Latest Posts

By CSN on Sep 05, 2019 01:00 pm There are many ways you can assess the spiritual health of your church members. Faith, regular church attendance, and engagement in community… Read More

“Just let the Bible be whatever it is.” … But just what is the Bible? What is the Bible? This is a vitally important question. Rob Bell is a famous… Read More

ARE MOST SCIENTISTS ATHEISTS? Baruch Aba Shalev wrote a book titled 100 Years of Nobel Prizes. That book contains a report on Nobel prizes awarded between 1901 and 2000. During that period, when 423… Read More

CHICK-FIL-A GIVING. San Antonio, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, have kicked Chick-fil-A out of their airports for “aiding and abetting Christian organizations.” What is especially ironic is that it is the charity work of… Read More

Don’t Be Fooled Into Believing These Final Two GRIEF MYTHS You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot… Read More

(Scroll down for the actual classes) (1) The Big Picture AQOB 1-2, 16 The Structure of the N.T. (51 minutes) The Faith Unfurled: New Testament Survey—book (2) Who, When, Where?… Read More

How well do we know God’s Word? Here’s a tool to evaluate our level of Bible knowledge. The diagnostic test at 3 levels has been constructed with the help of many around… Read More

Greg Koukl continues to turn out thought-provoking articles, accessible and interesting. (Personally, I thought his section on salvation was over-simplified, but every other section was excellent. – DJ) Faithfulness Is… Read More

By Kendra Terpstra on August 16, 2019 Whenever people ask me how I found out about BioLogos, I usually give them a quick elevator speech that begins with when I first read… Read More

The Book of Hebrews says the Old Covenant is obsolete, so since I already believe in Christ, I don’t need to bother with the Old Testament.—E.E. As there is a… Read More

This thought-provoking podcast explores four critical weaknesses in leadership: controlling, criticizing, avoiding, and rescuing. Craig Groeschel is connected with Life Church, and puts out a monthly podcast. Listen here.

“One thing I see at the orthodox cores of our traditions is that at one and the same time we are to hold faithfully to truth as we know it… Read More

A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy sues his former employer for religious discrimination after it wouldn’t accommodate his request to not train a female officer one-on-one. David Roach August 20, 2019… Read More

Dear Discipleship-First Tribe, We want you to become the disciple maker God intends you to be. For those of you who are church leaders, we also want you to develop… Read More

Late last year, I noticed our family checkbook was getting very light. Dread filled my mind as I realized that we would need to borrow money to pay our bills… Read More

Click for extra study material (articles, books, podcasts, other messages) in connection with the 8 classes of the North River “Decoding the New Testament” series. https://www.douglasjacoby.com/?p=23123  

My book club is reading Falling in Love With Jesus: Abandoning Yourself to the Greatest Romance of Your Life. The authors teach that Christian women, whether single or married, should refer to… Read More

Today, PraegerU released Paul Copan’s five-minute video on relativism—“True for You, But Not for Me.” This is a great platform for intelligent public discourse on this topic and its pernicious… Read More

Two persons were not so fond of the Online Bible Test, commenting that it isn’t as important to know chapter and verse, or the arrangement of biblical books, as to know… Read More

The podcast Islam & Christianity (26 minutes) is intended to help the new student of world religions to develop a feel for how the two faiths connect. This is material I… Read More

Man melding with machine. Anti-aging technology. Brain-computer interface. Gene-edited “designer” babies. Some scientific advances go beyond helping humanity overcome obstacles. They actually begin to help humanity overcome, well . …. Read More

First – Learn from Disciple Making Leader: Small Circle Steve McCoy is the leader of Small Circle, one of our trusted disciple-making partners. Here’s what he told us about his ministry… Read More

What do you think about the recently discovered Christian letter? I learned about this through Fox News. The article is titled “1,700-year-old recently discovered Christian letter offers clues into how faithful… Read More

Common Grounds (www.cgunity.com) – Third chapter starting in September (9/26, 11:30am-1:00pm) in San Diego. Robert Carrillo is speaking, see flyer with all info here.

We believe we Christians will spend eternity with God. No disrespect meant, but sooner or later, wouldn’t that grow old? Maybe the first few years or centuries would be great,… Read More

Watch the message given in Atlanta (North River Church) on July 28, 2019.

