Saved into Family
Jesus came to save people from every tribe, language, and nation, and to knit them all into one family, and we must work as hard as we can to make that diverse family a reality....
Keep Reading
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I Got Depressed Because Jesus Loves Me
My depression forced me to see the worst version of myself, and allowed me to see the true nature of God's love for me....
Depression's Causes: Exhaustion
Exhaustion and depression feel eerily similar. Often the two come together. ...
Depression and Christians: An Overview
Christians suffer with depression like everyone else. Some Christians let their faith make the depression worse by beating themselves up or hiding it. The good news is that depression can be managed and treated. ...
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Do Pastors Get Depressed?
Over the past 18 months, I went into a deep depression, and God steadily pulled me out. This series of blog posts will describe how I got there, what if felt like, and how I got out. I hope it helps you who struggle with depression, and you who love someone who does. ...
Depression's Causes: Mid-Life Crisis
Depression lied to me. It told me I had never been happy, and never would be happy. ...
How things got so grim: Unaddressed Trauma
As depression started closing in on me, the unaddressed trauma of my past began to weigh heavily on my heart. ...
Sermon Follow-up: Resources To Go With the 7th Commandment
The 7th Commandment not only prohibits adultery, it also prohibits all sexual immorality and it commands all efforts towards purity and love. Sunday's sermon was not long enough to cover the many topics that spring out of a discussion of this commandment. Here is a beginning list of resources for further growth in grace....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #9
Today we look at the new covenant instituted by Jesus, and how it is the fulfillment of all of the other covenants in the Bible....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #8
The covenant with David is about how God rules and protects His people....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #7
Today, we look at the covenant God made with Moses and Israel surrounding the Ten Commandments and the law of God....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #6
This week, we learn about the covenant God made with Abraham, and what circumcision has to do with God's promises....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #5
This week, we look at the third covenant in the Bible, the covenant God made with Noah (and the animals)....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #4
Today we look at the covenant that God made with Adam....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #2
A deeper look at the different parts of a covenant, and why Abram fell asleep before the ratification of God's covenant with him....
Theology Tuesday- Covenant Theology #3
God created the heavens and the earth in a personal, covenantal way....
Next Year in Jerusalem
Celebrating Holy Week during social distancing makes us feel a pronounced longing. We long to be together, and to have God make all things right. ...
Movies For Holy Week
My recommendations for films that will help illustrate the meaning of Holy Week events....
Pastoral Letter: March 24 2020
What do we know? We know that we have each other, a church body that cares for us and misses us. We know that Jesus, the true Son of God, is a light that shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overwhelm us. We know that our God has promised to walk with us through the valley of dark shadows, so we fear no evil. We know that Jesus was raised from the dead, so we have the hope of life eternal....
Jesus has Overcome the World
This world is not what we expect it to be. Sometimes we do everything right, but still get run over. Jesus knew that was coming. He lived a perfect life, and got run over worse than any of us. But that is not the end of the story. He overcame the world. His victory gives us hope. ...
Prayer for the First Day of School
A prayer for parents to pray on the first day of school. ...
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Your Father in Secret
When our faith is only lived out in front of others, then the respect and love of others is all we get for it....
The Final Four: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell
Join us for the next four weeks as we take the journey every church must travel. We will study death, the judgment, heaven and hell. We will answer our questions, feel our fears, and emerge more ready to enjoy life than ever. ...
What Is Lent and Why Can't You Eat Chocolate?
Lent reminds us that suffering is not pointless, that there must be a death in order to be a resurrection....
On Guilt and Anxiety
Your sin is no match for God’s love. He has overwhelmed and forgiven it. ...
Church Should be Easy - new
According to Harold Best, God created worshippers. We were created pouring out worship. Each member of the Trinity continually worships the others. God created us in his image. We were created to pour out worship upon the Trinity, but since we are fallen we worship created things rather than the creator....
Awakenings, Revivals, and RiverOaks
Awakenings occur within the church. People who have continued to come to church for years realize that they have never known Jesus, never felt his love, never hated their sin, never really believed. ...
What is Holy Week and How do I prepare for it?
The last week of March, starting on Palm Sunday, March 25th, and culminating on Easter Sunday, April 1st, is known as ‘Holy Week.’ Some consider this week the most important week in the entire church year. During this week, we follow the timeline of Jesus’ last week before His resurrection. You can read about this ‘final week’ in all four of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with each gospel writer giving slightly different perspectives on the events of the week....