Choose your paradigm: Membership or Missional. (Part 2)

February 22, 2015. Last week we began a series that addressed two different paradigms that churches can have, through which they look at the world and the lost. Of these two paradigms, only one is put forth by Jesus. It seems that in our culture today, however, the opposite one is most often the default…

Revelation 1-5: The revelation of Jesus Christ.

January 11, 2016. Reading: Revelation 1-5. Background: The book of Revelation holds a very unique position amongst Christian thought and theology. The book is a letter containing the revelation that the apostle John was given to send to the seven churches in Asia minor, probably near the end of the first century (though some argue that…

Acts 10-12: The gospel goes to the Gentiles.

November 28, 2015. Daily Reading: Acts 10-12. Background: Acts 9. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 10 The gospel given to the Gentiles: Up until this point in the book of acts, the good news about Christ really had only gone to the Jews. Even when the believers were scattered abroad after the stoning of Stephen spoke…

Amos 5-9: Woe to those who are at ease in Zion.

October 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Amos 5-9. Background: Amos 1-4. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 5 1. Seek the Lord and live: Though the Lord is in the middle of rebuke and Amos’ message has been one of destruction, an ever present characteristic of God is found here as He offers reconciliation to His people. Though…

Daniel 7-12: Visions and revelations.

September 12, 2015. Daily Reading: Daniel 7-12. Background: Daniel 1-6. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 7 The vision of the four beasts, the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man: The first six chapters of Daniel are very different in form and content from the last six chapters. The first six deal with history and…

Ezekiel 43-48: Prophecy and Measurement.

August 30, 2015. Daily Reading: Ezekiel 43-48. Background: Ezekiel 37-42. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 43 1. The glory of the Lord fills the temple: In the previous chapters, we have read about Ezekiel’s vision of the temple and the man measuring the temple meticulously, relaying the pattern of the temple to Ezekiel. In the beginning of…

Ezekiel 37-42: Prophecy and measurement.

August 22, 2015. Daily Reading: Ezekiel 37-42. Background: Ezekiel 31-36. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 37 1. The valley of dry bones: Ezekiel vision of the valley of dry bones has been on of the most famous encounters with God throughout the years, though the actual meaning behind the vision is not as well circulated. Here we find…

The valley of dry bones.

May 12, 2014. “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the…

The number to be completed.

February 18, 2014. Revelation is often viewed as a scary book to most Christians. Some are brave enough to dive into the great liturgical abyss, but most of us steer clear. I was like that until this previous summer, where I found a really good podcast sermon series on the concluding book. I now see…