Podcasts

Dear Renew Network Subscriber, We are all being discipled. We are all being influenced by the many voices of culture around us every day. It is hard to resist. But… Read More

The choices we make in our twenties set a trajectory for our entire lives. Here are seven tested ways young adults often ruin their lives. Read article here. www.desiringgod.org

From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the… Read More

To hear the podcast on The Ethiopian Eunuchs (25 minutes), click the play arrow. You can download it from here. This podcast is O.T. character podcast 54 and N.T. character… Read More

How We Worship the Queen of Heaven What must God think of a society that has made child sacrifice normal for the sake of elective infertility? Read here.

Christian Ray Flores tells the story of Max Agapitov – weightlifting world champion. Watch video here.

Good morning Renew Network subscribers, Would you join us as we seek to renew the teachings of King Jesus in our day? It is a bold aspiration. It will require… Read More

I. Who is in the ministry”?” II. What is “the ministry”? III. Does it matter what we call it? Listen to the podcast to find out the answers to these… Read More

The #1 question I’ve gotten since launching Discipleship.Org is this: You’re telling me that there’s a REAL way you can make disciples that make disciples— how is that even possible?… Read More

Greg shares how to make Bible reading more than a chore. Click on this link to see podcast & notes.

Gilbert Kimeng 9 August 2018 Kinshasa, D.R.C. The past 10 days spent in the company of Dr. Douglas Jacoby has been transformational. He arrived Lagos on Monday July 30th, and… Read More

Dr. Golightly shares his view on the implications of modern science for the narratives of the first chapters of Genesis. He strives, as a scientist and a Christian, to maintain… Read More

Pray for the Peace of Chicago by stevekinnard War on the Sidewalks of Chicago. This morning I opened my paper edition of The New York Times for Tuesday, August 7, 2018 and saw a… Read More

MASTER DOCUMENT: iFaith Bible Project 0622 In this series we will proceed more or less chronologically through the New Testament and the Old Testament. There are 119 video messages, being recorded… Read More

No matter which way my mind turns these days, I cannot escape the absolutely unique and essential role that the Bible plays in God’s purpose for the universe, and for… Read More

Listen to this podcast by clicking on link, and choosing Review 81. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sectarian-review/id1031613670?mt=2

When the topic of violent jihad comes up, the first thing I hear most Muslims say is that they don’t practice violence, nor do most Muslims they know. Islam is… Read More

By Jim McCartney – Boston, MA, USA /  16 Jul, 2018 40 years ago today, I made a decision that dramatically changed the trajectory of my life. An only child of… Read More

Bill Hull’s book, The Disciple Making Pastor, has sold over 150,000 copies. That is a really big seller in the Christian leadership space…I think I know why. The disciple-making pastor cuts through… Read More

The tragic irony in many group Bible studies is that God’s word sits open on our laps while we discuss our own thoughts and… Continue reading this article here.

The following is a free adaptation of Eric Scalise’s excellent article, “Accountability in the Pulpit: Where are the Truth-Tellers?”, in Christian Counseling Connection, vol 19, issue 4, p.14. (This is… Read More

Hello Renew Newsletter Subscribers, We hope and pray that Renew.org will become the hub for a network of millions of disciples of Jesus. When we say network, we do not mean a… Read More

Don’t Be Fooled Into Believing These Three GRIEF MYTHS – Part Two Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. – Job 42:3… Read More

The simplest questions can open the door to amazing conversations. I asked Mike about his tattoo partly out of curiosity but primarily from an instinct of self-preservation. He was helping his… Read More

Understanding the New Testament Historically Do you ever struggle with any of the content in the New Testament (NT) books? Do you ever wonder how their messages, now 2000 years… Read More

Don’t Be Fooled Into Believing These Four GRIEF MYTHS Then Job replied: “How long will you torment me and crush me with words?—Job 19:1-2 Say nothing. Our friends may feel like… Read More

Dear Renew Leaders, I want to give you a sneak peak at a resource that will soon come out by Discipleship.org. Because I have the privilege of leading both organizations,… Read More

The beginning of wisdom is a definition of terms. I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make him think. I am not an Athenian, nor a Greek, but a… Read More

7-8-2018 Douglas Jacoby “Filling and Following” at the North River Church of Christ, Marietta, Georgia, USA

Don’t mess with a church’s beliefs or there may be an exodus, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. Continue reading here.

