You may know someone this last week who began observing Lent, the 40 day period preceding Easter. It’s a time when Christians prepare for the coming of Holy Week and Easter through prayer, fasting, alms-giving and self-denial. Some call it the “Spring Training” of Christianity! In fact, this past week started the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday … Read More
How Big Is Your Circle?
How big is the circle of people you believe will enter heaven and that you can have Christian fellowship with? For some, the circle is quite small, the list of beliefs they think are crucial, quite LONG! Only people who believe things in exactly the same way they do belong in the circle. 6 day creation. Young earth. Moses wrote … Read More
5 Great Things about Life Groups
As I see it, there are at least 5 great elements to the Life Groups ministry that we’re training people for this Sunday, March 13 from 4:30PM to 7:30PM. I heard tonight that 80 people are signed up for the second Life Group Leadership Seminar! There’s still time to sign up by emailing lifegroups@firstag.org. SO, the 10 great things– 1. … Read More
Beauty and Power
This amazing picture of a volcano in Iceland from National Geographic is a vivid reminder of the power and beauty of God to me. And just think–we live on a relatively small piece of our galaxy! Consider the shaking of the ground and what it must have sounded like beyond how visually impacting it is!
2 Quick Questions about Adam and Eve
Q: How did Adam and Eve’s sons have wives if Adam and Eve did not have daughters? This question is one raised by many people and is significant, as the Bible teaches that all human beings descended from Adam and Eve. The answer is kind of simple. Adam and Eve and their descendants lived for hundreds of years, according to … Read More
What I’ve Done This Week
This week I’ve been in Deerfield, Illinois at Trinity International University taking the 9th our of 10 classes for my Doctor of Ministry. This week I’ve taken a class on research that is helping me to understand the process needed to complete the major project that will complete the degree. In trying to narrow the focus of my project, I … Read More
Final States
Q: Do people in hell have a chance to get out? This question, submitted at our February 6 Q Morning, raises a number of significant issues. Beyond the basic question about the finality of hell, it is a fundamental question about the justice of God. I won’t pretend that I can plumb all the implications of the question here, but … Read More
Visioneering
This past weekend, I spent about 12 hours with the staff, deacons and a few others from our church talking about the Values, Mission, Vision, and Goals of First Assembly. This was one of the most exciting things I’ve had a chance to lead since I’ve been here. Next month, we’ll be meeting with all the leadership of the church … Read More
A Little More about Life Groups
You might have heard that this Saturday evening, March 5 from 6:30 to 9:30, a Life Group Leadership Seminar is being offered at First Assembly and that this seminar is mandatory for all adult Sunday school teachers, class leaders, home fellowship group leaders and teachers, and small group leaders. This seminar is also being offered on Sunday, March 13 from … Read More
S.O.A.P.
Today I’m really busy. Maybe too busy to write this blog. So, I wanted to give you a little tool that doesn’t take much time for taking in the Bible devotionally. It requires that you write, read one chapter of the Bible and follow this acronym “S.O.A.P.”. A few of my friends have led their churches in adopting S.O.A.P. as … Read More