March 29, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Knowledge
Should we be training our disciples up in theology before we can trust them to understand the Bible? No. In fact, giving them a theology before they are trusted to understand the Bible does more damage than you might think. It's unnatural, unwise and comes up short compared to the effectiveness of a disciple who knows his theology because he knows his Bible, not the other ...
Keep Reading
March 15, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Faith
Being indifferent to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is troubling. It can really only be because there is a lack of belief in the condition that demands the necessity for the Gospel. In other words, the cross is only attractive to people who know they need the cross. So why don't people think they need Jesus?...
Keep Reading
March 10, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Parenting
In today's culture, technology is an ever-present reality. Kids have lots of choices when it comes to what the world has to offer, but does that mean they should have all that the world has to offer? 1 Corinthians 6:12 helps shed some light on this question. ...
Keep Reading
March 1, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Knowledge
"Like, I've looked into all the religions, and none of them really appeal to me, like, all religions are basically the same and Jesus basically just taught us to love each other." It's statements like these that just cause me to stare blankly at the person saying them, but we can do better....
Keep Reading
February 24, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Evangelism
"I'm just not gifted like that" is Christianese for one of two things. It either means "I'm not there yet, but I'm learning" or it means "I'm a selfish person who refuses to be obedient". No gifting ever got this excuse more than the gift of evangelism. ...
Keep Reading
February 15, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Knowledge
Prophets played a vital role in God's plan for his people. They were his spokesmen. When his people strayed, the prophets were commissioned to beckon them back. In the New Covenant of Christ's blood, the role of Prophet seems to disappear. But when we examine the life of a Spirit-filled believer named Stephen, we can see why their role is now obsolete....
Keep Reading
February 8, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Holiness
There's a popular phrase that needs some fine tuning. A phrase that once resonated to a culture that needed it has lost its luster. I mean who hasn't heard the phrase "personal relationship with Jesus Christ"? ...
Keep Reading
January 29, 2019
by Jeff Schaefer
| Tags: bible, faith, reason, translation
If the Bible has been accurately translated, and it checks out as good history by the strictest standards, we would do well to look into it and take its claims seriously....
Keep Reading
January 26, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Faith
When you ask what should be most important to Christians, an easy answer that will get the most gold stars is "glorifying Jesus". But what does it mean to glorify Jesus? A better way to say it might be "to make Jesus matter to people". The Church (you and me) is in the business of making Jesus matter. Let's consider how...
Keep Reading
January 20, 2019
by Sam Martin
|
Category:
Evangelism
The Bible is translated in English so that we can easily understand it. But, we cannot expect that the concepts or even some of the terms it uses will be understood by someone who wasn't raised with it. More and more, America's generations are becoming those people. We have to change how we communicate. ...
Keep Reading