I strongly believe that we Christians should fast thrice a week, not for to be righteous, since (as you point out) this can’t be quantified, but to subordinate flesh to… Read More

[Today] we celebrate July 4th, Independence Day as it’s known for us in the States. And the day itself raises questions about national loyalty for those of us who are… Read More

“I don’t feel burned out, but I am realizing my limitations.” Interview by Kyle Rohane In 2001 Eugene Cho and his wife, Minhee, founded Quest Church, an urban, multicultural, and multigenerational… Read More

For the O.T. Character Study, Rahab (27 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

By Avi Selk June 9, 2018   Buried under a pair of hills at Israel’s northern border, at the nexus of three ancient kingdoms, is one of the last large biblical sites yet… Read More

Maybe you are like most church leaders in North America – you are confused about what is meant by the expression “discipleship”.   Is it a class? Is it Bible… Read More

Which is more important, people often ask, evangelism or discipleship? It is often stated as though discipleship is just about growth after conversion. Sometimes people describe it as an apparent… Read More

A friend of mine who is a medical doctor passed along an article on Transgender Suicide Rate. The article is interesting. Equally interesting was his analysis of the article. “Research on… Read More

In April someone asked me if I’d seen Black Panther. I had heard of it, but admitted I wasn’t particularly interested in yet another superhero movie. “I’ll probably watch it once it… Read More

We champion leaders, networks, and organizations that help disciples of Jesus make more disciples. Two of the most important aspects of effective disciple making are an intentional strategy and an… Read More

Used with permission from John Clayton and Does God Exist? (Vol. 45, no. 1, 2018) FRANCE ERASES CHRISTIANITY FROM PUBLIC VIEW If you remember studying the history of France, you… Read More

Researchers in the field have uncovered related messages ranging from “Lasius is a pervert” to “Good luck in your resurrection.” Read more here.

Every Saturday for 6 weeks Strength in Weakness Ministries is releasing a new brief episode. We pray these are a blessing and encouragement. Insights from the Valley Click here for… Read More

I often wonder about how it will affect my daughter when she finds out that Santa is not real. She associates Christmas with Santa and with Jesus. When she finds… Read More

David Mathis leads us in finding God’s will through three major factors. Read here.

Boko Haram terrorists ordered Habila and his family out of their home in northern Nigeria at gunpoint. Then they told Habila to recite the Islamic creed, leave Christianity behind and… Read More

Are you a high school upperclassman or a college freshman? Then don’t miss out on ReFresh. As students, you know what it’s like to be surrounded by questions. It can be… Read More

This is from a Singles Devotional done in the Greater Houston Church on May 12, 2018 by Toney Mulhollan. “Here is my two page outline. The second page was a… Read More

Message given at the North River Church of Christ on Sunday, May 13, 2018 at the 9 & 11am services.

Every Christian has had doubts at some point in their Christian life. We’re all finite creatures. We don’t know everything. Sometimes we get things wrong. And this possibility can cause… Read More

What would you say about a man who has Andy Stanley in his discipleship group? Well, that is precisely what is happening in Regi Campbell’s Radical Mentoring Group this year…. Read More

For O.T. Lesson 52, Jonah (25 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

Attached is the latest newsletter about what’s happening in Nicaragua, including all the Sheep Dreamzzz blankets being made and the breakfasts for the elderly that are held in Malpaisillo every Thursday morning…. Read More

Introduction We may be tempted to conceive of Christian history as a vast wasteland stretching from the post-apostolic period till fairly modern times; yet this is not quite accurate. Even… Read More

A Note on Robert “Robert Coleman is the spiritual father of the modern disciple-making movement, and we have some special resources for you to get an up-close and personal view… Read More

