“Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law.” Nehemiah 8:13 One of the ripple effects of COVID-19 is a feeling of disconnect from[...]
“All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.” Nehemiah 8:12 Not too long ago it would’ve been hard to image a scenario in which American believers couldn’t[...]
It’s taken time to process the events of the last few weeks. Many of us watched in utter dismay as chaos erupted in our streets. But the riots and unrest across our nation are not the problem; they are merely symptoms. That’s why spiritual eyesight is crucial. Viewing these events[...]
“…he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5b We live in a culture that likes to stay busy. Being busy, however, doesn’t always mean being productive. We can busy ourselves doing good things, yet[...]
“I am the vine, you are the branches…” John 15:5a There’s a lot of talk these days about individual identity. We hear phrases such as “true self” and “authentic self.” People are trying to figure out who they are in order to find their purpose in life. Well, today’s[...]
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4 The purpose of a vine is to bear fruit through its branches. The quality and quantity of[...]
During the past two months I’ve had many conversations with pastors and church members alike. It’s been interesting to hear the various ways churches handled the shutdown and to see the effect on their congregations. Many churches seem to fall into one of two categories right now - thriving or[...]
“…every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2 Scripture sets the clear expectation that we are to grow in our relationship with Christ. Maturing spiritually is a life-long process, not a one-time growth spurt. Consequently, we should see a steady progression as we[...]
I’ve been asked several times what I think post-pandemic life will look like. I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Many people desire to go back to normal life, while others anticipate a new normal. Either way, this virus will undoubtedly have a cultural, social, and financial[...]