Features

When Familiar Becomes Careless

God wants to be in a relationship with his people that’s not marked by fear but love. Not apprehension, but an appreciation of his great grace and compassion.

There’s No Contradiction Between God’s Empowerment and Our Efforts to Battle Sin

The Christian life is not a choice between loving and trusting Jesus, and making an effort to avoid temptation and sin. It is not either/or—it is both/and.

Worth the Cost: The Challenges and Joys of Church Multiplication

The joy of reproduction multiplies exponentially when we release leaders and see their kingdom impact ripple into new communities.

What if This Christmas Isn’t Merry and Bright?

The story of Christmas is perfect for shedding light on the hope we can find in our darkness. Jesus came into a world filled with pain, a world where people searched for hope and longed for the Messiah to come but were constantly disappointed.

Wrestling With Greatness

We are prone to seek greatness for our own sake rather than to glorify God in it. If we try to pretend like all of our motives are pure, then we’ll never be able to address the inconsistencies in us.

Don’t Forget These 10 People at Christmas

Those who have wayward children who likely won’t be home for Christmas. Those parents grieve, too, sometimes in unique ways. They cling to hope that this might be the Christmas for return and reunion, then weep when it doesn’t happen.

Heaven’s Welcoming Party

Take a look at the send-off of the very first Christian martyr, a precious witness for Christ named Stephen. And notice, if you will, the glimpses we are given into the reception he is about to receive in Heaven…

Keeping Christ in Christmas — Without Meeting In Person on Sunday

Many if not most churches choosing to not hold in-person services on Christmas Day are offering online services.

A God-Shaped Vision

Back in 2001, the leadership team at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, launched a vision plan that laid out some lofty goals....

Speaking the Truth in Love When the LGBTQ+ Community Comes to Your Church

Welcoming in all those who need a genuine encounter with Jesus is a primary function of the church, and this principle must be extended to the LGBTQ community as much as it is anybody else.

Christmas Strife — Not All That Merry and Bright

There are people in our nation today who don’t want us to merely tolerate their views; they want us to accept them—and, even more so, endorse them. This can’t happen, because as Christians, we stand on the Scriptures.