Browsing Tag:

Worship

In Bible Study, Blog, Exodus on
September 5, 2022

Image of Idolatry

Every time I read through Exodus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy, I can’t help but think, “How can Israel be so forgetful?” God had performed miracle after miracle, wonder after wonder. He had answered their prayers, provided for their needs, and proven that He was nothing but faithful to His people. Yet, Israel still grumbled, and complained, and longed to return to their bondage—again, and again, and again.

But whenever I think these thoughts, I’m reminded that we are no different than Israel. God has performed miracle after miracle, wonder after wonder in our lives. He has answered our prayers, provided for our needs, and proven Himself faithful to us. Yet, we still grumble, and complain, and long to return to the bondage of our old, sinful ways. There is one Old Testament story in particular that highlights our similarities to Israel well, and it has to do with the creation of a golden calf.

Read more
By
/
In Blog, Church, Theology on
August 14, 2022

One Another

Church attendance in America is steadily declining. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, only thirty-six percent of professing Christians attend a local church at least once a week. Only forty-six percent attend at least once a month. This means that over half of those who claim to be Christian in this country never attend church or only attend a few times a year—probably on Christmas, Easter, and other special occasions.[1]

There are many reasons why someone may have stopped attending church over the past few years. Perhaps after the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn’t see a need to return to an in-person gathering when they can just watch the services online.  Maybe they’ve fallen prey to the deconstruction movement and are rethinking what they believe about God and the Bible. Or it’s possible that the rise of sexual abuse allegations against pastors and other church leaders have convinced them that the church is a broken system that can’t be repaired.

However, the truth is that Christians need the Church. God created human beings for community, and we’re not meant to do life alone (Genesis 2:18). Christians are commanded to gather with a local body of believers because we need the help and encouragement they can provide as we continue in our faith journey (Hebrews 10:24-25). The Church is our community, and as our community, we have a role to play in it. As the Church, we are to welcome one another, grow one another, and serve one another.

Read more
By
/
In Blog, Prayer, Theology on
April 17, 2022

Prayer Basics

Without communication, a relationship will never survive. I’ve had many friendships fade away because I just lost contact with them. And the same is true with other kinds of relationships, too. Marriages that lack communication often end in divorce. Miscommunication between bosses and employees tend to result in missed deadlines and uncompleted tasks. Parents who never communicate or cultivate relationships with their children are often estranged from them later in life.

Our relationship with God is no different. While a lack of communion with God won’t end in divorce or loss of relationship, forsaking practices like prayer and Bible reading can hinder one’s fellowship with God, making them feel like God is far away from them. Bible reading is a fairly straightforward discipline, and it’s rather easy to recognize how God speaks to us through His Word. But many Christians struggle with prayer. Who do we pray to? When should we pray? What should we pray for? Even people who have been believers for years are asking these questions, and all of them and more will be answered in this Prayer Basics post!

Read more
By
/
1 Comment
In Blog, Book Reviews, Systematic Theology on
December 27, 2021

Fix Your Eyes

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ve probably noticed that theology is very important to me. I spent five years at a Christian college studying theology. I read about theology in my free time. I write about theology for the blog. I post about theology on social media. I follow theologians on Twitter and Instagram. When I moved a couple years ago and was looking for a new church, the church’s theology was one of the most important things for me to consider, and I love it when pastors teach about deep theological concepts on Sunday mornings.

I enjoy theology, and it’s something that comes natural to me. However, something that is not quite so natural for me is worship. I’m a fairly analytical, non-emotional person. I don’t typically listen to a lot of Christian worship songs, but whenever I do, I don’t often raise my hands or tear up as I listen to impactful lyrics. While I enjoy a more contemporary worship service, my number one goal was not to find a church with all the lights and fog machines and an environment that evokes emotion. None of these things are necessarily bad. I’m just more of a “thinking” person rather than a “feeling” person.

Yet, focusing solely on theology and neglecting worship can lead to pride and hypocrisy and needing to always be right. On the other hand, focusing solely on worship and neglecting theology can lead to ignorance and shallow faith and being deceived by false teachings. Theology and worship are equally important, and this is what Amy Gannett emphasizes in her new book, Fix Your Eyes.

Read more
By
/
In Blog, Book Reviews, Self-Help on
August 9, 2021

Getting Over Yourself

There’s a new kind of gospel being spread amongst the western Church today. This gospel is a very me-centered gospel, one that is focused on MY dreams and MY destiny. It tells you that God has something greater for YOU, YOU have untapped potential, God has a vision for YOUR life. Those who preach this say that God is turning YOUR setback into a comeback and that the best is yet to come for YOU.[1] This message is very hyper-focused on the self, and it is incredibly anti-gospel. It could be described as a “self-help” or “new prosperity” gospel, and pastor Dean Inserra exposes this false gospel in his new book, Getting Over Yourself.

Read more
By
/