In Acts 14:23 (narrative, descriptive) we read that it was the Apostle Paul's pattern to appoint Christian elders within churches early on in the lifecycle of a church (1):

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

The following is an excerpt from a study Jacob has been working on over the last 2 years about the New Testament Elder…..

In Acts 11:29-30 (narrative, descriptive) we’re given the first explicit mention of New Testament Christian elders:

Acts 11:29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

There seems to be trouble not far behind whenever we conflate what we do, enjoy, or desire, with who we are. What we do changes, what we enjoy is fleeting, and what we desire is rarely satisfied. Our understanding of ourselves will, by necessity, be a confusing labyrinth of the mind if we use any of these things to find, evaluate, and plant our identity. This is perhaps the definitive great question of our time among a dying and lost world, “who am I?” and by association as social creatures “who are we?”.

If you think this isn’t a hot topic within western Christianity then I’ll simply lay out one, clear cut propositional statement for you - The VAST majority of distinctions within churches in the west boils down to issues related to authority. The reason there are X number of different professing Christian groups within your city, county, state, province, region, nation, and continent, are primarily due to distinctions and perspectives regarding authority.

Christians who are enjoined in a covenant marriage between one man and one woman have the best possible sex because it is the only sexual experience which dwells under the blessing of the Divine Maker. No other form of human sexuality can include the Divine blessing. For the biblically informed married Christian husband and wife, sex isn’t a sneaky unspiritual side gig outside of the blessing of God. For that couple sex is a unifying expression of love to be enjoyed for the glory of God.

While we live in an age where Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers are all active and sharing a digital space called the Internet, the conversations relating to religion are much different from those prior to the mass adoption of the Internet. Politics, religion, and finances were the socially accepted triumvirate of topics that were taboo among polite company over much of the 2nd half of the twentieth century. Today, speaking of taxation policies, immigration, and even gun laws might make for awkward conversational topics for many, but those issues are not nearly as polarizing as the present “hot topics” within Christianity at large. 

It is worthy to note that while many belief systems lay foundational claims regarding character, morays, and morals, Christianity has a distinct and unique foundational claim. The foundational claims of Christianity surround historical events. These historical events then form the basis for all imperatives of the Christian religion. 

Singing praises to God together as a family and community is one of the pillars of Christianity. Today we look at the history or hymns, and share with you our own family hymnal. Our family hymnal is historic hymns re formatted to be followed easier by beginner readers, and paired down to 1 hymn a week.

Nowadays it may be a rare thing to hear much of "hell" or "eternal torment". Anyone who should dare bring up an eternity of misery is surely discounted and discredited with terms like "fundamentalist" or "religious extremist". Yet in his work on the subject of eternity's greatest bliss (the Saint's Everlasting Rest), Richard Baxter addresses his audience with a warning and lengthy discussions on the horror of eternity apart from Christ.

One of the strangest, few verses in all of the Bible, describes the circumstances around the death of Christ. Matthew, in the midst of a relatively unbroken flow of narrative on the crucifixion of Jesus, interrupts the flow to describe the after-effects of Jesus’ death. Today we look at what different theologians and myself have to say about these verses.

In The Rain That Never Stops: And the Problem of Depression author M.R. Scott takes the reader through a personal account of grieving to discuss the nature, and purposes, of depression and suffering in life. Through a theological exploration of his own suffering due to the loss of a dear friend and mentor, Scott gives a biblical foundation for understanding suffering.

Jacob had the pleasure of preaching at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church on Sunday, February 26, 2023. He preached on 1 Corinthians 11:23 about what Paul has received and what he delivered.

Over the last several weeks we’ve been a part of several conversations regarding revival. News is spreading of various events that are being called “revivals” throughout the United States. What makes this topic at this time rather stirring for us, is that both those who are professing believers, and those who are not believers are taking notice.

Jacob has the honor of preaching at a local church in the St. Louis region. The church is currently searching for its next Pastor, and Jacob took this time to preach on Ephesians 4. He spoke about 5 things a pastor is and 5 things a pastor is not. Check out the video below and let us know what things you think a pastor is and isn’t.

Let Them Be Kids, opens our eyes to look at childhood as a fun process that we as parents need to encourage. Often in society today we rush our kids to the next phase or allow them to spend un seeming amounts of time being entertained by something. Jessica brings up managing video games, television, sleepovers, play dates, outside play, and more.

We typically think of this verse as an introductory note in the larger, more important section about the Lord's table (v17-34). It is situated in the middle of both a rebuke and a corrective instruction for the Corinthian church regarding the practice of communion. While this sentence may seem like a simple linking idea, there is much to be learned from in considering these inspired Words from the Holy Spirit through Paul. This is a genesis, a backstory to all that he’s shared with the Corinthians.

Peace is a word frequently accompanying Christian traditions. For those who celebrate the church calendar, peace is one of the four themes of Advent. Christians worship the messiah as the “prince of peace”. Peace is a watchword for guarding Christian conduct. In the pursuit of truth and in the midst of disputes, peace is to be a priority. Blessings that are pronounced between individuals and large groups of Christians often involve the “peace of God”. Even beyond the Christian tradition of peace, there is a broader desire for peace. An absence of peace in home environments is the reason for all sorts of non-profit programs and government budgetary expenses. A lack of peace abounds where wars and violence rage. Peace is seemingly cross-cultural. Peace is a desire of humanity. 

But how do you go about creating this community? One way is through the opening of your home, or hospitality. Showing the love of God, and creating an environment for deep conversations happens best in the context of our homes. The love that is shown by simply opening your home to others is beyond compare. Just as many people opened their homes to Jesus and his disciples, we too should open our homes to other believers. 

M.J. Anderson’s book “Christ Follower: The Art of Dying to Self” has stirred my spirit. The reader may be attracted to this book from its cover and title. While plenty of books point the reader to their own immediate temporal and temporary glory, Anderson firmly puts before his audience a counter-narrative. “The main aim in writing this book is to present the Church with a Biblical understanding of what it means to be a Christian or Christ follower. You see, this is not a self help book; rather, I pray that God uses this book to strengthen our reliance on Him and to reject any help that self may want to offer” (page 11). 

Our church bag has changed greatly over the past 11 years as our children have grown and as we have grown as parents. Every stage of life has different requirements for a church bag. When we had no children, our church bag just consisted of our Bibles, notebook, and pen. As our family has grown, our church bag has grown. Read on to find out what our church bag looks like for different ages and some of our favorite church bag supplies.