. Our lively and interesting discussion after the film left me thinking about an important issue:
How do you go about reading the Bible? That is, what do you expect to find when you open the Bible’s pages?
Our expectations of scripture have a tremendous influence on our discoveries in it. Continue reading
Trusting God With the Little Things
Why do we worry so much? If we trust God with things like food and drink, he will prove himself to be faithful with bigger things like meaning and purpose and direction. Listen to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 6:25-34.
Saving for the Kingdom
Three short teachings, arranged together on purpose: you cannot serve both God and money. How then shall we live? Listen in to Pastor David’s message on Matthew 6:19-24.
Why We Watched Harry Potter at Church Last Night
Harry Potter, the fictional hero of the seven books and eight movies bearing his name, has been extremely popular among children and adults alike for the past decade or so.
Yet many Christians, churches, and pastors refuse to have anything to do with him.
This should not be. Continue reading
Eating What Needs to be Eaten
Why do you do the things you do? What is your motivation? And how does God enter into this discussion? Listen in to Pastor David’s sermon on Matthew 6:16-18, a reflection on two spiritual yet physical practices: fasting and baptism.
Bible, Blessings, and Brews: Pub Ministry
What if people who wouldn’t attend church would come to a Bible study, if it were at a different kind of location?
That’s the question that prompted a local Christian leader, Kurt Faust, to host the “Bible, Blessings, and Brews” pub ministry at the Midland Brewing Company on N. Saginaw Road this summer.
Last month, I was invited by Kurt to come and lead the pub ministry’s Wednesday evening discussion on the topic of forgiveness. Now, you might expect the pastor of a conservative-ish holiness congregation like ours to say “no” to the invitation. But truthfully, I only hesitated a moment before saying “yes.” Continue reading