Active Faith

Wycliffe – A Call to Community

Bob Woods
12 Apr 2018
no comments

God has designed us to thrive and do life better when we live and relate with one another in community. This does not always mean that he wants us to sell all that we have and live in communes, as some did in the early days of the Jesus Movement in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. It does mean recognizing that he created us to function as members of one another, as stated many times in the letters of Paul the Apostle to the early Christians. A few of the 59 “one anothers” in the New Testament are “Encourage one […]

-Read More

Allowing Lent to Capture You

Anitra Parmele
6 Mar 2018
no comments

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” ― Frederick Buechner Even as our social media feeds fill with exclamations of wonder that it is already March, Lent reminds us of a slower cadence. As the cycle of holidays slaps us like waves pounding the shore, Lent extends the chance at preparation. When our spirits cry out for a deeper communion with God in the midst of a frantic schedule, Lent offers scattered prompts throughout our days to draw us near to God. Lent 101 Marked by Ash Wednesday […]

-Read More

Jesus: The Lamb of God Connects at Passover

Rich Freeman
1 Mar 2018
no comments

The phrase, “Lamb of God,” has become a part of our Christian lingo. John the Baptist, as he sees Jesus walking toward him says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). In the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, a passage sometimes called the Gospel in the Old Testament, describing the Messiah, the prophet writes, “Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). This was the passage that the Ethiopian eunuch was reading when Philip […]

-Read More

College Football in Hebrew?

Dr. Gary Hewins
1 Feb 2018
no comments

My wife Angie and I recently watched the College Football National Championship in Hebrew. That’s right, Kirk Herbstreit’s voice was covered over with Hebrew color commentary. To many, the Alabama-Georgia game was already of a biblical proportion, but the added Old Testament feel was certainly interesting. My wife and I are fairly passionate about being football fans as I would guess you may be as well. While leading a biblical study tour of Israel, we arose at 3 a.m. to join the rest of the Bulldog Nation back in the States in rooting Georgia to their first National Championship since […]

-Read More

Beachside Church Hosts Wine Study and Bible Tasting

Chris Alexander
no comments

If your reaction to this title was one of “Whatcha talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?” you’re not alone. It implores one to search deeper into what this is all about, which is exactly what the man behind this initiative – Rev. Dr. Marcos Van Dorn – hopes you’ll do. Being one of those inquisitive people, I went to see what a Wine Study and Bible Tasting looked like. Was there really wine drinking while delving into the Bible? You betcha!   What kind of church is this?! Pastor Marcos (or Mark) is the founder of Florida Faith Church, a grassroots nondenominational, thriving […]

-Read More

Looking at Time a Little Differently

Dr. Gary Hewins
5 Jan 2018
no comments

Time can definitely fly. Time can seemingly slow down. Time can easily get wasted. Time is often relied upon to do something it has absolutely no ability to do. Time, in no way, shape, or form, can “heal all wounds.” I know we hear that often, but such a cliché is really, really wrong. In fact, time cannot heal anything. Time is not a person; it has no desire, agenda or motivation. Time feels nothing, says nothing and longs for nothing. Time doesn’t “heal all wounds.” God does. “…I am the God that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26).   Healer The […]

-Read More

Helper

Elizabeth Mitchell
no comments

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8). Heavy-hearted and under siege, we hunker down and hide, fearful of the onslaught from the enemy intent on our destruction. At the very least, he plots to capture us in his cavern of discouragement by providing a hundred reasons why self-pity is the reasonable choice at present. We must retaliate with the wisdom found in the wellspring of the Word. Our Lord fought him with truth; we flourish if we imitate our Savior’s example and do battle in his name. We reinforce our trembling […]

-Read More

New Beginnings

Dr. Tommy Boland
1 Jan 2018
no comments

I think you would agree, there is something quite special about the gift of new beginnings God gives to us. Of course, each day is a new beginning where God gives to us the opportunity to live life in a way that brings greater glory to Him than we did the day before. God also gives us a variety of new beginnings contained within each new day: A new goal A new vision A new calling A new address A new friendship A new relationship A new opportunity A new possibility A new year We are standing at the threshold […]

-Read More

beginning

#Prayer Works

John Hawkins, Sr
no comments

Lately there seem to be more social media posts claiming “prayers don’t work.” Perhaps this is in light of all the terrorist attacks and mass murders taking place. It is especially ironic when dozens or even hundreds of people are gunned down while at their church or mosque worshipping God. The conclusion of many atheists, agnostics and skeptics is prayer obviously didn’t help these people. There have always been those who wonder, “Does prayer work?” These questions are about much more than just prayer. In reality they are using the existence of evil in the world to prove that God […]

-Read More

Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication

Penni Bulten
5 Dec 2017
no comments

Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday celebrated in close proximity with Christmas, is a festival celebrated from December 12- 20 this year. The festival is older than Christmas as it has been celebrated since the times of the Maccabees about 200 years before Jesus’ birth. Hanukkah is celebrated all over the world by Jews from all countries, including by Messianic Jews and some Christians. A nine-candle menorah, dreidels and fried treats such as latkes (fried potato cakes) and jelly donuts are all a part of the celebration, each for their own reason. Fried treats are eaten in remembrance of the oil that […]

-Read More