Doctrine

Influential Faith: What is it and Why Does it Matter?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Amber Mann Riggs As my sighs of longing join in the requiem for a groaning earth, I know I’m not alone. Together, our sighs compose a refrain of a Church who wants our faith to be influential in our culture. Taking in the world around me, I can’t help but dream of being a conduit of healing and change. I see things that aren’t right with the world, and I want to make them right. As a Church, we curate idyllic pictures of a more perfect world and then pour our energy and resources into words, ministries, and social media posts [...]

Influential Faith: What is it and Why Does it Matter?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

Are We Loving Each Other?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Lisa Harp Hinds Are we loving each other? Meeting each other’s needs? How are we modeling Christ? Are we letting fear, frustration, and/or our need for individuality and some measure of control over our own lives get in the way of loving each other? INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE HOLY BIBLE God’s Word contains instructions on how we are to treat each other. In Matthew 7:12, Christ Jesus tells us, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” In other words, if we want people to treat us kindly, then we [...]

Are We Loving Each Other?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

Building Beautiful Churches for Jesus

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Whaid Rose Building Beautiful Churches for Jesus: Why the post-COVID church must redefine itself and its mission. Once upon a time a local church decided to build larger facilities to accommodate its rapid growth. It was a wealthy church, so it spent lavishly in making sure the new campus was the finest in town. Building program complete, an auspicious dedication event was convened. The keynote speaker was a former senior pastor who had national name recognition, which drew community and media attention. But as he arose to deliver his message, the appearance of a giant hand high above the stage—as [...]

Building Beautiful Churches for Jesuslisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

Answering God’s Call: Living for a Greater Cause

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

By Whaid Rose LIVING IN A FALLEN WORLD The sobering reality of life in a fallen world confronts us early in Scripture. In Genesis 4 we find a homicide, and by chapter 6 we read this sad commentary: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart (verses 5-6). At that point it would have been justifiable for God to wipe the slate clean [...]

Answering God’s Call: Living for a Greater Causelisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:07+00:00

What Does Scripture Say About Women Leading in the Church?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Jessica Monrose Leadership in the church is generally viewed as a position or title held by those in authority, predominately filled by men. In contrast, women usually fill supportive, non-dominating roles within the church such as administrative work and childcare. What does scripture say about women leading in the church? LEADING AS A CALLING Because of their identity in Christ, women are called to lead. All Christians have a calling on his or her life, which is to be the image bearer of God, leading others to Him. This primary call is a person’s identity in Christ and is manifested in their everyday lives. God’s character is [...]

What Does Scripture Say About Women Leading in the Church?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

The Doctrine of the Incarnation: A Historical Exploration-Part 3

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Israel Steinmetz The Christian orthodox doctrine of the Incarnation makes a rather stunning and unique claim. This doctrine states that the eternal Son of God became a human being, maintaining a divine nature and a human nature within one Person. He lived a physical life, died a physical death, and was resurrected. Such a claim stands out from all other religious claims. This series we have set out to thoroughly examine the doctrine of Incarnation. In part one we addressed the doctrine’s biblical basis. Part two chronicled its historic development including related heresies and controversies. Now we will explore its current standing among evangelicals. [...]

The Doctrine of the Incarnation: A Historical Exploration-Part 3lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

The Doctrine of the Incarnation: A Historical Exploration-Part 2

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Israel Steinmetz The Christian orthodox doctrine of the Incarnation makes a rather stunning and unique claim. This doctrine states that the eternal Son of God became a human being, maintaining a divine nature and a human nature within one Person. He lived a physical life, died a physical death, and was resurrected. Such a claim stands out from all other religious claims. This three part series thoroughly examines the doctrine of Incarnation. In part one we investigated the doctrine’s biblical basis. Now we will chronicle its historic development including related heresies and controversies. GROWTH OF THE DOCTRINE FROM AD 30 – 451: [...]

The Doctrine of the Incarnation: A Historical Exploration-Part 2lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

The Doctrine of the Incarnation: A Historical Exploration-Part 1

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Israel Steinmetz The Christian orthodox doctrine of the Incarnation makes a rather stunning and unique claim. This doctrine states that the eternal Son of God became a human being, maintaining a divine nature and a human nature within one Person. He lived a physical life, died a physical death, and was resurrected. Such a claim stands out from all other religious claims. Through nearly two thousand years of Church history much ink has been spilled over the doctrine of the Incarnation. Building on the foundation of references in the Gospels and the epistles, the early church debated for nearly five [...]

The Doctrine of the Incarnation: A Historical Exploration-Part 1lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

What is the Gospel?

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Martin Cicero My church family and I have been talking about things these last few weeks that lead up to a very important question, “What is the gospel?” Before I answer that, we need to understand that many people answer the question with much excess baggage. In Section 3 of Steps to Sharing Your Faith, we read, Sometimes a theme in the Scriptures so captivates us that we are tempted to make it part of the essential message. It might be God’s love for the poor and oppressed, or His promise of prosperity to Israel, or His command to be stewards of the [...]

What is the Gospel?lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

Why You Should Care About Theology

lisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

By Amber Mann Riggs For years, the word “theology” made my spiritual stomach churn. It was like putting the Bible on a lab table to be dissected like a dead, formaldehyde soaked frog, its cells being torn apart until they no longer resembled the organs and ligaments that had once made the frog bound with life. Then I transferred to a Christian university. And what was the very first course on my schedule? None other than Introduction to Theology. My bias against theology shattered like the clay pots covering the torches of Gideon’s army. Suddenly, everything became brighter. Theology – “the study of God” – is far from lifeless. [...]

Why You Should Care About Theologylisaauthor2025-02-14T16:19:46+00:00

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