Articles

The Story: A majority of pastors believe it’s important to incorporate patriotic elements in worship services during July Fourth weekend. Yet a majority also believe their congregation sometimes seems to… Read More

Summer solstice, 2021 In our corner of the northern hemisphere, this week’s solstice has brought amazingly long days—with first light at 3:26 am and last light at 11:06 pm. Everyone’s… Read More

Providing authentic answers to questions about the resurrection of Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels www.risenjesus.com NABEEL QURESHI Author, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus Mike Licona was instrumental in… Read More

by Greg Koukl Pronouns matter. I realize they seem like inconsequential little things—him, her, he, she. No big deal. But if pronouns really were “inconsequential little things,” then why has… Read More

​ Discipleship-first Friends, Today’s guest blogger is John Whittaker. John has spent 30 years as a pastor and Bible college professor, and helped thousands of people follow Jesus by learning… Read More

Stepping into the Jordan And Your Little Dog Too! by Rob Kranz Tone of voice can make all the difference. Is a statement meant to be serious? Humorous? Sarcastic? Without other… Read More

I recently took an afternoon to hang out with a pastor friend of mine. Nice guy. But the impression he left me with as I got on the highway to… Read More

By Fiona Veitch Smith I first considered writing a children’s book dealing with the intersection of science and faith when my daughter had just turned 10. She went to a state… Read More

Insights on Faith & Science Biologos has produced a series of short animated videos, designed to ask the big questions. Like the one asked of Francis Collins early in his career as a… Read More

Relational Unity Written by Alan Rouse, May 29, 2021 Here is holy ground; here is the gate of heaven. No such prayer was ever heard before or since. It could… Read More

Greg Koukl and Tim Barnett talk about some negative reactions they’ve received (and seen others receive) to their Christian convictions and give some thoughts on how to respond. Watch Greg… Read More

Wallace Henley, former Senior Associate Pastor of 2nd Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.  | Photo by Scott Belin The Church of Scotland’s General Assembly will soon consider a proposal to erase… Read More

Has the Cross Lost its Shame? by Rob Kranz Two weeks ago, I received my MA in Old Testament from Abilene Christian University, which is another step towards my goal. My path,… Read More

Daniel McCoy | Bio *Editor’s Note: For Part 1 (“How to Read the Bible like a Progressive”), click here. In 2014, the late Rachel Held Evans wrote an autobiographical account called Faith Unraveled. It… Read More

Economy of Grace: An Early Christian Take on Vulnerable Mission, by P. Kent Smith Contextualizing principles like those identified by Vulnerable Mission may be used to avoid creating unhealthy dependency…. Read More

By P. Kent Smith What will it take for Americans to come to know God for who God really is? In the face of the epidemic distractions presented by American… Read More

We’re about to Make a Big Mistake – Reflections on Rebecca McLaughlin’s “The Secular Creed” Daniel McCoy | Bio In describing the big mistake our culture is making, I’m going to point… Read More

  “the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139,12) Darkness can be terrifying. It contains the potential for great danger. A female friend… Read More

OTHER WORLDVIEWS Freedom Fading Greg Koukl Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn—Russian dissident, 10-year forced-labor Soviet Gulag inmate, Nobel Laureate, Christian—lamented the “fallacious belief” that “here such things are impossible,” that totalitarianism could not… Read More

journey together. humbly. respectfully. We’re Excited to Announce our Spanish Website A Message from Guy Hammond, Executive Director of Strength in Weakness Ministries A Message from Rolando Gonzalez, Leader of… Read More

Written by John Teal, April 24, 2021 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…. Read More

How to read the Bible like a progressive—is that really a good idea? No, I’m not suggesting you try this. In fact, I’m going to suggest that you learn how… Read More

“The One Thing” by John Porter At the end of your life, if you could pick one thing that you would like to have accomplished, what would that one thing… Read More