Sermon I did in the Midpoint Ministry (Chicago) on July 21, 2019. (The sermon begins at about 0:38, and ends at 1:12.) Posted by Midpoint Ministry Center of the Chicago Church… Read More

In Joshua 6, God commanded the Israelites to circle the city 7 days in a row. Therefore, one of those days had to be a Sabbath. Would walking around the… Read More

Located between Kiryat Gat and Lachish in southern Israel, Khirbet a-Ra‘i has been the site of excavations since 2015. The researchers recently announced their belief that they have uncovered the… Read More

Podcast 1 Podcast 2   Más Allá de la Vida – Slides  

FORT WORTH, Texas — Dr. Kent Brantly sat on his counselor’s couch and wept. The tears came last summer as the Christian physician visited with Dottie Schulz, a missionary care volunteer… Read More

The pdf below is going to be published in various places next month. We just completed it. The goal is to explain Renew succinctly to church leaders.  It is based… Read More

I was recently able to catch up with Renew Gathering speaker Mark Moore. We talked about life transitions, creating a legacy, personal discipline, and a new book he has written… Read More

Part 7: Greg addresses a situation where you may be tempted to take on the burden of proof in conversation about Christianity. Watch video here.

“Just let the Bible be whatever it is.”…But just what is the Bible?  What is the Bible? This is a vitally important question. Rob Bell is a famous American author,… Read More

  Headlines were buzzing with the announcement. Facebook had introduced a new metric that would significantly revamp their algorithms. Continue here.

FROM THE SEA  DNA obtained from remains of people who inhabited an ancient city on Israel’s coast, including this child, indicate that the Philistines mentioned in the Hebrew Bible descended… Read More

Agosto-Octubre 2019   La Fundación Proyecto Esdras, A. C., en alianza con In-Motion Counseling, presentan este curso especial sobre Consejería Bíblica en sus dos modalidades: División Entrenamiento para Ministros: MTA-BL03 Principios… Read More

TRUST Rom 15:14—confident in church to handle issues of church. I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent… Read More

4) Abuse of authority Leaders have authority, but not to create their own rules, or in the language of Jeremiah, “to rule by their own authority” (Jer 5:30-31). “Giving up… Read More

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so… Read More

In his own words, comedian Ricky Gervais went “from Jesus-loving Christian to fun-loving infidel in one afternoon.” Ricky Gervais was 8 years old. He was drawing the Crucifixion as part… Read More

After his wife became Muslim to appease militant Islamists, he fled with their children — and found Christ. Erik Tryggestad President and CEO DONO-MANGA, Chad — In this rural African village,… Read More

I was reading Christianity Today this morning when I came across this: When Mary Holds Their Hand You can read a good part of the article even if you are not… Read More

Two New AMAZING Videos From SIW! P.S. Put your seat belt on! #1. What Does the Bible Say bout Being Transgender? By Brandon Redler 3.3 min #2. Why I Left My Transgender Life Behind … Read More

If God is good, and loving, and powerful, how can we account for the enormous amount of animal (and human) suffering caused by predation, disease, and natural disasters? Traditionally, Christians… Read More

Why did the Lord tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? This seems barbaric. Indeed, this is one of the more disturbing passages of the Old Testament. In the 22nd chapter of… Read More

WHO ARE WE? SELF-TEST: Rank the following terms in order of usage–what you usually call yourself. Christian Disciple Brother Saint Many of us answered 1-2-3-4, right? But in the New… Read More

Renew.org     4 Things I Would Like to Say to Taylor Swift as a Pastor   June was a big month for Taylor Swift as she embraced LGBTQ month,… Read More

History — We Are Church A Brief History of We Are Church. Excerpt from Letters to the Church, by Francis Chan. Why I Left My Megachurch In 1994, when I… Read More

Two twin boys were raised by an alcoholic father. One grew up to be an alcoholic and when asked what happened he said “I watched my father”. The other grew… Read More

How a meeting in Philadelphia changed American religion forever. By Matthew Avery Sutton   Mr. Sutton, a professor of history at Washington State University, is the author of the forthcoming “Double… Read More

