II. The Great Gift Thoughts on ḥesed In my childhood years, people told me many times, “God loves you.” I was hardly in a position to disagree, but mentally I often added, “and He has a long list of improvements He wants you to make.” I am afraid that sounded to me...
Revitalize Bible Reading
Does Bible Reading Make You Feel Frustrated and Bored? It May Be Time for a Reset. “Can I share a secret?” the woman asked. Sitting in an empty sanctuary with an interviewer and a cameraman, about to begin recording, she suddenly felt the need to come clean. “I’ve...
Embracing Advent: A Season of Yearning and Anticipation
As the calendar year winds down, as the days darken and grow short, as Christmas songs spill from crowded stores and children set about making wish lists for Santa, the church’s year dawns. On the fourth Sunday before Christmas, Advent begins. The first day of Advent...
Don’t Wait Until You “Have Time” to Develop Healthy Habits
It’s easy to believe that once you graduate, get married, get a better job, settle down, or [insert whatever other milestone you’re hoping to reach next], you will have more time to focus on Bible study, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines. Quite the opposite is...
Engaging God through All Things
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. John 1:1–3 I’ve never been much of an empirical thinker. While I was growing up, the languages of physics, chemistry,...
What Does Christian Meditation Look Like?
What does the word meditation mean to you? Some see it as spiritually dangerous or discount it as simply not for them. In reality, meditation has deep roots in the Christian faith. Psalm 1 sets a precedent for Christians regarding meditation. Originally written as an...
Unlocking Joy through Brain Science
A few years ago, I (Chris) wrote a book with neuroscience specialist Dr. Jim Wilder, addiction recovery specialist Ed Khouri, and educator Sheila Sutton called Joy Starts Here. In our book we describe joy this way. Joy is the twinkle in someone’s eyes, the smile from...
We live in a political world.
That is the opening line to Bob Dylan’s 1989 song “Political World.” The poet laureate of rock ’n’ roll ends the song with these lines: We live in a political world / Everything is hers or his / Climb into the frame and shout God’s name / But you’re not even sure what...
Music is Spiritual
In 1 Chr. 25:1, the Chronicler recorded that, “David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.” And again, in verse 3, the Chronicle mentioned...
Discovering ḥesed
II. The Great Gift Thoughts on ḥesed In my childhood years, people told me many times, “God loves you.” I was hardly in a position to disagree, but mentally I often added, “and He has a long list of improvements He wants you to make.” I am afraid that sounded to me...
Revitalize Bible Reading
Does Bible Reading Make You Feel Frustrated and Bored? It May Be Time for a Reset. “Can I share a secret?” the woman asked. Sitting in an empty sanctuary with an interviewer and a cameraman, about to begin recording, she suddenly felt the need to come clean. “I’ve...
Embracing Advent: A Season of Yearning and Anticipation
As the calendar year winds down, as the days darken and grow short, as Christmas songs spill from crowded stores and children set about making wish lists for Santa, the church’s year dawns. On the fourth Sunday before Christmas, Advent begins. The first day of Advent...
Don’t Wait Until You “Have Time” to Develop Healthy Habits
It’s easy to believe that once you graduate, get married, get a better job, settle down, or [insert whatever other milestone you’re hoping to reach next], you will have more time to focus on Bible study, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines. Quite the opposite is...
Engaging God through All Things
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. John 1:1–3 I’ve never been much of an empirical thinker. While I was growing up, the languages of physics, chemistry,...
What Does Christian Meditation Look Like?
What does the word meditation mean to you? Some see it as spiritually dangerous or discount it as simply not for them. In reality, meditation has deep roots in the Christian faith. Psalm 1 sets a precedent for Christians regarding meditation. Originally written as an...
Unlocking Joy through Brain Science
A few years ago, I (Chris) wrote a book with neuroscience specialist Dr. Jim Wilder, addiction recovery specialist Ed Khouri, and educator Sheila Sutton called Joy Starts Here. In our book we describe joy this way. Joy is the twinkle in someone’s eyes, the smile from...
We live in a political world.
That is the opening line to Bob Dylan’s 1989 song “Political World.” The poet laureate of rock ’n’ roll ends the song with these lines: We live in a political world / Everything is hers or his / Climb into the frame and shout God’s name / But you’re not even sure what...
Music is Spiritual
In 1 Chr. 25:1, the Chronicler recorded that, “David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.” And again, in verse 3, the Chronicle mentioned...
Helping Your Small Group Thrive
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