REAL LIFE WITH GUY HAMMOND Four Strategies to Living a LIFE of Daily PEACE Strategy #1 Spend time with people who will complete you, not those who will deplete you. Take just 10 mins… Read More

At the end of your life, if you could pick one thing that you would like to have accomplished, what would that one thing be? Generally people do not answer… Read More

Bobby Harrington | Bio *Editor’s Note: “The Historical Evidence for the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus” was originally released in 2019 and we’re bringing it back to everyone’s attention at an… Read More

Treating Every Person with Dignity, Kindness and Respect, While Standing for Biblical Truth Can a Person be Gay and a Christian at the Same Time? One of the greatest problems facing… Read More

On March 17, 461 A.D., Saint Patrick, Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. Today he is honored with the annual holiday of St. Patrick’s Day. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/saint-patrick-dies

It’s time to bestow America’s highest civilian honor on the renowned civil rights attorney and preacher. Trindi G. Mitchell Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and John Lewis are three… Read More

BibleBrew https://www.biblebrewpodcast.com/ Available on Spotify (Coming soon to Apple Podcast as well….) Instagram: @biblebrew BibleBrew is a space for respectful dialogue as we journey through 21st century popular topics such… Read More

Hugh Hewitt begins In, But Not Of—his wonderful handbook for cultivating one’s professional life as a force for Christ—with these words: The effective and mass communication of the gospel depends upon… Read More

Written by Clint Mosley, February 27, 2021 As we close out Black History month, I will call our attention to a pair of individuals who embodied an exemplary posture of… Read More

Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director and founder of BioLogos, receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccinee. Should you get the COVID vaccine? Many Christians are saying “no” or “not yet.” Here are… Read More

James: background There are many Jameses in the Bible. This translates the original name Jacob. This James is the younger brother of Jesus (the 2nd of Mary’s 5 sons). Ya’akov was… Read More

February 2021 If Jesus is God, and Jesus is praying to God, then Jesus must be praying . . . to himself. Well, if that’s what you think, this video… Read More

Social media has become an inferno of insults and anger. And sometimes even professing Christians add to the rage without thinking about the foolishness of spewing verbal abuses. We need… Read More

Plandemic? QAnon? Bill Gates creating COVID-19? As the novel coronavirus has traveled around the world, so too have conspiracy theories about the origins of the disease and the winners and… Read More

If you had asked me ten years ago whether evangelicals would ever give up ground on the issue of homosexuality, I would have said “no way!” Sure, the evangelical movement… Read More

​ ​ ​​ ​ Dear Discipleship-first Friends, This post is part of series by Discipleship.org leadership, which gives reasons why we believe that Jesus-style disciple making is the best path forward for… Read More

Revisiting the Term “Missionary” Written by Nadine Templer, January 16, 2021 Many of us (myself included) have been known as “missionaries.” I currently live in Nepal, and I spent most… Read More

Une série sur l’apologétique des adolescents ©2018, Douglas Jacoby et Page Pennell. Traduction par Anne Du Sault et Franck Gnonteme. Existe-t-il un Dieu créateur et durable ou est-ce que la… Read More

I saw this on the BBC News App and thought you should see it: Why our pursuit of happiness may be flawed It is an emotion linked to improved health… Read More

a beacon of hope for bringing peace to the streets Watch Kit here talk about his new book: https://vimeo.com/499400056 Hear how we can shatter the pipeline from schools to prisons… Read More

More Than Leaves: “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” Written by Dr. Tim Willis, January 9, 2021 Isaiah 5 opens with a song that captures the Lord’s disappointment with Israel…. Read More

Many congregations canceled services, and some Christians focused on feeding and nursing the poor. John Mark Hicks  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville saw its first case of the “Spanish flu” in late… Read More

The Christian Chronicle’s top stories on the coronavirus pandemic. Bobby Ross Jr. Editor-in-Chief Look to The Christian Chronicle for in-depth coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. From Christians battling the virus to churches… Read More

