Editors note: This is part 2 of a series. Read Part 1 here. Are you distracted? I recently wrote an article in which I said, "If I could pick one word that I think best describes this generation it would be the word, distracted." So, how about you? Is your focus easily pulled from one thing to another? If so, you're not alone. And, distraction is more problematic than you may initially think. Distraction is doing a lot more than just keeping us from being able to hear God speak. Distraction is keeping us from effectively … [Read more...]
A Treasure Awaits: How to Find the Unexpected in Your Bible Study
THERE’S SOMETHING WONDERFUL ABOUT GETTING A GIFT OUT OF THE BLUE. Whether it’s a care package from home, rediscovering your favorite childhood toy, or finding $20 in an old pair of jeans — gifts are exciting. For a few moments, your heart is content because you’ve just received a treasure you weren’t expecting. Believe it or not, we can apply that same idea to our Bible study time. Do you grasp the value of what you’ve received in the Word of God? And more importantly, are you intentional about digging deep into it to discover all … [Read more...]
Do Something
We live in a word-saturated world. We don't have to look far to find opinions; they find us. Glance through a blog, read a wall-post, scroll through your tweets, or flip through a textbook and you'll hear hundreds of voices clamoring to persuade you. Friends, professors, authors, coworkers, and the media argue controversial issues. Don't misunderstand; communication is great—we're wired for it. But something powerful happens when we replace talk with action, debating with doing, and speaking with serving. So, how do we do this? … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Stick With Your Daily Bible Reading
So you'd like to begin spending time with God daily? It's a noble goal and one that every Christian should strive for. Whatever it is that has moved you to act, you'll have a better chance of developing a daily habit of time with God if you follow these seven tips for nurturing a daily devotional time with God. 1. Pick a time. Make it a priority by calendaring it as you would any other important meeting. We set appointments for much less important things like oil changes, haircuts, and lunches. Set a specific time to meet with Him … [Read more...]
Advent: A Season of Long-Suffering
"Long suffering”—one of the fruits of the spirit—is a phrase that strikes the modern ear as more than a little odd. Today in North America, “to suffer” calls for immediate intervention: a financial stimulus, a pill, a new job, a new relationship. Anything to relieve our pain (however great or small). In fact, most of us wonder how suffering could ever be good, especially over a long period of time. Yet in Scripture, things happen on a different timetable, and terms take on new meanings. With God, a rapid response might take decades … [Read more...]
Advent: Expectation
When I think of the season of Advent, the four-week part of the church calendar that immediately precedes Christmas, the word that comes to mind is “expectation.” Indeed, Advent is a season in which we wait hopefully for that which is promised but is not yet fully formed. It is during this time of year that those of us who are Christians receive the startling news that Christ is being formed in us; that Christ is being born. The question is this: What will we do with such strange, wonderful news? Will we receive it as if for the … [Read more...]
Lord, Have Mercy!
Éleos is Greek for “mercy” as it is defined by loyalty to God’s covenant; pity; compassion. God’s éleos is stunning, and the Book of Nehemiah highlights it along with our need for a Savior and the lengths He goes to prove His love and mercy to us. In Nehemiah 9:6, the people begin praising the Lord, rehearsing all the wonderful things He did from Abram to the present, beautifully recounting the mercy of the Lord. Then in verse 16, their prayer takes a turn. “But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did … [Read more...]
Why It’s Time to Overcome the Fear of Commitment
More options exist for you today regarding education, career, relationships, and experiences than for any prior generation. You possess a burning desire to make your life significantly count, and you don’t want to get it wrong. You might be hesitant to committing to life’s decisions due to distrusting the future. You’re afraid of messing it up. Many people are fearful of making wrong decisions, thus distorting God’s entire plan for their lives. Some people—especially young adults—believe God has mapped out every twist and turn of … [Read more...]
Why Young Adults Desire Spiritual Depth
The conversation about the absence of Millennials in churches has been front and center recently. The largest generation to ever be alive in our country is not connecting to our churches the way previous generations have. The question remains…why not? In a previous post, I started the conversation concerning four markers that are important to young adults and college students (read that post HERE). For young adult ministry leaders, these are components we must consider if we genuinely desire to connect with the young adults in our … [Read more...]
3 Ways Churches Can Reverse the Absence of Millennials
There’s been much buzz on the Internet recently about the absence of young adults in churches. Numerous blogs, research statistics, and denominational reports point toward this significant decline. There have been countless comments and conversations about the reasons Millennials are not connecting to church. But I’m not quite ready to say "the sky is falling" just yet. Why? Because I believe the Lord is going to use this generation significantly to proclaim the kingdom of God in a world that’s seeking for hope in something. There … [Read more...]
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