Sermons and Biblical Studies

Topics: Adoption; Belonging; Change; Children of God; Holiness; Sanctification; Spiritual Formation References: Romans 7:24–25; 8:1–5; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 3:7–15 When I was a child, my father brought home a twelve-year-old boy named Roger, whose parents had died from a drug overdose. There was no one to care for Roger, so my folks decided they … Continue reading “HOW
WE ACT IN GOD’S FAMILY”

Topics: Beginnings; Church; Faith; Humility; Ministry; Small Things; Vision References: Zechariah 4:10; Mark 4:30–32; 12:41–44 Almost two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to find the source of the Missouri River, and from there to discover a relatively easy water route west to the Pacific. Such a waterway, they discovered, … Continue reading “STRADDLING
THE MISSOURI”

Topics: Church Attendance; Attitudes; Excuses References: Romans 12:4–5, 10; Hebrews 10:25 I stopped going to ball games for the following reasons—which could apply just as easily to why I could stop going to church:      1.     Whenever I go to a game, they ask for money.      2.     The other fans don’t care about me.      3.     The seats are too … Continue reading “WHY
I STOPPED GOING”

Topics: Belief Systems; Missions; Religions References: Matthew 13:31–33; 28:19; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:6 Christianity has become the most universal religion in history, with believers today a majority of the population in two-thirds of the world’s 238 countries. So says the second edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia (Oxford University Press, 2001). Other statistics: •     Christianity began … Continue reading “CHRISTIANITY
LEADS WORLD RELIGIONS”

Topics: Arrogance; Church; Community; Factions; Grace; Pride; Unity; Weakness References: Romans 12:16; 15:5–7; 1 Corinthians 1:26–31; 4:6–13; Ephesians 2:8–9 After worrying for half an hour that we wouldn’t get on an overbooked flight, my wife and I were summoned to the check-in desk. A smiling agent whispered that this was our lucky day. He was … Continue reading “QUALIFYING
FOR FIRST CLASS”

Topics: Children; Church; Church Membership References: Matthew 11:25–26; 18:1–3; 19:13–15 Forty years ago, a Philadelphia congregation watched as three nine-year-old boys were baptized and joined the church. Not long after, the church sold the building and disbanded. One of those boys was Dr. Tony Campolo, Christian sociologist at Eastern University, Pennsylvania. Dr. Campolo remembers: “Years … Continue reading “LOOKING
BEYOND NUMBERS”

Topics: Apathy; Dependence on God; Faith; Fear; Freedom; Power; Trust References: Isaiah 40:31; Galatians 5:13 Every Sunday, the ducks in a certain town waddle out of their houses down Main Street to their church. They waddle into the sanctuary and squat in their proper pews. The duck choir waddles in and takes its place, and … Continue reading “FINDING
THEIR WINGS”

Topics: Forgiveness; Preaching; Revenge; Violence References: Matthew 5:38–44; Romans 12:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:15 A pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently had an opportunity to practice what he preaches about forgiveness. The pastor was preaching when a man came up and punched him in the face. Victory Christian Center’s pastor, Billy Joe Daugherty, continued his sermon, even … Continue reading “PREACHING
BEYOND ASSAULT”

Topics: Assurance; Body of Christ; Communion; Doubt; Fellowship with God; Grace; Intimacy; Perseverance; Presence of God; Sacraments; Security; Self-worth; Trust References: Matthew 26:26–29; Luke 22:19–20; John 3:16; 15:13; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:16 My aunt died some time ago, having lived to be eighty or so. She had never married. While clearing out her possessions, … Continue reading “SACRAMENTS
OF LOVE”

Topics: Believers; Body of Christ; Christianity; Church; Evangelism; Family of God; Great Commission; Missions References: Genesis 18:18; 22:18; Psalm 22:27; 96:3; Matthew 24:14; 28:18–20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 26:17–18 At the start of the twentieth century, only 10 percent of the world’s Christians lived in the Southern continents and the East, while 90 percent lived … Continue reading “CHRISTIAN
CONTINENTAL SHIFT”