Click here for the podcast version “Happy New Year!” I hope you had a cracking Christmas, but also a wonderful New Year. It’s two days into 2021, the sun is… Read More

Let There be Peace on Earth! And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven,… Read More

  “A narrow escape” It was Wednesday morning. I was part-way through my prayer walk in the woods. I heard a noise above me in the canopy. A small branch fell… Read More

Discover all the courses being offered on the new AIM Europe page: https://aimeurope.athensinstitute.org

A you celebrating a Blue Christmas? Are you celebrating a Blue Christmas? Childhood memories linger from years past: eager anticipation, a shiny new red bicycle, new clothes, or that unexpected… Read More

A Medical Account of the Crucifixion Simplified & Amended [1] Hanging, electrocution, knee-capping, gas chamber: these punishments are feared. They all happen today, and we shudder as we think of… Read More

Point Park, part of the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, sits atop Lookout Mountain overlooking Chattanooga, TN. In the years after its 1895 dedication, numerous markers and monuments were erected to… Read More

Sermon given by Douglas Jacoby on November 18, 2020 in the North River church, Atlanta, in their ‘Joy of Giving’ series. His message is on ‘Roadblocks’. Click here to watch.

New Perspectives From Strength in Weakness Ministries Volume 24 | November 13, 2020 A SIW Member’s Bi-Weekly Update Video Series for Parents Watch Part 4 of this AMAZING  Video Series… Read More

Who Will Have Your Attention? Clinging to Christ in the Digital Age Scripture: Proverbs 27:20, Mark 9:7, Colossians 3:1–3, and Hebrews 2:1 As you know, our world offers us a feast of new multimedia… Read More

“From Me to We” – Nadine Templer A couple of months ago our family moved from the suburbs of Washington DC to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal – places with… Read More

Christians have been caught off guard. The current revolution sweeping society today was largely unexpected by most believers. That’s understandable in one sense. Who knows what new philosophy will capture… Read More

Can We Begin With Solitude? I am honored that John Teal, one of my former students at CCCB, asked me to contribute to the Common Grounds discussion. He asked me… Read More

BioLogos Alister McGrath | Doorway to Wonder Alister McGrath joins Jim Stump to talk about his book Born to Wonder. 10/29/20 Read More >

  You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 One of the most vital things we can do for our children is to teach… Read More

Standing at the Crossroads One Sunday in the 1980s, serving as a campus minister, I found myself standing at the crossroads in front of our church building. I was debating… Read More

Teleios is the journal of the Teleios Society. The Teleios Society exists to promote holistic Christian spirituality in the lives of disciples of Jesus. The editors believe the Christian community… Read More

BioLogos After years of listening, dreaming, planning, creating, and refining, we are thrilled to announce the launch of a new science/faith curriculum from BioLogos! INTEGRATE is a flexible teacher’s resource for… Read More

  Unity of the Spirit and “Lines of Fellowship” – Matt Dabbs Paul was much more ecumenical than I was growing up. The more I read Paul the more divisive… Read More

The Scourge of Suicide – Part Three Resources His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by… Read More

   Inter-Generational Unity – Nadine Templer As we strive for unity, one aspect that is often overlooked is the unity between generations, between young and “older” folks, the old guard… Read More

The Scourge of Suicide – Part Two ACT! The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. ~ Galatians 5:6 Suicides have nearly doubled in the United States… Read More

It’s easy to feel alone in your struggles with porn. We’re here to tell you that you aren’t the only one.  Issue 123 • September 2020 Redeeming the Pain: Marnie’s… Read More

Dr. Timothy Sumerlin – Denver, CO, USA • Sep 23, 2020 Suicides have nearly doubled in the United States among young people in recent years. Other age groups are not immune to… Read More

The following two hundred plus articles are searchable nowhere else at this website, as they are found only in newsletter pdf files. USE SEARCH OR SCROLL DOWN TO THE ITEM… Read More

