On 03 August 2019, two crazed gunmen killed a combined total of nearly 30 people in El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH. The largest loss of life was at an El Paso Walmart, where the gunman murdered 20 people. The killer posted an insane manifesto shortly before the attack characterized by white nationalism. He railed … [Read more…]
I love Bible questions! A few of them recently came up in teen Sunday School, regarding 2 Thessalonians 2:6. Here were the questions: Was Old Testament salvation by faith, or by works? Did the Holy Spirit indwell believers in the Old Testament? Will the Holy Spirit indwell believers during the Tribulation? In order to answer … [Read more…]
This past Sunday, I shared my thoughts about what our congregation needs to do to meet its obligations before God, in the spirit of Acts 1:8. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this came at precisely the one-year mark of my “official” ministry at SKRBC. In trendy terms, this is “my vision” for … [Read more…]
Have you ever wondered how we got the Bible? Did a group of people gather around a conference table and “decide” which books would be in the Old Testament? What about the New Testament? Was all this decided at the Council of Nicaea, in 325 A.D.? No. No. No. To paraphrase the great theologian Luke … [Read more…]
Today, there’s a lot of confusion about the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. In broadly conservative Christian circles, it’s common to have an “open, but cautious” view towards the miraculous sign gifts the apostles had, in the years after Jesus’ resurrection. This means many Christians are cautiously open to the idea that these miraculous gifts … [Read more…]
I mean for this article to accompany this morning’s sermon, entitled “Worshipping God in the Home.” You’ll have to see that sermon (or the accompanying notes) for some context. It’s enough to say that God wants us to worship Him in our homes, the other six days of the week. So, I want to recommend … [Read more…]
This past Sunday, I preached perhaps the most depressing sermon of my life, entitled, “What Should a Christian Think About Abortion?” It was depressing to study and prepare for, and even more depressing to deliver. It’s necessary to talk about this topic, because it is act of terrible wickedness. However, God is rich in mercy … [Read more…]
It’s good to be learning, to be growing. God has blessed us with so many great resources. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of really bad resources. Perhaps the most dangerous place for a Christian to go is the local Christian bookstore. It’s full of bad teaching, from well-meaning but unstable people. This is one … [Read more…]
This article was written by Debbie Ewald, who served in pregnancy center ministry for 14 years, in Texas and Washington. Abortion. Roe v. Wade. Pro-life or pro-choice. What do these terms have in common? They raise questions surrounding the sensitive issue of abortion. Should the baby be allowed to live when the parents are so … [Read more…]
I’ll probably send out a more comprehensive letter this week, but I have a few quick things for now: Please pray for Arlene’s son-in-law. He has been unexpectedly hospitalized because of fluid build-up around heart, which has impeded his breathing. His name is Cody, and he is only 33 years old. Needless to say, this … [Read more…]