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The Power of the Cross
I would agree with much of what Roger Olson says about evangelical churches and a serious lack of preaching on the cross. We have stripped the symbols of the cross out of our sanctuaries (or coffee shops or worship centers or whatever we’re calling them these days). The ironic piece is that I am actually preaching a series on 1…
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120 Days
Lent begins 4 weeks from today. As we walk through this time as a church, I want to unpack more of the meaning as we prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday. Lent is a 40 day walk. Pentecost Sunday will come 50 days after Resurrection Sunday. Fudging numbers, that’s about 120 days. There is a stirring in my heart for…
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Thoughts on Pentecostal Theology and Practice
I teach at a denominational school. I pastor in a Pentecostal denomination. My life has been immersed in Pentecostal practice all my life. So, I offer some thoughts with some trepidation. There is always the risk of being misunderstood by people you really need to have understand (like denominational officials who can pull your credentials or keep you from teaching).…
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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.…
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The Systems Are in Place…
Over the past few months I have been preaching on the Holy Spirit. One of the key areas of Spirit-filled life I’ve examined is Acts 2:42. The Early Church had a “system” to catch what the Spirit was doing in their lives. 1. The apostles’ teaching 2. Fellowship 3. The breaking of bread (which I think emphasizes the Lord’s Table)…
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The Strange Things We Do “Under the Anointing” Richard Foster gives several perils of the Charismatic tradition in his book, Streams of Living Water. Too often, the perils are far too numerous to even think about! Over the years I think I’ve heard just about everything. But then… Yes! There are always stranger things! Lee Grady has a column in…