Active Faith

Peter

Stephan Tchividjian
6 Nov 2019
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peter

I find it easy to ignore people, and I am good at rationalizing it. I am busy doing “important” work. Many times the filter used is whether it’s convenient for me or not. Sometimes even worse, I subconsciously ask myself, “How does this person benefit me and my goals?” I know, it’s embarrassing. However, God is too gracious to leave us so selfish and will often provide us opportunities to be His voice, hands and feet….and when we do, we get just a small taste of what it means to be in God’s world. Let me tell you a story. […]

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The Credibility of Christianity

Dr. Tommy Boland
23 Oct 2019
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My intent in writing this monthly article is to provide you with a reasonable response to the many objections others throw up as reasons for rejecting the Christian faith. This, of course, comes under the heading of Christian apologetics (using evidence and reasons to express why someone should believe the truth claims of Christianity), which is rooted in 1 Peter 3:15 — “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” This month I would like to share a few […]

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christianity

This Calling It A Day For Christians

Brad Schmidt
16 Oct 2019
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This Calling It A Day For Christians This Calling for TGIF. Everybody’s working for the weekend. If you really loved what you do, it won’t feel like work. Ever hear these words or utter them yourself? Is there anything wrong with them?  A very common cultural view of work is that our work is really a means to end.  The modern view is that you work to make enough money so you don’t have to work. It echoes a common religious view of work, which says that you work to make enough money so you can give it to the […]

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Worshipful

Dr. Gary Hewins
8 Oct 2019
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There is a place where you can go-a great expansive, yet intimate “room.” Expectantly and cautiously climbing the stairs upward through an open door, one can enter an ongoing celebration. At the epicenter of all things is a throne. From that throne emanates flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. The color is so very brilliant and intense, but not as beautiful as He on the throne. The area around the throne cannot contain the visual splendor. The colors and brilliance are reflected as in a failed attempt to diminish their intensity. There before the throne is sea of glass, […]

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Unsinkable

Robey Barnes
17 Sep 2019
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I wish I could say that I took it in stride. But the honest truth is, I was shocked. I was sitting at lunch across from a young couple. They were both sharp professionals. They had asked me to officiate their wedding, and the purpose of the lunch was to find out where they were at spiritually. Over the course of the conversation, I said something like, “…that is why the resurrection of Jesus is so important.” I continued, but they interrupted. The groom-to-be said, “Wait, what did you just say?” I said, “You know, the fact that Jesus rose […]

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You Are Bountiful

Dr. Gary Hewins
9 Sep 2019
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In Christ, you have a grasp of the far-reaching implications of generosity. You know that you are never more like your Lord than when you give. “For God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16). For you, faith, generosity and love are inseparable. Your faith is fully alive and fully energized by Spirit-led biblical generosity. While others think they own what they have, they can actually be owned by what they have. You are aware of the truth that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. You own nothing. God owns everything. You steward all that […]

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Shoves and Tugs

Stephan Tchividjian
5 Sep 2019
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tug-of-war

I recently read an interesting article in Forbes magazine regarding the unexpected retirement of Andrew Luck, the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. There were several items that stood out to me while reading this article. Andrew retired from a very promising career in football, leaving upwards of $500 million of unearned potential on the table because of both physical and emotional injuries. He said he lost his joy. The article went on to state that he had been sacked a league-high 156 times in the first 70 games of his career (ouch!) and that his offensive line had been mismanaged […]

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A Loving God Must Be A Judging God

Dr. Tommy Boland
4 Sep 2019
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Unbelieving skeptics frequently tell me, “I’m OK with your loving God, but I have no interest in following a God who judges!” Those who express this objection simply have not given careful thought to what they are saying. Before we go any further, let me make one thing perfectly clear: In order for the world to have a God of love, this God must also be the God who judges men for their sins. Scripture is quite clear; God is love, to be sure (1 John 4:8), and He is also a judge (Genesis 18:25). Let me explain. The loving […]

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Loving God

Uniting the Church In Worship

Julie Anne Vargas
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worship

Sometimes it takes a single spark in the heart of one that God uses to spread something impactful to a community. The vision of Village Hymns began four years ago inside the heart of a local South Florida worship leader. Josh Bramos pulled together a small group of worship leader friends who wrote songs for their churches. Each of us had something in common: we were writing songs for our church contexts and leading them on Sunday mornings right alongside mainstream worship songs and hymns.    Themes We found that there were themes that were rising up from pulpits and […]

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Discover Meaning, Purpose and Mission In Work

Brad Schmidt
3 Sep 2019
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Barna Group recently released a study called “Christians at Work” that explores how Christians experience their work in relation to their understanding of the mission of God. What it revealed was that the majority of Christians cannot connect their everyday work to God’s work. Barna characterizes them as “compartmentalizers.” They think that what the pastor does and what happens on Sunday morning is important to God, and what happens Monday-Saturday is a means to an end. As a result, worship is something you do on Sunday and work is something you do on Monday. So…what’s the big deal? If we […]

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