“The concluding verses of the book indicate the wholeness and completeness of the prophet’s vision and ministry as a whole. From one perspective, it is a sad book; it begins… Read More

(Adapted from chapter 21 of The Spirit.) Jesus deliberately played down the miraculous. Then why did he do so many miracles — if they weren’t really necessary? Now, we never… Read More

By Hamil R. Harris, Christian Chronicle ‘He had intellect, insight and a humble spirit that he used to stand at the front door of the angry lion of racism.’ While Marshall… Read More

A Section from Chapter 8 – Riches and Righteousness IS THE GOSPEL ALSO A GOSPEL OF PROSPERITY? The prosperity gospel (a.k.a. the health and wealth gospel) “is a religious belief… Read More

What is ‘holiness’? ‘Holiness’ is the state of being ‘holy’. The noun ‘holiness’ appears infrequently in the scriptures, but the adjective ‘holy’ appears often. Certain concepts are paired with ‘holiness’. A… Read More

The file is a chapter from an upcoming book by Patrick Blair. Prosperity-Gospel-Blair

There are no true disciple-making movements in North America right now. That statement may come as a surprise, but it is the conclusion of most (if not all) missions experts…. Read More

NECC Thrive The file is the .pdf (3 pages) accompanying the class recorded for the 2018 NECC (Northeast Christian Conference, Providence RI, July 2018). Here is the audio file (58… Read More

The earliest images of Jesus on the cross How and when did Christians start to depict images of Jesus on the cross? Some believe the early church avoided images of… Read More

How the cross became Christianity’s most popular symbol Throughout the world, images of the cross adorn the walls and steeples of churches. For some Christians, the cross is part of their daily… Read More

Article by Tony Reinke, Senior writer, desiringGod.org My generation was raised on The Simpsons. The popular cartoon is postmodern TV at its finest: liberated from prolonged storylines, a series of jests… Read More

Sermon given by Douglas Jacoby at the North River Church of Christ on March 18, 2018, based on Exodus 12.

By Campbell Robertson March 9, 2018 FORT WORTH — Charmaine Pruitt wrote the names of 12 churches on a sheet of paper, tore the paper into 12 strips, and dropped them… Read More

Former Muslim shows Islam from the inside. by David Duncan Many well-written books on Islam have appeared in the years since 9/11. So have many not-so-great books, written from a… Read More

I’ve been reading an article by Stephen Hawking on his theory of the “Spontaneous Quantum Creation of the Universe,” as promoted in this article. I would love to hear your… Read More

Strength in Weakness Ministries is going Español! Lo que Todos los Cristianos Necesitan Saber Acerca de la Homosexualidad La Homosexualidad: ¿hay un tema más controvertido en nuestro mundo de hoy? ¿Alguna vez te… Read More

“I feel like I’m having to choose between you and God.” Read this article in the Washington Post here.

For O.T. Lesson 51, Amos (26 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

The 2018 series is A Tour Through John. Length: 50 days. Units average about 20 minutes, just right if you have to go to work early, or want to listen as you… Read More

    Dear friend of the Hammonds and the Strength in Weakness ministry, Many have asked about my wife’s health, thank you. Cathy remains seriously ill. In spite of the… Read More

Lesson 49 is the third podcast in a series of 3 introducing the Revelation of John. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (9 minutes), or right click here, save and… Read More

Rev B is the middle podcast in a series of 3 introducing the Revelation of John. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (17 minutes), or right click here,… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (13 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. (1) General 1 Paul 87 chapters ~ 1/4 of NT 2 Luke 52… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (8 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. Scripture for memory  1 John 1:7 — But if we walk in the… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (23 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I… Read More

Artificial Intelligence and its role in society, by Brad Smith and Harry Shum. Read the article here.

