by Robby McAlpine | Apr 7, 2017 | Discipleship, Ethics, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
Before reading any further, take a moment to soak in the statement captured in the image above. In some ways, that picture+insight could simply exist as a blog post on its own, without any need for elaboration. But writers just can’t resist. My own trajectory as a...
by Brad Blocksom | Jan 1, 2017 | Devotionals, Ethics, Practical Theology
Revelation 9:20-21 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by the plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of...
by Robby McAlpine | Dec 31, 2016 | Church Life, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Engagement, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Ethics, Leadership, Missional, Practical Theology, Revival, Small Groups
“I’ve decided to stay out of those discussions, until I can be sure that we can have a non-hysterical conversation about it.” A “non-hysterical conversation”… The moment my friend casually uttered that phrase, I was immediately...
by Brad Blocksom | Dec 11, 2016 | Church Life, Devotionals, Ethics, Evangelicalism, Gender Issues, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Sex
Exodus, p. 109 If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins. (Books of the...
by Michael Sterns | Aug 22, 2016 | Ethics
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you...
by Robby McAlpine | Apr 16, 2016 | Ethics, Leadership, Practical Theology, Preaching, Revival
perchance, you have a desire to become better skilled in the art of manipulating people into accepting your own personal heresies, here’s a few insider tips: Ahem… *cough*cough* First and foremost, it’s vitally important to begin well; this is best...
by Able Baker | Feb 18, 2016 | Ethics
During Jesus time there was a very appealing Jewish nationalistic political party known as Zealots. One of the inner twelve disciples was even given the epithet “Simon called the Zealot” or “Simon the Zealot” in Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. A Zealot would have been known...
by Robby McAlpine | Jan 19, 2016 | Cultural Engagement, Discipleship, Ethics, Evangelism, Messy Church, Practical Theology
There was this guy in the Old Testament who gets a lot of bad press. And when you read his story, you gotta admit: he deserves it. If anything, he serves mainly as an example of how not to do life. His name was Lot. He was Abraham’s opportunistic nephew, who has...
by Brad Blocksom | Jan 13, 2016 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Ethics, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Preaching
2 Cor. 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful and underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (ESV) Wow, this...
by Robby McAlpine | Jan 13, 2016 | Church Life, Conflict Resolution, Ethics, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
“Choose your battles wisely,” the saying goes. Unless, of course, the image at left looks like a good way to invest your time and mental health. If so, then by all means, swing wildly away. I’ve always appreciated a good song lyric, and over the...
by Kenny Burchard | Dec 23, 2015 | Discipleship, Ethics, Practical Theology
The cross is a mega-compressed symbol of all that it means to follow Jesus, and all that it means that Jesus is Christ for us. There is nothing like the cross in the whole world. The two lines… + … express more than can ever be spoken, and yet they speak...
by Kenny Burchard | Nov 29, 2015 | Conflict Resolution, Discipleship, Ethics, Politics, Practical Theology
The title of this post flows from intermittent and occasional online exchanges that I have engaged in with fellow believers. A regular topic of discussion involves whether or not there is any New Testament encouragement for followers of Jesus to use weapons to defend...
by Robby McAlpine | Nov 24, 2015 | Cross-Cultural Ministry, Cultural Engagement, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Immigration, Missional, Practical Theology
The past week has been pretty overwhelming, hasn’t it? At least, that’s how I found it. Terrorist attacks in Paris. Syrian refugees. Shrill rhetoric. Chronic knee-jerking coupled with self-righteous finger pointing — from all sides. Life was so much...
by Able Baker | Jul 30, 2015 | Ethics
Let’s take care of the ethical nightmare involved in planned parenthood’s predatory approach to abortion and baby part harvesting in our own country before we begin to mourn too heavily the unethical issues wrapped up in Africa’s inability to...
by Michael Sterns | Jul 24, 2015 | Church Life, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Engagement, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Family, Forgiveness, Healing, Immigration, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Preaching, Social Justice, The Vineyard Movement
Last week, I wrote on Rich Nathan’s discussion on biblical leadership which he gave at the International Vineyard Conference held in Columbus, Ohio. Now, I will try to highlight another speaker. During the morning session at the conference on Thursday July 9,...
by Luke Geraty | Apr 28, 2015 | Cultural Engagement, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Practical Theology, Social Justice
One of my children once made me so angry that I lost my temper and almost did and said things I would likely forever regret. I remember seeing her face and realizing that for the first time in her life, she was actually scared of me. It immediately chastened my temper...
by Kenny Burchard | Apr 25, 2015 | Cultural Engagement, Discipleship, Ethics, Gender Issues, Homosexuality, Marriage, Practical Theology, Sex
And now for a really geeky (but hopefully helpful) post about the usage and meaning of the word porneia in the book of Revelation. The word-group related to πορνεία (porneia) occurs 55 times in the entire New Testament. Interestingly, there are 19 occurrences of the...
by Luke Geraty | Apr 15, 2015 | Church Life, Counseling, Ethics, Gender Issues, Politics, Practical Theology, Sex, Social Justice
Thomas Creedy wrote “An Open Letter to My Church Friends” in regards to a recent book published by Steve Chalke called Being Human: How to Become the Person You Were Meant to Be. Since anthropology and spiritual formation are such vitally valuable topics...
by Kenny Burchard | Feb 23, 2015 | Conflict Resolution, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Family, Forgiveness, Healing, Messy Church, Practical Theology
I can’t take any credit at all for the big idea that I want to share in this short post. In fact, I am shocked that I have lived with the Bible for so many years and had never really seen this as clearly as I was helped to see it (by the teaching pastor, and by...
by Kenny Burchard | Jan 2, 2015 | Ethics, Family, Gender Issues, Homosexuality, Marriage, Practical Theology, Sex
Every once in a while, when you least expect it, you hear someone say something that so resonates with you that you tell yourself, That is exactly how I feel about what he/she is saying, and until I come up with something better, that is how I am going to answer every...
