“The intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21 ESV). One of the fundamental biblical doctrines that creates some confusion for those who are unfamiliar with it is the doctrine of Total Depravity, which concerns mankind’s guilty inability to stand before God and claim any sort of inherent righteousness. The bulk of […]
-Read MoreIf you were preparing your first sermon in a series of sermons that would revolutionize the current and future generations of the world, what would you say? What would you not say? Jesus had to consider these two questions as he prepared His “Sermon on the Mount.” In that first public sermon, He chose to […]
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Years ago, when our children were younger, we used to schedule “mystery family vacations.” The idea was a brilliant one, I might add. The concept was simple. Lisa and I would devise a fun family vacation but keep it a secret. We would simply share with our children the date of departure, the date of […]
-Read MoreAs a new year begins, the Church United story enters into year four of our mission to unite churches of our region for the purpose of seeing God’s kingdom descend upon South Florida. For the last three years pastors and ministry leaders have been connecting and collaborating together in their common desire to share faith, […]
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I love thinking about the Christmas story from Mary’s vantage point. Everyone remembers being a teenager… you’re figuring out your gifts and beginning to envision the future. Imagine teenage Mary and her prospects for the future as a poor, obscure Jew. Suddenly, she is visited by an angel and endowed with a mandate like no […]
-Read MoreIt’s that most wonderful time of the year again! Throughout December it is likely you will see or hear the phrase, “The Reason for the Season.” There is only one true reason, of course, and His name is Jesus Christ. And that reason does not spring from an uninformed, blind leap of faith. To those […]
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Maybe there is an aspect of God that is far too unnoticed? God is a Taker. We want the Lord to add to our lives, but don’t we also want Him to be a “Subtractor?” Who doesn’t think about God as a Giver? We are never more like God than when we give, right? “For […]
-Read MoreI have written several articles bemoaning the fact that far too many Americans see Thanksgiving as little more than a day for overindulgence in food and football, but I don’t believe I have ever written about the extent to which America’s Thanksgiving celebration bears wonderful witness to our Christian faith. In doing so, I want […]
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Imagine a humble, little first-century home existing within the New Testament era. Picture a dinner being prepared in a small, humble kitchen in first-century Palestine. A family is about to have a meal together. Out in the courtyard—outside the home—children are playing, running about and laughing. Just outside of the kitchen in the common area, […]
-Read MoreOne of the most common concerns that people raise with me is the exclusivity of the Christian faith. Many people in our postmodern, relativistic society want to believe that all roads lead to heaven. In 2016 Lifeway Research conducted a poll and found that 60 percent of all Americans believe that “Heaven is a place […]
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