January 27, 2012
Our study in the Sermon on the Mount unearths one of the most significant questions of Christianity: what is the relationship between God’s gifts and our good works? Does God give good things to us because we do good works? Do we do good works because God gives us good things? Will God take away [...]
January 20, 2012
Sunday marks the 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision regarding abortion. Many hail this decision as a great equalizer for women, giving them a way out of an unplanned pregnancy equivalent to that of a man, who can simply leave the relationship and shirk responsibility for the child. While this tragic [...]
January 13, 2012
On Sunday morning Aaron Dotterer, who has served our body faithfully for seven years, shared the following announcement with grace, gravity, courage, and a deep trust in our God. Afterwards the elders prayed over him and encouraged the congregation to continue to pray for Aaron as he pursues God’s next steps in his life. I [...]
January 6, 2012
During my university years God led me through a season in his word that opened my eyes to the pure joy and satisfaction of being in his presence. “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children [...]
December 30, 2011
With each new year comes new possibilities of fresh encounters with God, deeper relationships with one another, and meaningful ministry to our neighbors. On the one hand, this never happens on accident, without intentionality. On the other hand, we cannot force such relational growth. It is God’s Spirit using God’s word that opens our hearts [...]
December 20, 2011
The supreme irony of American Christmas is that the very themes we celebrate with Christ’s coming–love, joy, peace–are the virtues most egregiously compromised this season. Many families gather only to see old bitterness emerge rather than love. The pressure to find the right gifts yields misery rather than joy. And the pace at which events, [...]
December 9, 2011
For us who call Jesus Lord, the perennial challenge of Christmastime is to unearth the profound mystery of the incarnation–God become flesh–from the heap of plastic, lights, music, and events under which it is buried. This year God has introduced me to a new backhoe that can dig through the consumeristic pile: the Sermon on [...]
October 22, 2011
Two Sundays ago we highlighted the vast hunger and malnutrition facing Somalia. In early September, the last time numbers were released, 29,000 people had already died from starvation and 750,000 more face death from lack of access to food. Regretfully Somalia is not the only place where food is scarce. Much of Central Africa, India, [...]
October 11, 2011
On Sunday we plan to address the famine in Somalia. The following Sunday Dan Julian will preach and share the plans Anna and he have for gospel work in Spain. Then following week we will discuss Missional Communities. Then Mending the Soul Ministries. Why this focus? Why the break from preaching through books of the [...]
October 11, 2011
In our recent study of Isaiah we heard a consistent call to “Keep justice and do righteousness” (56:1). For the prophet this applied to Israel’s leaders who devoured instead of served God’s people (56:9-12), field owners who oppressed their workers (58:3), those who perverted justice in the courts through bribes and lies (59:4), and the [...]
