Churches, like people, need mentors. When Grace Community Church started, we found a mentor in Acts 11. As the first core group met together to talk about what a church is and what our church should be like, we looked to Acts for guidance. There...
Perhaps one of the most compact and clear statements of the grace of God toward us is found in Acts 11:18, "Then to the Gentile also God has granted repentance that leads to life." The early leaders of the Christian church, who were all Jewish, made...
Here are my predictions for 2017: the church will be challenged and Christ will keep us in the love of God. These predictions are straight out of the small letter called Jude found in the New Testament. Jude is the book of the Bible that people...
"Those who suppose that the doctrine of God's grace tends to encourage moral laxity are simply showing that, in the most literal sense, they do not know what they are talking about. For love awakens love in return." J.I. Packer (Knowing God) That phrase, "love awakens love in return," is...
The idea of power evokes strong feelings. For some, there is a reaction against power because its use is so often abusive and leaves people damaged. For others, there is a lust for power because it is seen as the way to gain control over...
"With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused." Ephesians 4:17 (NLT) We must, we are told, be who we are. We must identify ourselves by some designation that most closely aligns with our inner sense...
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 A casual reading might lead us to think that the Bible is conflicted about riches....
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:1 This psalm contains nothing but praise. It can only be fully enjoyed by a devoutly grateful heart. We thank our parents, let us praise our heavenly Father; we are grateful...
If you put me in charge of getting the message of Jesus to all the nations on earth I am probably not going to return your call or answer your email. The calls I would make are going to be to the Christian leaders around the...
Assuming the election next Tuesday is not too close to call, and that there are no legal challenges to the outcome, next Wednesday we will have a new president and congress elect, as well as some new state and local public servants. Let me say how...
