The Gospel of Mark is the second book listed in the New Testament, coming right after Matthew. It is commonly accepted by scholars, however, that Mark was the first gospel written. Both Matthew and Luke rely heavily on Mark for their own books. The Gospel of Mark is clearly a primary source for Matthew and […]
Tips for Reading the Gospel of Mark Read More »
The idea of faith has always been an integral part of Christianity. The first recorded sermon of Jesus had to do with believing: “At last the time has come!” Jesus announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!” (Mark 1:15) Jesus chastised His closest followers for their
Faith and Church History Read More »
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10) This verse is such a great reminder for those of us who are in any kind of leadership role as a Christian. Study. Do. Teach Study. We
An Important Message from Ezra Read More »
“Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. What we think shapes who we are.” Craig Groeschel “Do not be conformed to the this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable
How Can We Think Differently? Read More »
“From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women
What Did the Early Church Look Like? Read More »
“We enjoy the fruit of our bad habits now but pay for them in the future. We pay for our good habits now but enjoy their fruit in the future.” James Clear- Atomic Habits This quote encapsulates the struggle that we all face on some level. Do I eat that doughnut or can I walk
“You are the salt of the earth.” When we hear this verse, we normally think of flavor. That is what we use salt for in our modern context. The original hearers, though, would have thought in terms of preserving their food. That is what they used salt for. They did not have refrigeration and salt
Are We Really the Salt of the Earth? Read More »
One of the things that the Covid crisis exposed was how fragile we are as human beings. I’m not just talking about the virus, I’m talking about the fear, anxiety, hopelessness, and depression that so many have experienced over the last few years. As a pastor, I’ve spoken with so many people struggling in these
Book Review- Courage to Be Healed by Mark Rutland Read More »
Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples is one of the best books on creating disciples that I’ve come across. The idea of “discipleship” has fallen out of vogue in many Christian circles. We would much rather focus on building our our own Christian lives and empires. Jesus, however, gave us very clear and specific instructions. “And Jesus
Book Review- Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples by Francis Chan Read More »