News from Tyndale House  Tyndale House is an international evangelical research community focused on Bible languages, Bible manuscripts and the ancient world. We support scholars and resource the Church to understand and trust the Bible more. Master… Read More

Sharing Solitude in Community – Brandon Bradley In my last article, we explored Henri Nouwen’s idea of a wagon wheel as a simple model of the balance of solitude and… Read More

The Biggest “But” by Rob Kranz In my last post, we looked at one of the two big “Buts” in the New Testament regarding women’s roles. 1 Corinthians 14 can seem problematic… Read More

A Strength in Weakness Member’s BI-Weekly Update New Perspectives From Strength in Weakness Ministries Volume 19 | September 4, 2020 A SIW Member’s Bi-Weekly Update Real Life Up Close Let’s… Read More

  Don’t Throw Them Away Imagine a world where nonviolent offenses result in counseling and education rather than incarceration. Instead of learning how to be better criminals, young offenders learn… Read More

AUTHOR Greg Koukl PUBLISHED ON 09/01/2020 TACTICS AND TOOLS Street Tactics are specific conversation maneuvers you can use to navigate graciously, safely, and effectively in what otherwise would be difficult… Read More

Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Stepping into the Jordan Patrons, Prophets, and Preachers by Rob Kranz One of the advantages of teaching is that I always… Read More

– THE STATEMENT – A Christian Statement on Science for Pandemic Times SPANISH TRANSLATION | FRENCH TRANSLATION   We, the undersigned, join together as Christians who uphold the authority of God’s Word… Read More

This teen evidences curriculum was produced by Douglas Jacoby and Page Pennell. Click here for both Spanish & English versions in PDF, as well as an English version in Word.

We Mourn the Passing of Tom Olbricht Tom Olbricht, the extraordinarily gifted founder of the Christian Scholars’ Conference, who shaped generations of scholars, ministers and church leaders for more than… Read More

After the pandemic, will people return to church?   Some ministers fear the attendance decline will outlive the COVID-19 outbreak. Bobby Ross Jr. Editor-in-Chief Anote on the Facebook page of… Read More

Patriarchy: God’s Plan? by Rob Kranz In a recent post, I explored the events of Genesis 2 and 3. As I explained in that post, a careful examination of the text’s language… Read More

Statistics show us that kids are being exposed to pornography early, and this is having detrimental effects. This webinar will feature experts from Covenant Eyes who will share valuable statistics, research, and… Read More

Many biblical scholars have noted that Jesus’ teaching radically challenged Jewish marriage and divorce customs. This article details several ways in which the status quo is overturned. For reference, here… Read More

On September 11, 2001—a day Time magazine called the bloodiest day on American soil since the Civil War—two jumbo jets slammed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City,… Read More

 Attorney Fred Gray Remembers Congressman John Lewis Like many others, I’ve been deeply moved by the passing of Congressman John Lewis. Moved, but at a loss for words. I’ve… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, We are publishing a series in which disciple makers offer reflections on how to disciple people on racial issues. Last week it was Ben Barnett and this… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, We are asking a few disciple making leaders to describe how they disciple people on race. Ben Barnett is a lead pastor of Bridge Pointe Church in… Read More

It’s Not Where you Travel, But How Just Published, Now Available! Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler’s Guide to World Peace Buy Now! Join me in forming a community of travelers that… Read More

The first national survey of the worldview of Americans conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (@crcacu) shows that although seven out of ten consider themselves to be Christian,… Read More

Part 1 – Synopsis Part 2 – Pros Part 3 – Defining and Repurposing Terms Part 4 – Conclusion Dr. George Yancey’s “Beyond Racial Gridlock” is one of the best,… Read More

The Bible’s war language is often hyperbolic SCOT MCKNIGHT There is a trope among basketball players that, when they make a very quick move that fakes out their opponent, “they… Read More