LEARN CHURCH PLANTING FROM OUR PASTORS a note from francis Haven’t you always been a bit confused about Church?  You read about the unstoppable power, miraculous love, and outrageous sacrifice… Read More

Many have asked what specific points led me away from Calvinism. Being a Professor of Theology that once affirmed TULIP gives me a unique perspective on this subject. However, I… Read More

  We are excited to introduce you to  TheHistoricFaith.com . The Historic Faith is the result of a partnership between Sattler College and Scroll Publishing. This project seeks to promote the precepts… Read More

Something ominous is happening to young men today; it’s a crisis…and strangely, we are not talking about it. A recent USA Today article captured the essence of the crisis with the article “Boy Crisis Threatens America’s… Read More

With over 150 titles, Penguin’s Who Was? series tells the incredible stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators, and creators. Play the Who Was Adventure game! Download the Who Was series app… Read More

Excerpt from Trent Butler, The Word Biblical Commentary 8, Judges (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), lxxx. ……”Three tribes… receive the brunt of the author’s judgment in Judges. Benjamin could not take… Read More

Father’s Day is just around the corner. Covenant Eyes would love to see all the dads out there take the Dad Challenge. What better time to start this challenge but… Read More

Two video sermons taken from the book of Hebrews: iFaith 19 (Heb A), “Christ is Supreme,” and iFaith 20 (Heb B), “The Truth about Falling Away”. Listen to either or… Read More

My wife Cathy passed away on August 13, 2018. We were married for 28 incredible years. Through our Strength in Weakness ministry, we traveled the world telling our story and… Read More

New discoveries about the human mind show the limitations of reason. The vaunted human capacity for reason may have more to do with winning arguments than with thinking straight. Illustration… Read More

Televangelist Todd Coontz has a well-worn routine: he dresses in a suit, pulls out a Bible and urges viewers to pledge a very specific amount of money. “Don’t delay, don’t… Read More

Participants on the May/June 2019 Israel tour came from Canada, the Bahamas, the U.K., U.S., Cambodia, Zambia, South Africa, Singapore, and Australia. Here are their responses:   “This tour brought… Read More

      “The more I study science, the more I believe in God.” “I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or… Read More

For over 200 years people have used soil from the churchyard of Sacred Heart Church in the Boho Highlands of rural Northern Ireland as a remedy for a variety of… Read More

Friends,   As a Renew subscriber you likely aspire to be a disciple who makes disciples. We want to help make that as easy as possible for you. This is… Read More

Today I get to sit down with the founder of Strength in Weakness Ministries, Guy Hammond, to discuss how to live a life of holiness when you’re same-sex attracted. -… Read More

I agree with your take on communion as an actual meal. Concerning excluding unbelievers because they can’t “connect” with it, did the early church use this rationale for any means… Read More

In Deut 23:3 God gives the command that no descendants of the Moabites even to the tenth generation may enter the assembly of the Lord. I was wondering if Ruth… Read More

Is it a sin for a divorced couple to have sex even if there was no adultery? —S.K. Yes, since they are no longer married (by definition). Good question, though. Divorce… Read More

You say the minimum number of Jesus’ siblings is seven. Matthew 13 says his brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and also mentions “all of his sisters.” Four brothers are… Read More

“Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them” (Isa 1:14). I also find something… Read More

Like many of you, I enjoy a good book. Apart from occasional espionage novels, nearly all of my reading is Christian literature, theology, history, and science. Yet now and again,… Read More

If you read the Bible—especially the New Testament—it’s pretty easy to come away with a bad impression of Samaritans. In fact, most of us would probably rank the Samaritans just… Read More

Centering Christ in a Modern Wedding Traditional white weddings with vows exchanged at the altar and church bells signaling holy matrimony seem few and far between these days. Indeed, church… Read More

Amazing keynote message given at the Harbor Pepperdine Bible Lectures on Thursday, May 2, 2019 in Malibu, CA. https://livestream.com/pepperdineuniversity/harborpbl19/videos/190780153  

From the book: “I want to show that the gospel and our faith response must not be reduced to the cross, or even to the cross and resurrection. The gospel… Read More

Sermon given at the North River Church in Atlanta on Sunday, May 12, 2019.

