Suppose it were possible to bring a first-century Christian to the assemblies of the church today. Many physical things obviously would be different, but of greater concern would be those spiritual differences. Think for a moment about how different he might find the preaching today from the kind of preaching he heard in the infant church. The preaching in the first century…

The comments made by those who visit our services are so important. One visitor said, “I’ve been to many churches and they talk about the Bible; at this church you let the Bible talk to you.” Our goal is to simply open the Bible and let the message of this amazing book guide us in every aspect of our lives. There is…

While the concept might have originated in Europe, it was William Morrison and John C. Wharton of Nashville who made it become a reality. In 1897, they created the machine which used air and sugar to popularize the spread of a new product. They called it fairy floss. It still has that name in Australia. In much of the world, it is…

It is remarkable how much our society contributes to our expectation for there to be instant gratification for whatever we want. James shows that this concept may not always have application in our lives. “Be patient, brethren…see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient.…

There are many illustrations used in the Bible to describe our lives as Christians. We are warriors in His army (Eph. 6) and harvesters in His vineyard (Matt. 20). We are boxers who do not simply throw blows into the air against an imaginary foe (1 Cor. 9:26).  One illustration used repeatedly is that we are competitors in a great race. This…

That transformation which occurs when one becomes a Christian is so remarkable. The apostle Paul emphasized this to those new Christians in Corinth. In his second letter to that church he spoke of all he was in Judaism before becoming a follower of Jesus. No one excelled his credentials, yet he gave it all up. He reminded them of this truth and…

For over two hundred years after the death of Solomon, those ten tribes in the northern part of Palestine never worshiped God. If you want to see just how longsuffering God is, consider that during this time they had nineteen kings and not a single one of them was righteous. It was not that they had no way to know God, for…

The religious impact Paul had on the city of Ephesus cannot be overstated. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, “The Temple of Diana,” was located in the center of the city. Paul’s preaching began turning many of the pagans in Ephesus toward Christ. His preaching also began to have an economic impact on the merchants of that city. As…