God

The Importance of Worship

Rick Deal
1 May 2013
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Worship is one of the most crucial actions of our lives as Christians, so much so that its importance cannot be overemphasized. In discussing why worship plays such a vital role in our faith we need to clarify a few things, as many churches today are not teaching what it means to truly worship. The confusion In recent years, there has been a growing misconception and misrepresentation of what worship actually is. To some within modern day Christianity, the word worship refers to a specific portion of a church service. This generally revolves around singing songs that are meant to […]

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Should Women Work?

Dabney Hedegard
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The Bible is clear that we are God’s masterpiece. He embedded gifts within each of us before the beginning of time to perform specialized tasks here on Earth (Ephesians 2:10). Actually, the calling God places on our hearts can never be withdrawn;, according to Romans 11:29 it’s irrevocable. Kind of like a divine Mission Impossible assignment ordained by the Father. This revelation is freeing. As a homeschooling mother of four, I often hear strangers say, “I could never homeschool. I’m not sure how you do it.” I typically respond by saying it’s not for everyone—because it isn’t. There are many […]

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The Fruit of One-Way Love

Tullian Tchividjian
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Hollywood is not known for being a culture of grace. Dog eat dog is more like it. People love you one day and hate you the next. Personal value is very much attached to box office revenues and the unpredictable and often cruel winds of fashion. It was doubly shocking, therefore, when one-way love—and its fruit—made a powerful appearance on the stage in 2011. The occasion for it was Robert Downey Jr. receiving the American Cinematheque Award, a prize given to, “…an extraordinary artist in the entertainment industry who is fully engaged in his or her work and is committed […]

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5 Tips for Finding the Right Church

Caroline Navega
6 Apr 2013
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Life is all about choices. From the more complex decisions like what career to pursue, who to marry and where you want to live, to the simpler ones like choosing what to wear in the morning. In fact, reading this article is a choice. No matter what we do, there is no running away from the decisions we eventually have to make. Selecting your home church is yet another choice, but in a society that so overwhelmed with options, even narrowing down a church can be a daunting task. So how do you do it? How do you know which […]

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The Upside-Down Religion

Zsofi Schindler
4 Apr 2013
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Imagine yourself walking home from work and suddenly having the idea to stop at the local confectionery. Do you see yourself choosing your favorite cupcake? The waitress places it on a plate for you while you pull your wallet out of your pocket. Only before you could ask about the price, the waitress says it is for free for the rest of your life. How do you react? Are you getting suspicious? What kind of thoughts cross your mind? “Free? There may be a hidden camera or something.” Now, using this same scenario, let us randomly zoom in on three […]

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Count It All Joy

Jeremy McKeen
14 Mar 2013
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Sarah couldn’t believe what her pastor said in church on Sunday. He was teaching from the book of James and she thought, “You want me to do what in my trials? Count it all joy? Impossible.” If you’re anything like Sarah, joy is the last thing you think is possible when you’re right in the midst of suffering and sudden difficulty. You frequently find yourself asking, “Why is this happening to me? Why now? Has God abandoned me?” In times of trials, joy can seem so out of reach. So how are Christians supposed to count it all joy when […]

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Does Jesus Really Love Me?

Jeremy McKeen
7 Feb 2013
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Unanswered prayers are often difficult to understand. How can Jesus really love you when you pray and nothing seems to happen? Things can actually start to become a lot worse. So what gives? How can Jesus be so loving yet remain so silent on the other end of prayer? If you have ever wrestled with these questions, you are not alone. This is exactly what happened to Martha and Mary in John 11 when they sent a message to Jesus that their brother was ill and close to death. Instead of rushing to their brothers’ aid and healing him, Jesus […]

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Teen Resources

Madison Iszler
10 Jan 2013
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Today’s teens are bombarded with media that encourages them to live anything but a Christian life. Where can they find media sources that will challenge and inspire them to be more like Christ and that will connect them with other like-minded teens? The following resources include magazines, podcasts, websites and apps that provide Christ-centered encouragement, advice, and more. Magazines Susie magazine, from Susie Shellenberger, the creator of BRIO Magazine, features much of the same content as BRIO once did, including devotionals and advice about girls’ daily lives and spiritual walk. More info can be found at susiemagazine.com. FCA Magazine is published bi-monthly […]

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The New and Living Way

Jeremy McKeen
3 Jan 2013
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What is Christianity? Some people think that Christianity is just another way to find God. Others think it’s just the remains of a pre-enlightened time when people “believed in that sort of thing.” For many, it’s just an ethical code or list of values adopted as a crutch for life. But is that what the Bible teaches? What is biblical Christianity? And why should it matter? The early followers of Jesus were initially called people of “the Way” (see Acts 9:2, 24:14). This is because in Jesus – a new and final way to meet God and to be human […]

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A Theology of Christmas

Jeremy McKeen
5 Dec 2012
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“Keep Christ in Christmas!” This motto is often championed during the holiday season by well-meaning folks who paste it on the back of their vehicles or post it on their Facebook pages. But what does it really mean to live that motto out? Does it simply mean not shortening the word to “Xmas?” Even in text messages? Does it require you to rid your house of anything related to an overweight man in a tight red suit? Is it giving gifts to the underprivileged children overseas instead of your family and friends? How do you “Keep Christ in Christmas?” And […]

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