David Instone-Brewer, a British scholar who specializes in Rabbinic Judaism, writes the most biblically on-track books on the subject of marriage-divorce-remarriage. For the précis, CLICK  HERE. Note: you can also… Read More

A sermon on abortion and race, preached at a Church of Christ in Oklahoma, sparks outrage. Bobby Ross Jr. Editor-in-Chief OKLAHOMA CITY — When I first heard about the sermon preached… Read More

By Amy Krall, for Stands to Reason In a post where I touched on the change from Saturday to Sunday as the day of worship, I was challenged in the comments to… Read More

  NATIONAL   Protests and prayers Christians respond to George Floyd’s death with outrage, rallies and calls for justice. Find more coverage and interviews related to the death of George… Read More

During the month of June, in connection to Father’s Day, I am thankful and eager to be able to share with you the things that God, by his love, grace… Read More

A Message to Dads 3 mins Join Us for Our Next Family Support Group Sunday, June 28 |7 PM EST Click Here to Join  Sunday, June 28 | 7 PM… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, The United States is in the midst of big change. First, it was COVID-19 and all the changes around which everyone had to adopt. Then, it was… Read More

So much has been said and is being said about the tragic death of George Floyd that it almost feels excessive to add to the conversation. But to continue on… Read More

16 April 1963 My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities “unwise and untimely.” Seldom do… Read More

“Snide and Prejudice”: Language is a telling clue to unacknowledged racial attitudes Source:  The Economist, 13 June 2020, p.68  

June 15, 2020 Dead Sea Scrolls Genetically Fingerprinted Animal skin DNA reveals some scrolls came from beyond the Qumran caves A highly technical study released on June 11, 2020 in… Read More

Jesus’ Words for the Grieving As a society we are contending with not only a pandemic and record job losses, but also with the racist violence that has plagued our… Read More

There’s a long overdue nationwide awakening to social injustices for a large segment of our country and it affects many of our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s Word… Read More

  The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and we have been thrust into a new storm. The wave of voices calling for change after the senseless killing of George… Read More

  Is there a message in the – tragic – mayhem? Access the podcast version of the newsletter by clicking here I have two things in my mind this week…. Read More

Shawn Patterson | Bio Friday, May 8, would have been Ahmaud Arbery’s 26th birthday. On Sunday, February 23, Ahmaud, a 25-year-old African American male, was jogging through Satilla Shores, Georgia. After seeing… Read More

Four lessons for members of Churches of Christ — black and white — outraged by George Floyd’s death. Cheryl Mann Bacon Columnist ‘We lose connection with the heart of God,… Read More

It’s fair to say our country finds itself in the heat of a reopened wound stemming from police violence and racial tensions. As we see our cities in turmoil, we… Read More

Teaching Our Children about Sexual Ethics and the Bible: A Live Interview With Steve & Deb Bowen for Parents and Grandparents Steve and Deb Bowen oversee the Family Ministry for… Read More

Some say there is no truth, but at least fifteen things have to be true before this statement can even be uttered in English. What are they? Continue here.

A website that may be of interest to you: Unity Draws People to Jesus Our mission is to promote and pray for unity within the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement through the… Read More

May 2020   Focus on the Person Rather Than the Argument Alan Shlemon of Stand to Reason shares how best to use your time if you only have one hour… Read More

Leading evangelical thinker Tim Keller joins Francis Collins, who heads our country’s biomedical research, in a conversation that includes updates on the latest COVID-19 research, a discussion on the value… Read More

One of my latest books was included in a Publisher’s Weekly ad. Publisher’s Weekly is the most prestigious name in the industry. “Origins” is 2nd from right, 3rd row. MJ… Read More

What does it mean to “follow” Jesus? We hear the language “follower of Jesus” all the time, but what does it mean to be a disciple, or apprentice, of the… Read More