Two classes given by Douglas Jacoby & Nick Zola at “The Harbor” Pepperdine Bible Lectures, on May 3, 2019. The two audio lessons are followed by the Powerpoint presentation with… Read More

Is the Holy Land the Promised Land? Leading evangelical supporters of President Trump tout the modern state of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Scholars in Churches of Christ… Read More

Can You Be Gay and a Christian? See why over 100,000 people have attended a Strength in Weakness workshop!   SIW HITS  THE ROAD   Madrid, Spain Guy Hammond May… Read More

  Friends,   Many Renew leaders have success stories to share. We want God to get the credit in these stories. We also want to learn from these stories how… Read More

Where Do Moral Laws Come From? We can be good without God, but would goodness even exist without God? Greg Koukl explains the argument for God from morality. https://www.str.org/video/where-do-moral-laws-come

(UPDATED) Assemblies of God pastor preferred to “die for his faith rather than leave the village” he served for decades.  Kate Shellnutt [Updated May 3 with further remarks from Assemblies… Read More

May News from Tyndale House Dear friends, At Tyndale House we are passionate about supporting evangelical biblical scholars, and ensuring that Christians across the world benefit from their work. In… Read More

Here are few reasons why you will want to register today for the National Disciple Making Forum in Nashville! Pete Scazzero and Drew Hyun from Emotionally Healthy Discipleship will be… Read More

1st part of our interview with Dr. Douglas Jacoby It was very exciting to be able to have a conversation with Douglas on such a needed subject. We all go… Read More

A BioLogos podcast on science and faith The new BioLogos podcast is live! We’re very excited about this latest way to extend the BioLogos mission. Long-form audio broadcasts have become… Read More

#3. “When Your Kids Tell You They Are Gay” Steve Bowen 4 min #1. “Is It a Sin If You Feel Gay?” Guy Hammond 3.5 min #2. “Can You Be… Read More

The Renew tribe is inclusive – anyone can be a part of it. The process is self-selecting.  People join because they support the beliefs (theological convictions), the philosophy (disciple making… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Tribe, Disciples of Jesus are facing a subtle but pervasive challenge in North America right now. Left unchecked, this challenge erodes the convictions of everyday disciples, leaders, and… Read More

Growing up in suburban Cincinnati, sacrifices were not part of everyday life. I know, some of you are probably shocked by that revelation. Sacrifices were something I read about in the Bible… Read More

Browse the presentations from the 2019 BioLogos Conference!

Each year, Barna examines behaviors and beliefs related to the Bible among American adults, a study conducted in partnership with American Bible Society. In the 2019 “State of the Bible” report,… Read More

See why over 100,000 people have attended a Strength in Weakness workshop!   SIW HITS  THE ROAD   Madrid, Spain Guy Hammond May 5, 2019 La Iglesia de los Disćipulos… Read More

I am a senior pastor; I have been one for more than 30 years. So, I know the subtle pressure that can sneak in: to produce, provide and program for… Read More

Dear Friends and Partners of Renew, We are so pleased to announce to you, our ministry friends and partners, that our new website is LIVE!! We want to sincerely thank… Read More

Non-members can listen to several of the podcasts (the Jesus N.T. Character Podcast, A Christian Response to Global Financial Crisis; Serving the Poor: Second Thoughts; 2012 & the End of… Read More

From slow WiFi to broken phone screens to zero “likes” on social media, everyday stressors are causing young adults to have struggles falling asleep 138 nights each year, researchers say…. Read More

Stand to Reason / www.str.org/ After a five-year study, Barna Research president David Kinnaman found that 6 in 10 young people leave the church either permanently or for an extended period… Read More

From Reuters News: Conversion is not your mission, pope tells Catholics in Morocco http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pope-morocco/conversion-is-not-your-mission-pope-tells-catholics-in-morocco-idUKKCN1RC0FJ Pope Francis told the tiny Catholic community in predominantly Muslim Morocco on Sunday that their mission… Read More

Various factors feed into psychosis, like stress and personal genetic makeup. Yet there is strong evidence that use of cannabis is leading to significant mental health problems in Europe—the higher… Read More

Why I am NOT a Gay Christian By Guy Hammond Executive Director, Strength in Weakness Ministries “You are not being your authentic self, you’re a liar and a fraud.” “You… Read More

