“I used to believe but then I had questions that couldn’t be answered and so I couldn’t believe anymore. You just have never doubted or questioned what people told you about God and the Bible, that’s why you believe.” This was the comment I received at work when a client discovered that I was also
“Anyone who supports this candidate will be judged for their ignorance.” “Wow, strong words from a pastor! Weak-kneed, supposed Christians like you are why the church is falling apart. We’ll see who God judges!” I sat back from my computer, stunned after witnessing the above exchange. There was more to the conversation (forty-seven reply’s more,
“Sending thoughts and prayers.” If you are on social media or watch the news you almost certainly have seen this phrase. You might have even written it. In many ways it has become cliché. A phrase that many people throw around without thinking. Although at its face this phrase seems innocent, it recently has caused
Many well-meaning Christians love to ask the question “what is my spiritual gift?” While this is not a bad question, it is important to first answer the question “what is a spiritual gift?” There are actually quite a few components of spiritual gifts that can easily be overlooked. First, we will look to Scripture to
Suffering, pain, and sorrow are familiar experiences for all of us. Some may be more familiar and some may be less, but the truth is that we live in a world that has been corrupted by sin and as a result suffering touches us all. One of the greatest things about the Bible is that
I grew up in a home with two other brothers, and three sisters. And each of us were about 18months. We were always close in age but we were also really close in general. When we were kids our favorite pastime was dressing up like knights or Jedi and fighting with whatever we could find.
Some times it can be hard to define theology. Theology is literally the study of God. Although on a broader scale when we delve into Theology we don’t just study God himself, but the things of God like the church and salvation and the end times. There are specific fancy words for separate studies
When I was a kid I remember being a part of this kid’s production, or concert at our church. It was really enjoyable but I remember a story they told us that I have never forgotten. As part of the preparation for the concert we would have practices and these would always start with some
Over the last few months we have been taking a look at the core values of The Christian and Missionary Alliance and today we are moving on to the final value. Core Value #7, which says, “Achieving God’s purposes means taking faith-filled risks. This always involves change.” As I was thinking about that core value, and
With varying schedules, it can be difficult, in many churches to calculate the number of people who attend at least semi-regularly. At the River this can be especially difficult, due to the number of students who attend. I spent some time this week trying to come up with an accurate number. After looking at everyone