Category: Church

  • Dan

    The Patriarchs, the Maccabeans, and Us

    There has been a strange interweaving of stories in the past few days in my life. Over the past week I have studied I Maccabees in the Apocrypha and preached on Hanukkah and the Maccabean Revolt. I posted earlier on lessons learned from Mattathias and the Maccabeans. Then, I was given this link from a friend. It is the story…

  • Dan

    Love for the Church

    I am working through Acts 20 for the class I am teaching. As usual, I am so humbled by Paul’s incredible heart for the church. He pours out his heart to the Ephesian elders and lets them know the high price of pastoring. My question is this: In today’s church environment are we training church leaders or pastors? Have we…

  • Dan

    Thoughts About “Icons”

    Recent blog activity has been caught up in a discussion over the Manhattan Declaration. This is a statement coming from Catholics, Orthodox, and Evangelicals concerning three major points about our current culture in America. The debate is over whether this is just some right wing political move or it’s legitimate. Some of the disagreement comes down to theology. How can…

  • Dan

    The Price of the Gospel

    There are times we need sobering reminders of the cost of following Christ. There are places in this world that are incredibly dangerous and when we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are sometimes violent repercussions. Please pray for the Church around the world!

  • Dan

    The Healing Presence of Jesus

    The Church should be about the healing presence of Jesus. My wife told me about a dream she had, and then I was reminded of two incredible stories in Acts. In Acts 5 it was Peter walking down a street and people could be healed by Peter’s shadow touching them. In Acts 19 it was Paul working at his trade.…

  • Dan

    Developing Thoughts

    Following up on my earlier thoughts about Acts 19, I have some other thoughts I want to put down and see if they can be developed. I would LOVE a conversation developed as well. My thoughts come from Acts 19 and then Ephesians 3:2-13. Both deal with the Ephesian church, ironically. In Ephesians 3 there is the powerful knowledge that…

  • Dan

    Quick Hit Thought to Get My Monday Going

    When Paul came into Ephesus in Acts 19, he preached, the Spirit came on those there… and 12 men started an extraordinary work. It was a work that shook the core of the Ephesian economy and impacted a region. Twelve men. God doesn’t mind small. He’s not afraid. What am I believing for today? What can be started when I…

  • Dan

    The Big OUCH

    I have seen the book on different sites, but this blurb gives some GREAT quotes. Be prepared to be mad, or say “Ouch.” Some of my favorites: They wish the church could be more diverse, but then leave to meet in a coffee shop with other well-educated thirtysomethings who are into film festivals, NPR, and carbon offsets. They want to…

  • Dan

    Yawning at the Word

    Mark Galli has an excellent piece at Christianitytoday.com. We are so easily BORED with the Word these days. What is our problem? This paragraph is challenging to me: Whenever the Bible is read, a hush should come over us. We should be inching toward the edge of our seats, leaning forward, turning our best ear toward the speaker, fearful we’ll…

  • Dan

    The World Was Not Worthy of Them

    You can’t get harvest from a place you haven’t sown seed.