The following are responses to the Ezekiel series (10 installments), which appears in the newsletters of 20 & 27 Feb; 6, 13, 20, and 27 Mar; and 3, 10, 17,… Read More

A List of All Scriptures that Proves God Condones Homosexuality By Guy Hammond Executive Director; Strength in Weakness Ministries Does God love homosexuals? Of course, God loves everyone! But where… Read More

Greg explains the importance of listening and encourages Christians to remember that the one who makes the claim bears the burden. Play the 3-minute video by clicking here, and/or read… Read More

Image: Illustration by Rick Szuecs / Source image: Courtesy of Baker Publishing Group Michael McClymond decries the rising popularity of an idea Christians have rejected for most of church history…. Read More

Photo from Pixabay.com Feb. 28, 2019 Modern-day ‘sticks and stones’ Before you type, maybe you should ask, ‘What would Jesus tweet?’ By  Chellie Ison ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones,… Read More

“… so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Cor 9:22  Does your church have an integrated and compelling online presence to impact your community? Your church leader needs to focus… Read More

Dear Renew Friends, This month we are emphasizing what the Bible teaches about baptism – and a key resource on baptism. Let me explain why this may be important to you… Read More

Greco-Roman gods had no interest in the poor nor was organised charity a religious duty. How was Christianity different? Photo by DeAgostini/Getty In Greco-Roman culture, the well-to-do weren’t expected to… Read More

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That statement, attributed to the most influential management guru of our time, Peter Drucker, describes a reality church leaders must face in the pursuit of… Read More

Before 31 Dec 2019—100% of balance and 90% of deposit refundable. Before 1 Apr 2020—100% of balance refundable. Deposits are non-refundable. By 1 May—80% of balance… By 1 July—60% By… Read More

The Benefits of a Stiff Neck? by Rob Kranz This is my first post since arriving back in Jerusalem. The time is flying by at blazing fast speed. As I write this,… Read More

Dear Renew Family, We hope this email finds you doing well. The Exponential Church Planting Conference was last week, it was an exciting event and Renew was able to play… Read More

Weary of attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, Christians in Nigeria ask how long they’re supposed to “count it all joy.” JEREMY WEBER IN JOS| OCTOBER 19, 2018 Image:… Read More

Local couple help empower women in Nicaragua, one knitted blanket at a time By: Lorena Inclan Jacksonville, FL March 1, 2019 For Steve and Sandy Jacoby a trip to Nicaragua… Read More

How do you react when things go wrong? Your e-mail or Twitter gets hacked and people send you unkind messages… You’re stuck in traffic and late for an important meeting…… Read More

Dear Friends of Renew, If you are subscribed to our newsletter you are likely interested in all of Jesus’ teachings. You may also be laser focused on how those teachings… Read More

A Jew, an Early Christian and a Roman Meet in Archaeological Park to Be Built on Evacuated Prison ‘God Jesus Christ’ mosaic, ancient Jewish-Samaritan village of Othnay and Roman command… Read More

RUTH LESSON NR-MS Taught 20 March 2019 in Marietta, GA (North River Church, Marietta Square Group)

by Greg Koukl, March 1, 2019 I do not consider myself a particularly brave person, and I think it especially foolish, on the main, to make a frontal assault on… Read More

By Jeff Hardin on February 13, 2019 This article is adapted from a portion of the 2018 V. Elving Anderson Lecture in Science and Religion by Jeff Hardin, given at the University of Minnesota, April 5,… Read More

Art For The Glory Of God “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” This was the counsel of King Solomon, as chronicled in Proverbs 18:16…. Read More

Are You Ready to Respond to Pro-Abortion Arguments? The message being given to us by our culture has moved from the regretful necessity of abortion to the goodness of abortion…. Read More

Sermon by Douglas Jacoby on Feb. 24, 2019 at the North River Church of Christ.

