first love
Growing communities, rooted in God’s love and story, reaching out and restoring lives.
faulty premise
Good morning,” the flight attendant said cheerily. “Welcome to Flight 0000 to Greenville- Spartanburg.”
you choose Q: what can we do on the Lord's Day (Sunday)?
Q: Can we attend interviews or exams on the Lord’s Day? —Samuel
A: The Christian church came into existence during a time when the Gentile world did not recognize a day of rest or worship. Pagans observed holidays and times of religious celebration, but they had no weekly day of rest or worship. Consequently, Christians in the Roman Empire had to…
we many dignitaries?
One of the many traditional Christmas carols we often hear and sing this time of year is We Three Kings. It was written by John Henry Hopkins in 1857. Go ahead—sing a few lines!
Now, I hate to topple a much-loved tradition, but there were likely more than three kings who traveled afar to visit Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). The Bible doesn’t…
when people rewrite truth
Matthew 15:1-6: Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your…
covered in ashes
Today is Ash Wednesday. It’s the first day of the Lent season, observed several weeks before Good Friday. Those who attend Ash Wednesday services typically apply ashes (or will have ashes applied) to their foreheads. The priest or pastor marks the forehead of each worshiper, often saying, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”
Ashes in…
smashing serpents
Martin Luther King Jr. famously said that 11 o’clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America. He meant that white Christians and black Christians often worship in separate churches. Recently I’ve noticed a new kind of Sunday morning segregation. It’s increasingly common for churches to divide according to worship style, holding traditional services for older folks who…
is it worth it?
"Last one to the water has to clean the dishes!"
Some man-made rules give the one "up" the advantage. Some simply don't make sense when you evaluate them. Are you living by any man made rules that will lead you to a “frozen lake” and no victory? (These two are by a lake by the way. I don’t think either…
idols
I knew of a young couple living in Togo, West Africa. As followers of Jesus, they occasionally encountered disapproval from family members who still practiced the old tribal rites.
One day the husband was tragically killed in a traffic accident. It was then that the clash between faith and tradition came to a head. At the funeral, the wife’s family…
trumping tradition
It’s tough when tradition trumps family. Daman Rao knows this bitter reality only too well. Born in a small south Asia village to a family steeped in superstitious tradition, he was despised and mistreated by them for simply being the fifth child and a boy.
Fortunately, as Daman grew into his teens, he was befriended by believers in Jesus and…
