We are in a time where trust and acceptance of someone’s word is at a premium. It is difficult to find information that we know is true and won’t change. It should be obvious that God’s word can be a source of truth. In writing to Timothy and Titus, Paul included, “This is a faithful saying” before some of his inspired comments.…

Who is a “minister”?  It is common today for that word to be capitalized (“Minister”), as a way of designating a title given to someone (both in a government and in a religious setting).  In the church, the word is used almost exclusively as a title for those who preach, those who work with the youth, and those who are hired by…

The most profound truths can so often be evaluated and understood by just using common sense. The reality is that God did not write the Bible in such a way that only the most scholarly could comprehend it. It was written for ordinary people with common sense. To see this, read these words from Mark about the profound teaching of Jesus. “And…

What does it look like to be a Christian? Do I have to have special bumper stickers that go next to my kid’s honor roll announcement and my pollical affiliation sticker? How do I stand out from the sea of others that make claims of spirituality and general goodness? Before we get into what we look like, we must understand that a…

It is very common in religious circles to refer to certain men as “pastors.”  Denominational groups usually have someone known as “the pastor of the church.”  Recent news articles talk about what some “youth pastor” did.  Some religious schools have a spiritual guidance counselor on campus and they might refer to that person as “Pastor” so-and-so. So what is a “pastor”?  If…

Consider these words of Paul describing the one enemy we all face and who seemingly is winning the battle in which we are engaged. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:56). It is a common enemy for every person who has been born on this earth for “it is appointed unto man to die” (Heb. 9:27). Knowing…

The letter to the church in Ephesus begins with a blessing. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Chapters one through three highlight some of those spiritual blessings, one of which involves our heritage in Christ. While most of us no longer…

Many religious groups today urge (and some require) members to give their “tithe” to the church.  How does the Bible use that word and how does it apply to us? The word “tithe” literally means “ten, tenth.”  We first read about the “tithe” during the Patriarchal Age of the Old Testament (Gen. 14:20; 28:22).  Then, in the Mosaic Age, Jews were required…