by Brad Blocksom | May 23, 2016 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Healing, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
Hebrews 5:2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. (ESV) As humans we are filled with weakness, tempted, sinful. Jesus experienced this same weakness and temptation – “yet without sin” (4:15). By...
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 2, 2015 | Church Life, Cultural Engagement, Devotionals, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Healing, Missional, Practical Theology
Acts 8:25 …they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. (ESV) The church was booming in Jerusalem but they weren’t going into Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. So God scatters (v. 1, 4) the church through...
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 Brad Blocksom | Jul 20, 2015 | Devotionals, Healing, Practical Theology, Social Justice
John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, (ESV) This miracle, the raising of Lazarus, is really a climax in John. It is the last of the 7 signs in John. It also contains one of the 7 “I...
by Brad Blocksom | May 5, 2015 | Church Planting, Devotionals, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Healing, Leadership, Missional, Practical Theology, Prayer
Luke 13:19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” (ESV) Jesus answers His own question on “What is the kingdom of God like?”...
by Brad Blocksom | Mar 25, 2015 | Church Planting, Cultural Engagement, Devotionals, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Healing, Missional, Practical Theology, Prayer, Preaching
Mark 6:12-13 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. (ESV) Jesus sends out the twelve in pairs giving them His (not their own, inherent) authority to perform...
by Brad Blocksom | Mar 9, 2015 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Healing, Missional, Practical Theology
Mark 5:17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. (ESV) A strange reaction to this exorcism! People fear the supernatural, even if the result is good. People don’t want someone coming in and upsetting the status quo – even when that norm...
by Brad Blocksom | Feb 24, 2015 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Evangelism, Healing, Missional, Practical Theology, Social Justice
Matthew 12:20-21 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (ESV) Matthew provides this quotation from Isaiah as an apologetic/explanation of Jesus...
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 Aimee Tiernan | Nov 2, 2014 | Conflict Resolution, Counseling, Family, Healing, Mental Illness, Messy Church, Parenting, Practical Theology
I was at church one day when the Smith family (names are changed) approached me asking me to pray for them. Their daughter Vanessa had started cutting on herself. They were distraught, worried, and had no idea what to do. They could not understand how their daughter...
by Luke Geraty | Oct 8, 2014 | Church Life, Discipleship, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Healing, Practical Theology
The Book of Hebrews provides what is arguably the best narrative theology of the “communion of saints” in chapter 11. Often referred to as the “chapter of faith,” the writer describes the faith of the Patriarchs and Prophets and a few others...
by Brad Blocksom | Aug 13, 2014 | Church Life, Church Planting, Conflict Resolution, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelism, Healing, Marriage, Missional, Practical Theology, Prayer, Small Groups
So last time we talked about the idea that “Butts in Seats” and “Decisions for Christ” may not be the best way to measure the success of the local church. And I proposed that we should focus not on church growth, but rather on discipleship as a...
by Kenny Burchard | May 15, 2014 | Conflict Resolution, Counseling, Forgiveness, Healing, Marriage, Practical Theology
I wrote a recent post about how to treat sinners based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:15-17. In the comments that followed, Luke had a great question about what to do with people who are destructive, and how to engage them when they are unrepentant. That got me...
by Kenny Burchard | Apr 3, 2014 | Healing, Practical Theology
“How many of you had parents who prayed for you when you were sick as little kids?” That was the question that Francis MacNutt asked before he taught a group of gathered leaders about the importance of always praying for the sick, no matter the ailment, and no matter...
