Tuesday's Catch: Being Communities of Light and More

This Little Church of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine

God is light (1 John 1:5) and has made us children of light (1 Thes. 5:5). Essentially, then, a church is a gathering of light-bearers. We plant churches to create more communities of light. We plant churches that plant churches to reach the darkest corners of the world. Consider three effects of a church that shines. Read More

Teaching Christ to Kids raised to Worship the Ancestors

The language of ancestral worship is prominent and pervasive in Africa. The ancestors, who are known as the ‘living dead,’ are regarded as a source of refuge by many Africans.... Ancestral worship is a form of religion that is highly respected and practiced by many people on the African continent. Read More

The History of Christianity in Africa // Africa Study Bible

Africa is one of the most dynamic centres of Christianity in the world. Africa has a significant share of the world’s 2.2 billion Christians. It has about 30 percent of the world’s evangelicals, 20 percent of the world’s Pentecostals and charismatics, and about 15 percent of the world’s Roman Catholics. In addition, Africa has significant Orthodox groups such as the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches and the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. Read More

Why Study Local Church History?

The question, “Why study church history?” has been answered time and again and again. But why study local church history and Christian influence? The typical reasons given for the study of church history apply locally. Additionally, knowing the history of our “neighborhood” enables us, wherever we live, to know and serve both God and our neighbors better in our locale. How does knowing local church history equip us to better serve our neighbors? Read More

Knowing the history of the church is particularly important for those seeking to turn around a plateaued or dying church. Knowing the spiritual history of a community or neighborhood is particularly important for those seeking to plant a new church in the community or neighborhood. Studying the spiritual history of a community or neighborhood also has an important spiritual warfare dimension. It can prove useful in identifying "strongholds" of the spiritual powers of darkness in the community or neighborhood as well as dark facts of that history which evil spirits are exploiting to lay claim to the community or neighborhood.

Do We Really Believe in Demons?

In this column Trevin Wax reflects upon this very important question. Read More

Why Does Jesus Call the Canaanite Woman a Dog?

I’ve always been a bit unsettled by Jesus’ reference to the Canaanite woman as a “dog”. I’ve heard all the explanations given and none of them seemed all that satisfactory, they seemed like an attempt to get around the very offensive thing that Jesus said to this woman. But I noticed something a few nights ago when our associate pastor was teaching on this passage. I’d never noticed this thread before and I think it’s actually the key to understanding the passage. Read More

Context Matters: Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own Dead

Perhaps you’ve heard some of Jesus’ cryptic sayings, such as “Let the dead bury their own dead.” What are we to make of such a mysterious sentence? How shall we go about trying to puzzle it out? Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and we don’t just take a guess at the meaning on our own—we’ll find that the clues are right there in the passage waiting to be found. Read More

TACTICS for Preaching Christ from the Old Testament

One of the privileges of studying the Old Testament is finding the connections to Jesus. The Scriptures teach that the entire Bible points to him (Luke 24:27; John 5:39; Acts 3:24). While there are possible ways to make connections to the gospel, the challenge for the interpreter is to find the best, most solid connections. I’ve put together an acronym (TACTICS) to help me remember when studying so I can cycle through various categories and not always go to the same predictable formula. I realize there are more strategies that are helpful; this is just one set that I use. Read More

Turning Up the Volume: Joyful Noise or Noise Ordinance Violation?

Concerned neighbors and church members sound off about megachurch worship becoming “too loud.” Read More

College Students and Church Membership

Should college students join a local church by campus if they have a church membership “back home”? This question is often asked of me in reference to Christian students who are coming to college and have a church membership “back home.” Here are some things to consider that may help to answer the question. Read More

8 Things That Keep Young People in Church

It’s no secret that many college-age students who were raised in church drop out once they’re on their own. On the other hand, some churches have done a good job of keeping and reaching this group. Here’s what I see that keeps young people in church.... Read More

6 Ways Volunteers Can Make or Break a Crucial Ministry

Whether you’re recruiting short-term helpers for camp or VBS or investing in long-term teachers who lead recurring groups and classes, here are six expectations that are worth considering for the kids ministry volunteers you lead. Read More

Tech Policies are Cyber Security, Too: Do You Have Any?

How can the church can protect itself from those bad actors? How do we provide maximum Kingdom impact while also being good stewards of the data God has entrusted to us? One overlooked aspect of church tech is using wise tech policies and procedures. (This assumes you have a firewall and a proper network design.) Read More

Prayer Is a Gateway to Evangelism

Paying attention to the needs around us can lead to opportunities that begin with prayer. Read More

The Mission Field in Our Backyard

Diasphora ministry is nothing new. Read More