Believers · Bible Study · Church · Church Life · Depth · Pastors · Theology

A Call for Pastors and Churches to Go Deep

For years I have tried to blow the whistle on the subject of shallow theology. This is a current trend among evangelical churches to keep things shallow. It is especially highlighted among the current 20-30-something crowd. Quite a few of my pastoral peers fit into this mold. Most have not heeded the warning. They look… Continue reading A Call for Pastors and Churches to Go Deep

Bible Study · Christians · Church · Doctrine · Ephesians · Gospel · Sermon

Should Sermons Teach the Gospel, Doctrine, or Practical Application?

There is a question of what a sermon should entail. Should a sermon be focused on doctrine, the Gospel, or practical application? Your answer may differ depending on the type of church you grew up in or attend now. Those who grew up in what are considered liturgical churches most likely grew up in Gospel-heavy… Continue reading Should Sermons Teach the Gospel, Doctrine, or Practical Application?

Abortion · Bible Study · Christians · Church · Doctrine · Following God · Government · Laziness · Political Theory · Politics · Relevance

Irrelevant Church or Political Church

Complaints to me regarding church fall into two categories, which contradict each other and are usually proposed by the same people.  First, people say they don’t go to church or believe in God because it is not relevant to their lives. Second, they don’t want to hear “politics” talked about in church. My contention would… Continue reading Irrelevant Church or Political Church

Bible Study · Controversy · Fear · Fear of God · Jesus

Christians And Conspiracies

You would think that living in today’s information age would mean no one would have to worry about conspiracies. All truths would easily be seen with everything videoed, audio recorded, and so many facts accessible. We all know this is far from the truth. In fact, it appears that conspiracies run more rampant today than… Continue reading Christians And Conspiracies

Bible Study · Cross Reference

The Whole Counsel of God, Bible Study Part IV

This series is aimed at helping you study the Bible. Parts I-III cover: how to read the passage, how to study the context of the passage, and how to understand the meaning of the words of the passage. Step four will look at the whole counsel of God. In Acts 20:27 the apostle Paul speaks… Continue reading The Whole Counsel of God, Bible Study Part IV

Bible Study · Define · Romans 8:28 · Word Definition

Defining Terms is Vital to Bible Study Part III

We have talked a lot about how to study your Bible. Just picking it up and reading will provide knowledge of God and blessings to your life. If you know how to study your Bible, you will have a better grasp of what is being written and who God is. The first two parts to… Continue reading Defining Terms is Vital to Bible Study Part III

Bible Study · Church · Church Life · Ministry · Pastoring · Theology

Three Ways to Support Your Pastor’s Theology

I am blessed to pastor a small church in the hills of Northeastern Pennsylvania for more than 12 years. This church has been a blessing to me in many ways. I want to share one important way they have supported me, hoping to inspire other churches to do the same: continued theological study. I will… Continue reading Three Ways to Support Your Pastor’s Theology

Bible Study · Disciple · Discipleship · Gospel · Jesus · John

A Quick Discipleship Guide in John

We use this word “disciple” a lot, but often we either do not define it well, don’t understand it’s fullness, or do not help people practically enough to be able to help actually disciple someone else. The simple goal of Christian discipleship is to help someone follow Jesus better. A disciple is someone who learns,… Continue reading A Quick Discipleship Guide in John

Bible Study · Jesus-Centered · Man · Rest · Trust

The Blessing of Christ-Centered Theology

When we think of the Old Testament we often think of only God the Father as being in existence. This can be attributed to how little the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament, as well as  Jesus’ birth and His coming as man to Earth is not mentioned until the gospels of Matthew,… Continue reading The Blessing of Christ-Centered Theology

Bible Study · Church Life · Pastoring · Sermon

Why Cross-Centered Preaching?

Almost a year ago I wrote articles on what is known as cross-centered theology. Cross-centered theology basically declares that everything that we are called to do as Christians is directly related to the cross.  Salvation is our primary benefit of the cross, reconciling us with God again and securing our eternity in Heaven to worship… Continue reading Why Cross-Centered Preaching?