Our God is an evangelistic God and has gone far out of His way (leaving heaven where He lacked nothing and deserved to be forever) in order to rescue unworthy rebels. He showed radical humility to come to us, warn us and promise us eternal life with Him. And He goes farther - He has chosen to use imperfect vessels such as us to literally tell the world that all may come, repent, believe and have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ!

There are height requirements for rides at the state fair, prerequisite classes that must be taken in order to register for advanced courses, and certain conditions that must be met before applying for certain jobs. It can be disastrous for someone to be accepted into or allowed to do something for which they are not fit or ready. At best, the operation will not be what it was intended. At worst, people get hurt. The same is true when a church selects and affirms leaders. In fact, far more is at stake, namely the good of God’s people and the glory of Christ (1 Timothy 3:1-16).

The average attendance for church goers where we live is right around two times per month. Hear me out, this note is not about improving the ol’ church stat-sheet. Instead, it is about increasing appreciation for gathering with the church, which I admit has a funny way of increasing church attendance. ;) We all need this! So, I wanted to remind us why gathering with the church is so very wonderful and so very important. First, let me remind us of our goal together, found most clearly in Ephesians 4…

I have never started a business, but I have watched nearly every episode of the hit ABC showShark Tank. Some of the most frequent criticism given to over-zealous entrepreneurs is to not get distracted by all the exciting potential applications the product could have or by diversifying the product line before the initial concept is proven. These are examples of what is called “mission-drift,”when business leaders lose focus of what is most crucial to accomplish their mission. Such distractions are understandable but can quickly compromise the success of an otherwise thriving company.

The Q: “How much should I give to the church?” The A: “Give whatever you want!”

In a way, New Testament giving is really that simple. That said, Scripture has quite a bit to say about what and how we should want to give. It shamelessly appeals to the Christian’s love for fellow believers in need, their appreciation for the work of the church, and their gratitude for all God has done, namely in Christ. And Second Corinthians, chapters eight and nine are ground zero for the call to this freeing brand of happy generosity in local church giving. Here, we see ten distinct aspects of New Testament church giving, some very practical and all deeply spiritual.

To say Scripture is sufficient is to say the Bible is God’s final and complete disclosure regarding how to be saved and how to live. It is comprehensive, showing us all we need to know, believe, and do. All the Christian needs in reference to the will of God is in the pages of Scripture (Eph. 5:17, 1 Thess. 4:3, 1 Pt. 2:15). Just like its other attributes, the sufficiency of God’s Word is actually a result of its divine inspiration. Since “all Scripture is breathed out by God”(2 Tim. 3:16), it must then bear His authority, be free of error, and be requisite reading for the Christian. Finally, we would expect Him to not have left anything out. And this is precisely (and repeatedly) what the Bible teaches.

Does God care about our happiness?Yes, and Psalm 1 proves it. 

Psalm 1 is not only a suitable introduction to the Psalter, but to the rest of the biblical genre of wisdom literature as a whole (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, even Job). This is because, packed within its potent 6 verses is a surprisingly balanced treatment of the life, the loves, and the fate of those who would walk according to the law of God. In summary, what this inaugural Psalm succinctly teaches us is that the way of God is the way, the only way, of true happiness and eternal life. 

You’re probably familiar with the popular testimonial ministry of “I Am Second,” where Christians sit in white leather chairs and tell how they live for the Lord and no more for themselves. As I understand it, this is to say that they are no longer the lord of their own life, but that God has taken the throne. They’re no longer first; God is, and they are second.

While this is accurate theologically with regard to salvation, the Christian life is not that simple. Upon salvation, we are then instructed (by the new Lord of our life) how we are to live – not only in relationship to God, but in relationship to everyone else in our lives. The truth is, we are not second, but third. This Christian truth is seen in what Christ considers the two greatest commandments…