Home Alone: Surviving the Pandemic for Married Couples

Africa’s other plague An army of locusts has invaded in the midst of COVID-19. Churches of Christ and relief ministries prepare for the region’s next pandemic — hunger. ‘They cover… Read More

In the Footsteps of Paul during COVID-19 by Dr. Mark Wilson (markwilson@sevenchurches.org) (Mark is helping me lead the Biblical Study Tour to Turkey 5 months from now.) Each spring I… Read More

Helping a Friend with… Anxiety or Depression Part 3 This is the final blog on listening. We’ve covered ways to help your friend (or yourself) when you struggle with anxiety… Read More

The Twisted Scriptures? Sometimes my intent is well-meaning, and yet, my conclusions, actions, and/or attitudes are misguided. Someone said, “any logical deduction taken to its extreme becomes absurd.” For years,… Read More

Drew Theological School Apr 2 · 9 min read Dear Ones, Particularly, in this letter, ones who claim some seriously biblical, or explicitly theological, orientation. Amidst this pandemic, ones who may be wondering……. Read More

Helping a Friend with… Anxiety or Depression Part 2 Last week I shared three ways to help your friend (or yourself) when you struggle with anxiety or depression. They were:… Read More

  Yesterday, I received an email from a friend who shared a copy of “The Stone-Campbell Reformation: Its Roots and Ideals” from July 1994 with an article by Leroy Garrett…. Read More

NEWS Why Do Pastors Keep Getting Rehired After Abuse? Victims’ advocates caution institutions against plans to “restore” fallen leaders. Kate Shellnutt   Another case of a leader with an abusive… Read More

A Strength in Weakness Member’s Weekly Update New Perspectives From Strength in Weakness Ministries Volume 7; April 30, 2020 A SIW Member’s Weekly Update   Coming Up: How to Break… Read More

But not until the COVID-19 crisis hit did I learn about the global influenza pandemic of 1918 — known colloquially as the Spanish flu — and my family’s connection to… Read More

Helping a Friend with… Anxiety or Depression During this difficult time, we all know someone (or we struggle with ourselves) with anxiety or depression (or both). Eighty percent of all… Read More

Thank you for attending QCC2020! Quarantine Church Con 2020 Summary What an incredible time we had together last week! God brought together over 1,000 of his people to be equipped… Read More

How to access the abundance Access the podcast version of the newsletter by clicking here Abundance or scarcity? What is your outlook right now? I’ve been reading Dallas Willard’s book,… Read More

Voices only: Virtual choirs are a hit

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, I hope the subject line got your attention because it is a vitally important question for the North American Church. Most of us have been trained to… Read More

 “if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5 NIV11) Trust, Die,… Read More

Believing in the Resurrection of Jesus How can we be believers in Jesus if we were not there and did not see him after he was raised from the dead?… Read More

  Notes: If you’ve been a regular listener to the Language of God podcast you’ve probably noticed our recent episodes have been a little different in attempt to respond to these times we’re… Read More

How not to ‘sink’ Access the podcast version of the newsletter by clicking here Thank you so much to everyone who gave me feedback on the topic of loneliness, especially… Read More

DISCIPLESHIP Some of us were lonely well before the pandemic. How do we find God’s comfort now? Clarissa Moll This past Sunday, I took my children for a walk in… Read More

Two Christian bioethicists on life or death issues that American doctors may soon face. INTERVIEW BY KARA BETTIS March 31, 2020 Medical professionals across the US are preparing COVID-19 units… Read More

  Dear Douglas, I am delighted to invite you to a special live stream with Francis Collins on Monday, April 6 at 8 p.m. EST! Francis Collins is the founder of BioLogos… Read More

Compassion or Judgment? Choose Today! You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. – John 8:15 ​ Compassion or Judgment? Facing loss is never easy and suicide in particular, is… Read More

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you….Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV11) Mar 23, 10:21 AM Access the… Read More