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (15 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 2 John has been called “1 John in miniature.” As… Read More

Two of the most encouraging verses in the Bible are found in 1 John 5. Verse 3 says God’s commands aren’t burdensome. Walking in the light—and basking in it—isn’t only… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (20 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test… Read More

“Let me start off by saying that I’ve gotten incredibly lucky and have no student debt at all.” -Said No One Ever Just kidding. Many have been blessed tremendously to have… Read More

From the mention of rebirth (“born of him” in 2:29), John moves into praise for God and his love for us as his children. He reminds us that the reason… Read More

Falmata was just 13 when she was snatched from the side of the road. Months later, she was sent on a mission. Her captors told her that if she killed… Read More

In the first part of chapter two John warns his readers to follow Jesus, not the world. He is responding to a serious problem. Christians are defecting, leaving the faith. In the second… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (18 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 2:1 My little children, I am writing these… Read More

Free Webinar Event – Feb 8, 2018 I wanted to make sure you knew about a free webinar we’re hosting tomorrow called “No Silver Bullets: Five Small Shifts that will… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (15 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 1 We declare to you what was from the… Read More

Author: Greg Koukl (Stands to Reason) Prayer is hard. For me, consistent prayer has always been a battle, a fight. One of the most difficult things for fallen people to do… Read More

Igor Kozlovsky endured 700 days of anguish, torture, sickness and inhumane living conditions at the hands of his captors, the pro-Russian separatists who seized control of his homeland in eastern… Read More

In the late first century, there were false concepts of Jesus circulating in the Christian world. Just as today there are numerous false Jesuses (perhaps best known is the one… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (11 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. 12:24 — Jesus to Andrew, Philip, and the Greeks: “Very truly, I tell… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (20 minutes), or right click here, to save and listen later. After breakfast, it’s time to talk (v.15ff).  Notice the setting: the charcoal fire…. Read More

By BioLogos Did the author of Genesis 1 intend to communicate that God created everything in six 24-hour days, or are the days meant to be understood in some other… Read More

As noted in the last message, it is possible that the Gospel of John concluded with chapter 20, and that chapter 21 is an addition, either by the original author or by someone… Read More

John 19 concludes with the burial of Jesus. Now, in John 20, it is Sunday morning, the third day since the crucifixion—and the tomb is empty! Click on the arrow… Read More

We continue our study of the crucifixion, from the middle of John 19. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (24 minutes), or right click here, to save and listen… Read More

Thursday, January 25, 2018 | Written by Jay Stringer What if I told you that your use of pornography could reveal your way to healing? As a licensed mental health counselor and… Read More

Have you ever had that moment in a small group? You know, the moment where you can tell breakthrough is coming soon, everyone is focused and engaged and……..READ MORE

We live in a time of great change in some core moral beliefs in North America. For example, Barna research has documented that over 40 percent of self-described practicing Christians… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (21 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. 19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 And the soldiers wove a… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (19 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. 18:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples… Read More

The entire chapter is a prayer. This falls into three parts: Prayer for himself (vv.1-5). Prayer for his disciples (vv.6-19). Prayer for the world — future believers (vv.20-26). The order is crucial: Jesus’ training… Read More

Jesus has been preparing his apostles for the persecution to come (15:18 into chapter 16). Persecuting Christians will come to be seen as service to God (v.2). John’s gospel was… Read More

It’s no secret that I’m passionate about churches reaching their communities. After all, evangelism and outreach is at the heart of the gospel. So when I hear from pastors who… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (18 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. Chapter 15 tells us about our relationship to Jesus (vv.1-17), using three different… Read More

Having heard Jesus’ prediction of his betrayal, and death, the apostles are understandably anxious. That is why in 14:1 Jesus tries to calm them. We too may have our own reasons for… Read More

Evangelicals ‘deeply worried’ about socialist government’s changes to penal code. Read article here.

Jesus speaks to the apostles in chapters 13-16, on the eve of his death. For an excellent study on John 13:31-17:26, read The Last Discourse, by James Greig. Even though he knows… Read More

Can you believe your way to health and wealth? Prosperity teachers say yes — and they misuse these Bible verses to convince millions of people that they’re right. Read article… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (19 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. 27 Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, deliver me… Read More

The Case for Christ author Lee Strobel and wife Leslie share how investigative reporting led to faith — and an intense desire to share it. Read the Christian Chronicle piece… Read More

After the podcast on scripture memory, we now return to the gospel of John, chapter 12. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (12 minutes), or right click here… Read More

Bethlehem (CNN) A church service begins in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. Worshipers descend the stone stairs, worn smooth by millions of pilgrims over the centuries, down into the Grotto –… Read More

One of the last remaining obscure parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls has been deciphered by researchers in Israel. Read all about it here.

