This past Sunday I shared a critical thinking for the church that is too important to our future simply to assume we all understood.  Here is a brief summary:  we are moving into the letters of Paul and Paul loves lists.  He presents us with many of them.  Romans 1 has a list, a long…

In the end, I realize I am just a single person with little ability to influence anyone in the direction of what is true. Without God empowering what I am learning, there is no hope it can really change me or anyone else. We are entering the letters of Paul in our 27/90…

I have been reading about how the church got started in the book of Acts and I have to tell you I am not so sure I would have wanted to be a church starter back then. It did have its highs and lows, like almost everything in life. On the high side, Peter gave one…

One of the gifts I was given as a young Christian was being taught to put important scripture verses in my mind and then my heart. I put my first verse in my memory the very first night I was a Christian, Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the…

The Aposte Paul is a brilliant man, well educated, articulate, organized, energetic and charismatic. All of these character traits make for a great leader, but there is only one trait Paul lifts high over and over again to the churches he started and served. It surfaces many times in his letters to the Corinthians, Jesus…

Now here's a telling quote, "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together." Matthew 22:34 Nothing will unite a divided people more than a common enemy. The Pharisees and Sadducees were like Republicans and Democrats, yet they decided to both go after Jesus because both parties perceived Him as a threat. So…

As we read through the New Testament together, I have added a new discipline for my personal study.  I am going to memorize one key verse each day and post it on my personal facebook.  If you would like to se it, just send me a friend request.  I expect this will be rather challenging…

Brenda and I evacuated to Winter Garden for the hurricane and of course the storm followed us.  A tornado touched down just a stone's throw from my son's home.  Matthew and I walked the neighborhood and helped where we could.  Then we got busy working at Matthew's house cutting up the downed branches, putting his…

As Irma approaches Florida, I got word of a mandatory evacuation for the Keys Wednesday.  I took a mission team to help after hurricane Katrina and stood in awe as I looked at the water mark left on the overpass for I 10 12 miles inland, 12 miles inland.  I was in shock.  Two entire…

"The Lord's message rang out from you..."  There is a glorious affirmation in our lives when we are living on purpose.  As we grow in faith and learn what it means to be Christ in the world to others, we begin to realize that what God is doing in our lives has changed our attitudes…