The Bible Study Tour to Israel in February was truly an inspiring mountaintop experience for me. It is difficult to sum up the amazing sights we saw and experienced, but… Read More

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Four in five Americans believe in the healing power of prayer, according to surveys, and even a majority of medical doctors say that miraculous healing sometimes occurs…. Read More

Do the “watchman” passages apply to all Christians? I have heard it preached—and I myself have preached—that when we fail to take advantage of an opportunity to share Christ, the… Read More

We don’t have that much information on the lives of the apostles, apart from a few passages on Peter and John, and of course lots on Paul. But even then… Read More

. [ For the Autumn 2020 Turkey tour, click here. ] PAGE 1 of 2 2019 BIBLICAL STUDY TOUR (27 May—3 June) Registered to date: 35. Registered for post-tour: 16…. Read More

Discipleship-First Tribe, Discipleship·org asked Roy Moran to write a two-part blog on Disciple Making Movements. We asked Roy to do this because he’s an expert on Disciple Making Movements and… Read More

Number on Seriously Interested list: 38 persons (not yet registered). Number registered: 32.  (Pre-tour: 14)  Spaces remaining: 48. Nations: Brazil, Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Nigeria, Trinidad, UK, US I. Background II. Tour… Read More

Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation From the Center for Action and Contemplation Week Six Jesus and the Cross An Alternative Story Monday, February 4, 2019 The theory of substitutionary atonement has… Read More

ACCESS ALL IMITATION OF CHRIST PODCASTS HERE (scroll down)    Since the early 1400s, The Imitation of Christ has been a Christian classic—for many centuries surpassed in printing and sales only by… Read More

Scripture: Phil 3:14; (1 Macc 2:63); (Sir 7:6); (Sir 38:22); Luke 21:36; Matt 24:44; 2 Cor 6:2; Rom 6:8; Ecc 7:2; Psalm 144:4; Luke 12:33; 16:9; 1 Pet 2:11; Heb… Read More

Scripture: Psalm 43:3-4; 55:6; 34:8; 106:45; 40:5; 19:9; 1 John 2:15; Rom 8:6; Col 3:11; Rom 6:6; Gal 5:17; Psalm 89:9; 44:26; 68:30; (Sir 36:6); Isa 26:3; Matt 6:25-34   Application… Read More

I recently heard you state that God’s forgiveness is conditional—which made me feel uncomfortable. Is this a widespread idea? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before. It would help… Read More

Scripture: Phil 1:23-24; Jas 1:17; Rom 8:21; Luke 22:18; Josh 1:6; Eph 4:24; Isa 61:3; Phil 1:20 . Powerful sentences: * “It’s not by your own meditating and striving that… Read More

Make Your Prayer Space Ready For God Jesus notoriously went off into the garden of Gethsemane to pray before he was betrayed and eventually hung on the cross. What most… Read More

Scripture: Matt 7:1-2; Jas 3:7-9; Matt 26:41; Eph 4:29; John 21:22; Rom 14:12; Ecc 1:14; John 2:25; Rev 3:20; 1 Pet 4:7 . Thought questions: * Am I aware of… Read More

Scripture: Prov 4:23; 19:23; Jas 4:9; Eph 4:29; Col 2:20-23; Psalm 80:5; 75:5. Spiritual focus: * Holy reverence * Discipline * Avoiding senseless humor (flippancy) * Cultivating spiritual sensitivity. * Clear… Read More

Scripture: 2 Cor 6:7; Psalm 91:14; Rev 2:17; Rom 8:18; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 91:15; Job 7:1; 1 Pet 5:8; Jas 1:14; Col 1:11; (Sir 31:26); 1 Cor 10:13; (Jud 8:17); Luke… Read More

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and… Read More

Scriptures: 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 13:9; Psalm 117:2; Heb 1:1; Rom 2:11 Ten thoughts: * We shouldn’t seek novelty for novelty’s sake. The gospel is seldom advanced through curious, shocking,… Read More

by Steve Staten | Jan 23, 2019 At age thirty I had been in technology for nine years and fulltime ministry for just over a year.  My wife and I had three little… Read More

Martin Luther King Jr. courageously spoke out about the Vietnam War. We must do the same when it comes to this grave injustice of our time. By Michelle Alexander, Opinion Columnist, Jan. 19,… Read More

Scripture: 2 Pet 1:5-8; Prov 16:9; Jer 10:23; Heb 12:1; Eph 6:11; Rom 8:18; Luke 12:37,42 Application: * Daily renewal: Begin the day the right way!  * Stay busy. Redeem… Read More

