The Tensions Between The Church and The World Has Reached The Tipping Point

Here in 2023, we have started an important conversation, all centering around a very popular question in today’s world.  What is the point of church?  This is an important question, and we have been learning just how essential the church is, how we should view it, how God views it, and just how critical the church is to our Spiritual development, and to the community around us who don’t have the same eternal destiny of those inside the . . . Read More »

Spiritual Emergency

I had a friend who had to go to the emergency room.  He shot a roofing nail into his knee and literally stuck himself to the roof.  As he tried to use the hammer to pull the nail out, he realized he need to be rescued. Have you ever needed to go to the emergency room?  If you are bleeding, a bone sticking out where it doesn’t belong, or a nail in your knee, you want a doctor . . . Read More »

What It Means To Grow Up Spiritually

Last week, Sam gave us two principles to live out that can transform our lives.  And, most everyone would agree with what he said.  But those two principles are easily ignored.  It is the most interesting challenge.  He said, if we pulled you aside and asked, “Should we have daily, consistent and rhythmic moments with God?”  Everyone would probably say, ‘Yes.’  Second question, “Would it benefit you to weekly have down time to rest and have time to . . . Read More »

Where Is God When It Hurts?

Being in a personal relationship with God means you deal with reality – the reality of what is happening in your heart and mind. You deal with the reality of your relationship with God. You deal with the reality of your relationship with others. You deal with the reality. To find spiritual freedom and transformation means we must make a commitment to live in reality. That means we give time and space to be with God. That means . . . Read More »

Transformation, not Christian Activity

This series is about how we walk in a personal relationship with Christ that transforms us. To be clear, it’s not about religious activity like: go to church, give your old clothes to the poor, and attend Sunday school class. We aren’t talking about that. We are talking about transformation. How do we experience a personal relationship with God that transforms our heart. For example. I felt rejection and depression was growing inside of me. But because of . . . Read More »

How to Be in a Personal Relationship With Jesus

Today we are going to introduce the beginning of how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. We are not talking about church attendance or religious activity.  We are talking about the kind of relationship that can transform you. Over the next several weeks, we will get more detailed about being in a relationship with Jesus. For example: What do you do when you have been deeply wounded in your past? What do you do when life is . . . Read More »

We All Must Answer This Question

So last week was a pretty special weekend.  We started a new series and it’s a very important one on Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.  Then Sunday afternoon we headed to Messiah College for what is probably my favorite service that we do each year which is our baptism service.  It’s so meaningful to watch people make a public commitment to God, and for me it’s an amazing experience to listen to them share what God is doing in their . . . Read More »

The 4 Christmas Killers – By Pete Scazzero

This is from Pete Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast… EH LEADER PODCAST The 4 Christmas Killers Sadly, Advent is a low point spiritually for most Christian leaders. This was my experience for years. I was told Christmas was THE time to get as many people to the church as possible, to close the financial year strong, to thank all our leaders, and to model reaching out to our neighbors for Christ. The problem was that, in the process, . . . Read More »