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (11 minutes), or right click here, save and listen later. Scripture for memory (Prov 22:17-18 — see also 3:3; 7:3, on internalizing God’s word)… Read More

Today we come to the final chapter in John’s “Book of Signs.” And in chapter 10 we saw the 3rd and 4th of seven “I am” sayings (gate and Shepherd)…. Read More

In the previous chapter Jesus proved that he was truly the light of the world. Here we find the third and fourth I am statements: “I am the door” (vv.7,9)… Read More

This entire chapter illustrates how Jesus is the light of the world (8:12; 9:5). Without him all are blind. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (21 minutes), or right… Read More

Last time (lesson 17) we stopped at John 8:11. The rest of chapter 8 reveals an escalation in tensions between Jesus and the Jewish leadership. The acrimony culminates in an… Read More

The beginning section of today’s podcast (on John 7:53-8:11) some may find a bit academic, or even unsettling. Please bear with me; certain explanations need to be made. Soon we… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (19 minutes), or right click here to download and listen later. 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the… Read More

Following Christ requires focus, commitment, discipline. And there are so many distractions. We need to put considerable effort into arranging our lives so that we can live as his disciples. After… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (20 minutes), or right click here to download and listen later. 6:37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (22 minutes), or right click here to download and listen later. 6:1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the… Read More

Today we finish our study of John 5. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (20 minutes), or right click here to download and listen later. 19 Jesus said to them, “Very… Read More

Today we finish John 4 and begin John 5. Click on the arrow to play the podcast (25 minutes), or right click here to download and listen later. 43 When the two… Read More

We continue to read the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman — a story that could easily be titled “The Stranger.” Click on the arrow to play the podcast… Read More

The story of the Samaritan woman is well known. She is a stranger to Jesus, as he is to her. But his interaction speaks volumes about what it means to… Read More

Religion, we are told, has a scientific explanation; so we have no need of the God hypothesis. But is that so? This article reviews the alleged evidence and then responds… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (18 minutes), or right click here to save and listen later. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,… Read More

We come to the ever-popular John 3!  While most who profess Christ know only verse 16, the entire chapter is chock-full of incredible passages. For example, verse 16 requires faith… Read More

Atheism and the Burden of Proof In conversations with atheists, they may challenge us: “You’re claiming that God exists. Therefore, the burden of proof rests on you, not me. So… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (20 minutes), or right click here to save and listen later. Recap of lesson 5 (Water to Wine) Time out for a wedding:… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (24 minutes), or right click here to listen later. Introduction Jesus’ core group of disciples, his apostles, has grown. In chapter 2 he… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (20 minutes), or right click here to listen later. Last time we looked at the first two days; today we will read about… Read More

A national disciple making movement in North America is starting to take off. Groups and networks are forming everywhere. Over 1400 pastors and leaders from around the country joined 17… Read More

‘I wish you bad luck,” said the chief justice of the United States. He meant for those words, delivered last spring, to express encouragement and optimism. The year now ending… Read More

Having set the stage with his prologue (vv.1-18), John the evangelist now begins the story proper. In this lesson (22 minutes), we cover John 1:19-34, which details the first two… Read More

In this lesson (20 minutes), we will finish our study of the prologue (1:1-18), which sets the stage for the entire gospel. Click on the arrow to play the podcast,… Read More

Like most people, I make New Year’s resolutions, but I have a unique focus with some of my goals. I want to want what God wants, and God wants more… Read More

In this opening lesson (15 minutes), we will consider the nature of John’s gospel, and then probe the important prologue (1:1-18), which sets the stage for the entire gospel. Click… Read More

For O.T. Lesson 50, Hosea (26 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

The Story behind the Manger, Shepherds, and Swaddling Clothes At this time of year, every year, we hear the Christmas story again. The familiar elements—the full inn, the stable, the… Read More

In this interview with Tim Mackie, co-founder of The Bible Project, we discuss the origins of The Bible Project and how two friends threw some videos up on Youtube that have now become a… Read More

Robert Coleman wrote The Master Plan of Evangelism decades ago, and it has sold millions of copies. Now, you can experience his core teaching through never-before-seen video teaching sessions of Robert Coleman…. Read More

When we experience doubts, we’re in holy company. A lot of people today—including Christians—don’t know how to doubt properly. Continue reading here.