Many congregations canceled services, and some Christians focused on feeding and nursing the poor. By John Mark Hicks NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville saw its first case of the “Spanish flu” in… Read More

I saw this on the BBC News App and thought you should see it: From environmental improvements to acts of kindness, there are glimmers of light amid the crisis. Continue… Read More

Viral Christianity by Rob Kranz The beauty of a blog is that you are in full control of what you write about. Most of the time, I write about things I… Read More

FAITH AND FINANCES: A 21ST CENTURY BIBLICAL GUIDE FOR GROWING, PROTECTING, AND USING YOUR MONEY CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW! “Faith and Finances is a timely and much-needed exposition on… Read More

By Samuel L. Caraballo A biology teacher sees things with a new perspective when his own child is born with trisomy 21, and reflects on her life and what it… Read More

  “Hey, Mom and Dad, where do humans come from?” Christy gives some helpful dos and don’ts to help parents lead theological and scientific conversations with their children. Read More >… Read More

  Click here for the newsletter podcast version – with extra ‘bits’ The value of conversation As you may know I’ve been in Texas for a few days at the… Read More

Can Your Church Thrive in Exile? A Conversation with Randy Gariss Randy Gariss was minister of Joplin’s College Heights Christian Church when a mile-wide F5 tornado mowed into Joplin. Randy… Read More

Five Years in the Making & Nominated for Best Documentary & Best Director at the 2018 International Christian Film Festival in Miami Learn More

I find it very significant that on the last night of His life Jesus talked a lot about joy. Not exactly the topic you would expect from somebody about to… Read More

What does revival look like in the 21st century?  Are You Creating Disciples or Consumers? An Interview with Kelvin Teamer Church leaders often want to preach what feels good, and church people… Read More

Christian theologian Dr. William Lane Craig during debate at Purdue University, Feb. 1, 2013. | (Photo: Nicole Byrd) It’s true – time really does fly. Eight years ago, I wrote an article… Read More

Mental Health in the Church Setting Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. – 2 Thessalonians 1:4 I’ve… Read More

The Emotionally Healthy Leader Last fall, I reluctantly agreed to take a class called Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. It was being offered by a couple in our congregation. As I read… Read More

Dear marriage supporter, If two men can marry one another, why not three? Or why not two men and a woman? What’s so special about the number two once it’s… Read More

CT PASTORS Polyamory: Pastors’ Next Sexual Frontier These once-taboo relationships are showing up in churches across the US. Preston Sprinkle and Branson Parler   A pastor recently told me (Preston)… Read More

Why a Contradiction Seems Convincing Click Here to Listen It’s easy to believe a lie when you haven’t heard the whole story. But have you ever wondered how people can… Read More



Three approaches to world evangelization stand in tension with one another. Samuel Escobar (Peru) is President of the Latin American Theological Fraternity and Professor at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia,… Read More

Delving into the history of black churches | The Christian Chronicle Edward J. Robinson’s newest book, “Hard-Fighting Soldiers: A History of African American Churches of Christ,” takes its title from… Read More

“Caring for Creation” Click here for the newsletter podcast version – with extra ‘bits’ We have seen what I would call “proper weather” this last week. Flights cancelled, trees felled,… Read More

   Which Battery Does Your Marriage Run On? Click Here to Listen Items which run on batteries are irritations waiting to happen. Something stops working. You’ve got to find a… Read More

“How to be safe” Click here for the newsletter podcast version – with extra ‘bits’ It’s easy to become obsessed with safety. And with good reason. The coronavirus seems to… Read More

Discipleship-First Friends, I am just completing an experiment in disciple making with some current and future leaders in the staff at our church that I wanted to share with you…. Read More

   Click Here to Listen Have you read any of the “bad plot summaries” that are going around the internet? For example, here’s a bad plot summary of the Lord of… Read More

