I appreciate John Owen’s explanation of Hebrews 8:13.  He noted that some 1st Century Christians believed that the Old Covenant was still in force.  Owen then said that the author of Hebrews “knew that this persuasion was destructive to the faith of the gospel, and would, if pertinaciously adhered unto, prove ruinous to their own... Continue Reading

From what I’ve witnessed on social media lately, there’s been less empathy and self-reflection and more defensiveness regarding the sin of racism. This grieves me.  As believers, we should know that the only one with the right to say “I’m superior. I’m better than you” is God. If anyone has the right to be offended... Continue Reading

“Beloved, let us not lose the comfort of the constancy and immutability of Christ’s love. Let us conceive that all the sweet links of salvation are held on God’s part strong, not on ours; the firmness is on God’s part, not on ours. Election is firm on God’s part, not on ours. We choose indeed... Continue Reading

There are more small churches than you may think. According to Barna, “the largest group of American churchgoers attends services in a more intimate context. Almost half (46%) attend a church of 100 or fewer members. More than one-third (37%) attend a midsize church of over 100, but not larger than 499.”   Karl Vaters’... Continue Reading

In fact, in some ways smart phones are like mini slot machines – a purposeful design mechanism to keep people on them.  It’s been proven by studies that smart phones hurt the brain’s ability to focus for long periods of time. I can even tell this is true of me in the last year or... Continue Reading

At a time of profound persecution in Rome, the leader of the nascent Christian community sits in prison, falsely accused by Nero of burning down half of the city. His friend and biographer Luke arrives to see what he can do for Paul and for the Christians hiding for their lives in the city. The Christian... Continue Reading

This book is a collection of stories about a Christian woman who showed hospitality to many people over the years.  You’ll read about drug addicted neighbors, sexual sin, home cooked meals, pets, parents, homeschooling, and much psalm-singing.  Some of the stories are quite fascinating!   Scripture calls disciples of Jesus to be hospitable and to... Continue Reading

Jesus could have claimed the wealth of the nations, but he chose instead to live in poverty, proving that money was not his master. Nor did Jesus give in to sexual temptation, sinfully gratifying his sexual desire, but lived instead with perfect purity and chastity. He did not seek power through wrongful violence but patiently... Continue Reading

“For many, it seems that the history of Christianity began with their birth, or perhaps their rebirth. There is little to no sense of where they currently live in relation to the broader scope of the entire history of the church. Yet there is a vast library of accessible books that can correct that problem.”... Continue Reading

Ehrman argues that the emergence of Christianity as the victor over pagan religions in the ancient world was “the single greatest cultural transformation our world has ever seen.” And, consequently, there are few historical questions more important (and interesting) than how and why that happened.   In recent years there’s been a resurgence of interest... Continue Reading