Hear the story of the Tyndale House Greek New Testament from the academics who produced it.

Jonathan Huddleston (see Facebook / resume) is an ordained Church of Christ minister, and has been assistant professor of Old Testament at Abilene Christian University. He obtained his doctorate in Hebrew Bible / Old… Read More

I’m writing to share a recent blog post—an excerpt fromBecoming a Disciple Maker, a free eBook Greg Wiens and I wrote. The article’s called “We Can’t Be Like Jesus If… Read More

Sermon given to the Northview Church of Christ on Sunday, December 10, 2017. To listen now, click on arrow to play. To download and listen later, right click Nicolas and then click… Read More

11-26-2017 – Douglas Jacoby “Thanksgiving Meditation” from North River Church of Christ on Vimeo.

Monday, November 27, 2017 I believe that what some refer to as the “emerging church” is a movement of the Holy Spirit. Movements are the energy-building stages of things, before… Read More

Summary of the article by Claudia Wallis, “Marijuana and the Teen Brain: How much should we worry?” (Scientific American, Nov 2017, in The Science of Health). Adults have been warning their… Read More

 December 8, 2017 The Holy Bible: A Buyer’s Guide This free eBook guides you through 33 different Bible versions Walk through the religion section of any major bookstore, and you’ll… Read More

Students should take Bible study as seriously as school and sports practice. Article from Christianity Today: Work Hard Pray Hard

To play the podcast Triple Evolution (21 minutes), click on the play arrow. To download and listen later, right click here and then on ‘save target as’ or ‘save link as’. What… Read More

Museum of the Bible | MOTB Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, educational institution whose purpose is to invite all people to engage with the history, narrative and… Read More

Jones discusses divorce and remarriage with objectivity By Bob Young In Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage: Seen Through the Character of God and the Mind of Jesus, Jerry Jones — a longtime… Read More

Crossing the Line Workshop Overview: Crossing the Line workshops seek to begin or continue the conversation at the local level, on the topics of race, ethnicity, and culture within the body… Read More

Here are my top five personal reflections from the Forum. 1. Pastors and Leaders are Hungry to Learn about Making Disciples Last year we were told that if we had… Read More

www.thomrainer.com Leadership is critical to successful revitalization. Today we discuss what kind of leaders often fail in the task. To listen to, or to download the audio lesson, click here…. Read More

No verse is in a vacuum, and it is important to always read a passage as part of the larger story. Why Have Americans Stopped Reading the Bible? By KATHLEEN COOKE | October… Read More

At 50, African Christian College strives for self-sustainability — in its students and its campus. Continue reading here. Note: Douglas has taught at the African Christian College (first-, second-, and… Read More

Grace is both an incredibly important and an incredibly difficult concept, explains John Barclay in Paul and the Gift. When boiled down to its purest form, or “perfected,” as Kenneth Burke… Read More

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for great discipleship resources. That’s why I wanted to share with you the website URLs for seventeen of the top disciple making organizations… Read More

The Boston Globe Spotlight team did a series on it that is getting a lot of attention.  Seems it may be a scandal even bigger that the clergy abuse issue…. Read More

OCTOBER 30, 2017 / STEVEKINNARD TEAMwork A Bible Talk for Athletes (and everyone else) Opening question: Name someone who has been a great teammate to you. Explain why. I think of a… Read More

If you’re like me, you are intrigued by tall towers and buildings. Whenever I visit a new city, I want to ascend to the highest point and look out. My… Read More

For O.T. Lesson 49, Daniel (31 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

Last week, Nepal enacted a law to curb evangelism by criminalizing religious conversion, joining neighboring countries like India and Pakistan, where the region’s small-but-growing Christian minority faces government threats to… Read More

In your school days, maybe you loved science class, or perhaps you dreaded it (I hope not). I’ve been a science lover since childhood — these were the early years… Read More

Class taught by Douglas during the continuing midweek series called ‘Sharpening the Sword’ at the North River Church of Christ on Wednesday, October 18, 2017. Watch the video here.

