Category: Church Life

What Do You Do With Immorality?

When the apostle Paul heard that there was immorality in the Corinthian church, he was shocked. The brand of immorality was of such a kind that the sensibilities of the pagan world would even be offended—”a man has his father’s wife”. But his amazement was mostly...

Wearing Your Own Jersey and Being Unlike Mike in the Body of Christ

“Compared to the talented people in my church, I’m worthless. Maybe I should just stay home. They don’t really need me.” Have you ever thought like that? In a church culture that highlights certain gifts (like speaking) above all others, such feelings are common. Paul uses...

What to Do With Sin

Here’s a church-life guarantee: people sin. Sometimes, they even sin against you. We all know this. What we don’t always know is how to deal with it. In my experience, we tend to swing to one of two extremes. At times we confront sin in such...

What to Ask Myself Before I Teach the Bible

The results of our teaching are entirely God’s business. But it is our business to be as prepared as possible. This not only means that we must know our subject, but that we must be spiritually-minded and intentional. The following are questions to ask yourself before...

What Should We Do At Sunday’s Meeting?

I love a good sermon, don’t you? But if the sermon is biblical and helpful at the church’s main weekly meeting (typically Sunday), does that make the gathering a success? Not necessarily. It’s possible that we have emphasized the sermon so much at the church’s main...

What if You Were Preston’s Teacher?

His Sunday school teacher just might have driven him to crime. When seven-year-old Preston Scarbrough woke up early one Sunday morning in July 2009, he just didn’t want to go to church. He slipped out of the house while his family slept, got in the car...

Your Favorite Famous Preacher

Renowned preachers of the gospel are immediately accessible on the Internet. Thousands of their sermons can be downloaded for free. Some of these men preach at multiple conferences throughout the year. I have spent time ministering on at least four different college campuses, and one of...

Why a “Paper” Bible is Better than a Bible App at Church Meetings

Technology is useful in the church. For example, I Skyped in recently to my congregation’s Sunday gathering when I was too sick to attend. I was strengthened by what I heard, and they happily avoided my virus. But technology is not valuable in every circumstance. I’m...

When Your Church is Not the Biggest in Town

These are days of “largeness” and, admittedly, I have bought into the hype. Let me explain: Normally when my wife and I go out on a date, we eat at a restaurant, but there are certain eateries that I refuse to frequent. Why? Because their servings...

The Value of Arriving Early to Church Meetings

“If we had left just five minutes earlier, we wouldn’t be in this predicament,” you mutter to yourself, confident that you are going to arrive after the church meeting has started. You feel your heart racing. You dread the attention you are about to bring upon...