Sharing one’s faith—evangelizing—is a core practice among many religions. For Christians, it’s viewed as a mandate from Jesus himself before he departed earth: commanding his disciples to “spread the good… Read More

www.washingtontimes.com 5 mins read Religious conservative leaders at the national level see the fight over gender issues as make-or-break. (Associated Press/File) U.S. church attendance is dropping, but Hope Church in Memphis, Tennessee, is… Read More

Douglas Jacoby,  Washington DC (1993) (recommended by Russ Ewell, San Francisco) Prejudice is ugly and widespread, knowing no borders. Yet even more detestable is the use of biblical authority to justify… Read More

On January 1, Netflix released its latest über-bingeable series, Messiah, telling an all-too-believable story about the rise of a contemporary messianic figure known as Al-Masih (played by Mehdi Dehbi). Appearing out… Read More

11 Nigerian Christians Executed in ISIS Christmas Video…… | News & Reporting | Christianity Today In another filmed massacre, 11 Nigerian Christians were executed by the Islamic State West African… Read More

Something You Can Never Be CLICK HERE TO LISTEN   Have you ever been told an expression by somebody older than you which makes absolutely no sense to your generation?… Read More

By John Ortberg on January 1, 2020 This piece has been adapted from the transcript of a sermon delivered by John Ortberg at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church on January 5, 2014, and has… Read More

I like New Year’s resolutions. About 60% of Americans will join with me and make them over the next few days as we head into 2020. Here is the most… Read More

The Overlooked Nativity Character by Rob Kranz An old girlfriend once told me that the groom was just “a prop” at the wedding. The focus of the entire ceremony is supposed to… Read More

​ Dear Discipleship-First Tribe, One of the major developments coming for disciple makers moving into 2020 is the proliferation of digital apps and mobile sites (that function like apps) to… Read More

Are the Crusades the Ultimate Black Mark Against Christianity? by Rob Kranz “How could anyone defend a religion that would sanction the Crusades?” Having spent a year living in Jerusalem in the… Read More

By Dan Armstrong • In the summer of 2019, two-time NBA champion, Olympic medalist, and reality TV star Lamar Odom announced he was giving up porn. But, he didn’t have a… Read More

Discipleship-First Friends, Thanksgiving is an important day on many levels. We are committed to helping you be a disciple who makes disciples, so we know it’s important to “give thanks in… Read More

Since I am a professor at a seminary, it is not unusual (indeed, it is very common) for students to come to me for advice about whether they should enter… Read More

Church experts and those who have been there discuss what not to do when firing a minister. Talking with ministers who have lost their jobs can feel repetitive.  And depressing…. Read More

We believe discipleship is the core mission of the church. That is why fueling discipleship is our mission. We can only do this with your prayers and support. Would you prayerfully consider joining… Read More

News about terrorist attacks may teach us about some Muslims, but not about most Muslims — and probably not about the Muslims down the street. Continue reading here. www.desiringgod.org

  New Common Question: Why should Christians care for creation? As bearers of God’s image, all people have the responsibility and privilege of caring for God’s creation. How can we… Read More

Something doesn’t smell right in Lynchburg, Virginia, home of Liberty University and its controversial president, Jerry Falwell Jr. According to a September report in Politico: “Everybody is scared for their… Read More

Recently I caught up with one of the workshop presenters at our November 6th Gathering, Christian Ray Flores. Christian is a Renew.org co-founder and has an interesting perspective on culture and… Read More

Bookmark the list for Bible study, reference, and sharing with others. Top 100 Bible Verses on Money and Wealth Also see the Topical Index of Money and Wealth Scriptures The latest… Read More

Church experts and those who have been there offer five key recommendations for leaders. Cheryl Mann Bacon Columnist Somewhere in the unwritten but badly needed handbook for elders are three… Read More

SBC President J. D. Greear speaks at the ERLC’s Caring Well Conference on October 3.Southern Baptist Convention President J. D. Greear acknowledged that while sexual abuse survivors have pleaded with… Read More