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How To Deal With Conflict In The Church
When it comes to conflict, most people either face it head on, or run the other way. But what if there were a third option? Today on Discover the Word, the group discusses the apostle Paul’s advice for dealing with conflict in the church. Join us for a new series titled, “Deal with It,” today on Discover the Word!
Hiding Our Hurts
I was guest-speaking in a local church and my topic was an honest story about presenting our brokenness before God and receiving the healing He wants to give. Before closing in prayer, the pastor stood in the center aisle, looked deeply into the eyes of his gathered congregants, and said, “As your pastor I have the privilege of seeing you midweek and hearing your heart-breaking stories of brokenness. Then in our weekend worship services, I have the pain of watching you hide your hurt away.”
My heart ached at the hidden hurts that God came to heal. The writer of Hebrews…
Love of Another Kind
One of my favorite churches started several years ago as a ministry to ex-prisoners who were transitioning back into society. Now the church flourishes with people from all walks of life. I love that church because it reminds me of what I picture heaven will be like—filled with different kinds of people, all redeemed sinners, all bound together by the love of Jesus.
Sometimes, though, I wonder if church seems more like an exclusive club than a safe-haven for forgiven sinners. As people naturally gravitate into groups of “a certain kind” and cluster around those they feel comfortable with, it leaves…
How Can I Love the Church that Hurt Me?
Seven days after I came into the world, my dad became the pastor of the church that I would grow up in. Unlike my siblings, I never knew a time when my Dad wasn’t a pastor.
Discover how our manners reveal deeper spiritual truths
Do manners matter? We certainly tell our kids that they do, so the answer might seem obvious, but how can our manners actually reveal deeper spiritual truths? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll kick off the final week of the series “Falling into Love” on Discover the Word. Love is not rude—listen today!
Bringing our passions to the call to worship
As a culture, we sure do get excited about our sports! The Super Bowl, March Madness, the World Series, the World Cup, these are anticipated events that we’d never miss! But often, we don’t bring that same enthusiasm to worshiping God on Sunday! Today on Discover the Word, we’re talking about our passions, and our […]
All Generations
My parents married in 1933 during the Great Depression. My wife and I are Baby Boomers, part of the dramatic increase in births following World War II. Our four daughters, born in the seventies and eighties, belong to Generations X and Y. Growing up in such different times, it’s not surprising that we have different […]
Building Community
“Community” is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives, says Henri Nouwen. Often we surround ourselves with the people we most want to live with, which forms a club or a clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared vision, and hard work to form a community.
The Christian church was the first institution in history to bring together on equal footing Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free. The apostle Paul waxed eloquent on this “mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God.” By forming a…
Let Down Your Hair
Shortly before Jesus was crucified, a woman named Mary poured a bottle of expensive perfume on His feet. Then, in what may have been an even more daring act, she wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Not only did Mary sacrifice what may have been her life’s savings, she also sacrificed her reputation. In first-century Middle Eastern culture, respectable women never let down their hair in public. But true worship is not concerned about what others think of us (2 Sam. 6:21-22). To worship Jesus, Mary was willing to be thought of as immodest, perhaps even immoral.
Some of…
Love is the glue that holds us all together
The Bible tells us that the church is the body of Christ. And when a foot goes one way, and a hand goes another, tensions are bound to arise. So today the Discover the Word team gathers to talk about how the way we love each other is the glue that holds us together. Listen to […]
Discover how Christ changes our hearts to be like His
The Bible tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. But even that is worthless without this one thing. Today on Discover the Word, the team continues their study of 1 Corinthians 13 titled, “Falling into Love.” We’ll see how Christ changes our hearts to be like His. Join us […]
“Falling into Love”
We all know someone with the gift of gab. When they talk, everyone listens. But today, the Discover the Word team sits down to discuss how even the most eloquent speakers are just empty noise if they lack this one thing. It’s from the group’s study of 1 Corinthians 13 titled “Falling into Love.” And […]
Something’s missing!
Have you ever cooked something, tasted it, and thought, “Something’s missing!”? Well, today on Discover the Word, we kick off a new series to discuss the missing ingredient in a church that seemed to have everything. Is it possible that the same ingredient is missing in your life and in your church? Be part of […]
Why I Struggled To be Real in Church
Church is supposed to be the place we feel secure and accepted. But the reality is often different. Many of us struggle to be ourselves in the church because we fear being judged.
Should I Stay If My Church Doesn’t Satisfy Me?
I belong to a small church which used to meet all of my preferences. But now, five years and many unforeseeable changes later, our numbers are dwindling.