In the ancient world, written symbols were viewed with a sense of mystical fascination. Pagans and Christians alike had a coded language of symbolism to express the mystical and mysterious… Read More

What do you think of when you hear the word “righteousness”? About a year ago I was challenged about my understanding of the nature of righteousness in the Bible and… Read More

The following material appeared in the weekly newsletter from 27 September to 11 October 2017. This series was adapted from The God Who Dared (1997), the next version of which was titled Genesis,… Read More

Was Noah’s Flood really global? Is there evidence for this? Please help me think this through. I am happy to help. Let me say, first off, that whatever one’s conclusion… Read More

Sermon by Douglas Jacoby on 10.1.17 at the North River Church of Christ, Marietta, GA

This course examines the nature of both science and religion and attempts to explore the possible relationships between them. The primary purpose is to dispel the popular myth that science… Read More

Read the powerful testimony of Costi Hinn, nephew of multi-millionaire health & wealth preacher Benny Hinn. From the Christianity Today website. Click here.  

No celebramos Halloween. Solía tener la idea de que los satanistas ven a Halloween como un día especial. Sin embargo, he intentado investigar en libros, publicaciones periódicas, e internet sobre… Read More

I thought you’d find this interesting. Jerry is someone who has thought — and studied — long and hard about many things. He’s a terrific Bible student — always learning,… Read More

An extraordinary collection of 68 New Testament and other Biblical manuscripts dating from the fourth to the twentieth centuries has been digitized and made available for study online. Continue reading… Read More

This is Douglas’ second message from the series ‘Sharpening the Sword’ at the midweek service of the North River Church of Christ on 9/20/17. (Note from the AV team: the… Read More

If you asked 20 separate Christians “What is the gospel,” you’d likely get 25 different answers. If you asked the same question in a group of 20 Christians, they might… Read More

Dave Lomas speaks on the sexual brokenness found in the Old Testament, which points to our own desperate need for God’s renewing grace in Genesis 38. Watch the video here.

Scientists say the world is really old, but my Bible teacher says it only appears old — but it actually young, only 1000s of years old. What is the truth?… Read More

I’m pleased to announce the release of a new FREE eBook from the Discipleship.org eBook series:Beyond Accountability by Nate Larkin. DOWNLOAD FREE NOW Beyond Accountability tells an important story about pornography and… Read More

Lesson given on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at the North River Church of Christ, to bring Christians to maturity through examining the nature and implications of the gospel. Video is… Read More

Jon Bloom, in this fascinating article (posted at Desiring God), gives reasons that we don’t “follow” our hearts — which is backwards. We are supposed to lead our hearts. Intrigued? Click here for the article.

What exactly was the Inquisition? (If you prefer to listen to my reply, click on the arrow for the podcast, The Inquisition (20 min). If you want to save and… Read More

Jordan Peterson is a historical philosopher who speaks broadly on, among other things, postmodernism. He outlines how this philosophy has affected political policy and thinking in the Western world. Here are 3… Read More

What do you think is the most accurate translation of “propheteousa” in 1 Corinthians 11:5? A conservative translation would be merely “speak,” but I don’t think that translation accurately captures… Read More

For O.T. Lesson 48, Ezekiel (20 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

Chuck Colson on Dr. Paul McHugh Back in June I [Colson] told you about renowned psychiatrist Paul McHugh. He’s won numerous international awards for his work, but he’s recently been… Read More

According to Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), author of The Fall and Decline of the Roman Empire, five signs characterized Rome as she was deteriorating from within: Mounting love of show and… Read More