Walking Wisely: Understanding God's Will

Scott Risley

Ephesians 5:15-17

The Bible is the ultimate tool to deciphering God's Will, however, it does not always provide direct guidance on the individual level and believers can be left wondering in areas such as career or dating. In these circumstances, God may reveal his plan for us in several different ways, the most notable being prayer and mature counsel.

Romans 12 - Renewal or Conformity?

Dennis McCallum

Romans 12:1-5

As believers in Christ, we have two choices: we can conform to the values of this world, or we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We cannot straddle the line between these two choices, but are called to make a conscious decision and effort to be transformed by God. That decision allows us to make an eternal impact instead of investing in the fleeting things of this world. It also causes us to grow deep relationships alongside others in the body of Christ who are being transformed by God with us. When Christians choose to be transformed in this way, they become more persuasive, more zealous, and more mature in their spiritual lives.

The Resurrection

Scott Risley

Matthew 28:1-15

The historical resurrection of Jesus after His Crucifixion is an exciting story that is non-negotiable. After two thousand years, no one has been able to discredit its authenticity. If, after all these years, no one can give a natural explanation of the recorded event, then the logical conclusion is a supernatural event occurred. The New Testament accounts of His resurrection were written so that people would believe Jesus is the Christ and by believing, have eternal life in His name.

Ministry of the Word

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 4:12

The central priority of the local church should be the ministry of the Word. All members must be taught about the importance of knowing and understanding God's Word. Churches that move away from prioritizing God's Word struggle to accomplish God's purposes. Throughout scripture, we see God prioritizing this principle.

Homiletics Workshop (Part 1)

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Timothy 2:3-13

How do you teach the Bible? Gary DeLashmutt discusses how to think through and make a teaching outline. He has 4 questions to ask yourself: 1) What is the main truth in your passage? 2)Why is this truth important? 3)What would it look like to put this truth into practice? and 4)How does the main truth relate to God's grace? Go through these questions with an example from 2 Timothy. This is part 1 of a 2 part series.\r\n

Teaching from the Psalms

Lee Campbell

Psalms 131:1-3

The Psalms featured in the Bible are rich and complex. To better understand them, we must take a closer look at Hebrew poetry, its imagery, and its parallelism. With this background, we can study and analyze a particular psalm. This includes praying and meditating on the passage, reading it several times, noting its features, preparing a summary, and identifying key truths. Finally, we can prepare to teach the Psalm by translating it, which brings forth application.

Homiletics Workshop (Part 2)

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 131:1-3

The second part of Gary DeLashmutt's class covers key elements of effective teachings. He discusses when to prepare for a teaching, prayer for the teaching, Satanic attack associated with teaching, and how to combat attack. He also includes a teaching preparation check-list that includes non-verbal and verbal communication. This is part 2 of a 2 part series.\r\n

Feeding on God; Cultivating a Fruitful Life in the Word

Mike Bullmore

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Without God's Word, we will remain a spiritual infant, but with it, we can experience sincere growth in our spiritual lives. We must hold several convictions in our heart as we feed on God's Word. First, we must believe that Scripture is God-breathed. Second, it is necessary that we hold that Scripture is understandable. Furthermore, we must hold that it is useful and that God can accomplish His work through Scripture. It is God's intention to nurture us by His Word, but our responsibility is to create opportunities for Him to do this. Once we have humbled ourselves under the authority of Scripture, there are numerous practical ways that we can create these opportunities.

Against the Flow; Nurturing the Inner Life in a Fast Paced World

Mike Bullmore

Matthew 6:6

A biblical case for solitude is presented, a necessary time where we feed our inner person. God has made His Word available to us, but we have a responsibility to create opportunities to exercise this nourishing effect. This goes against the grain of our culture, and thus requires us to schedule this time into our lives and turn off the distractions around us. This is a time to unplug and enjoy extended time with the Lord. Bullmore provides some practical suggestions of how we can best utilize this time. \r\n