Scripture: Gal 5:22-23; Eph 4:2; Gal 6:2; Rom 12:18; Phil 4:8; Rom 2:9; 1 Pet 3:16; Isa 57:20-21; 2 Cor 1:12; 7:4; 1 John 3:21; Isa 48:22; Mic 3:11; Psalm… Read More

Dear Renew Subscribers, I was recently in a theology class where the teacher made this point: anyone wanting to be like Jesus should try doing what he did. What did… Read More

Scripture: John 14:27; Matt 3:10; Gal 2:20; 5:24; 6:14; 2 Tim 2:4; Rev 2:4; Psalm 37:7; Mark 6:31; Luke 5:16; 2 Cor 1:12; Psalm 4:4; 1 John 2:17; Prov 23:32;… Read More

Scriptures: Luke 11:4; Gen 50:20; Titus 3:10; Gal 6:2,5; 2 Cor 3:5; Prov 3:7; Col 3:13; 1 Thess 5:11 . Application: * We often operate under a double standard, wanting others… Read More

Scripture: Jas 1:17; Nah 1:7; Matt 11:28; Jer 32:27; 1 Pet 5:10; Num 23:19; Ps 40:1; Matt 8:7; 6:34; John 14:27; 14:1; Ps 44:21; John 15:9; Luke 8:15; 2 Cor… Read More

As abuse awareness grows, pastors are searching for ways to protect the vulnerable and care for survivors. MORGAN LEE @Mepaynl Image: Davide Bonazzi / Salzmanart Last summer Stephanie Lobdell, co-lead pastor… Read More

Deaf communities around the world are still waiting to experience God’s Word in their first language. How much longer will it be? Donations from the 40,000 attendees at this year’s… Read More

Scripture: 1 Cor 1:26-27; 2 Tim 4:3; Num 16; Ps 94:10; 119:100,130; Col 3:4; Zeph 1:12; 1 Cor 4:5,20; 12:11. . Application: * “Sweet-sounding compliments”: beware flattery, and people lowering… Read More

Scripture: 1 Pet 5:5-6; Matt 6; Jer 10:23; Ps 91:4; Rom 11:25; 12:3; 1 Cor 13:1-3; Rom 11:20; 12:3; Jas 3:1 Practical application:  * We should be modest about our… Read More

Young adults are dropping out of church in large numbers, survey finds. This is why. www.usatoday.com 3 mins read ASHVILLE, Tenn. —Large numbers of young adults who frequently attended Protestant worship services in… Read More

Christian churches still struggle with race, how to discuss it, what to do www.usatoday.com 10 mins read CINCINNATI — On a Wednesday night at Crossroads Church in the Cincinnati neighborhood Corryville,… Read More

Scripture: Ps 37:4 Matt 26:41 Heb 12:1; 6:12; 11:1-40 John 12:25 Application (10 areas): * Learn from those who have gone before us (in church history, the O.T., and even… Read More

Greg encourages Christians for whom evangelism seems overwhelming to focus on small opportunities of influence rather than “sealing the deal.” Look forward to more Mentoring Moments from Greg in the… Read More

Scripture: Jas 1:22-25; Ezek 20:19; Eph 5:17; Gren 32:10; 1 Cor 4:7; Rom 2:11; Jas 2:5; Ps 45:16; 1 Pet 2:1; Acts 5:41; Luke 14:10; Matt 16:24-25; Phil 2:21; Ezra… Read More

Scriptures: 1 John 5:2-3; Prov 12:15; Rom 14:17 Insights for Life: * “It is far safer to live under authority than to be in a place of authority.” * “It… Read More

The Problem of Human Suffering We inhabit the same world Jesus did—one of pain, joy, surprise, suffering, and wonder. At times life is good, joyous, and fair. At other times… Read More

Scriptures: Rom 8:17-18; Heb 12:4; 2 Tim 2:5; Luke 18:27; John 15:9-10; Ps 18:42; Jas 2:20; 1 Sam 16:21; Ezek 20:17; Gen 2:7   Application questions: 1. Do I react differently… Read More

Scripture: Phil 4:11-13; Ps 30:6-8,10-11; Job 7:18; Rev 2:7. Practical application: (1) Don’t allow ourselves to lose faith or perspective just because we are going through hard times. (2) Don’t… Read More

Scriptures: Phil 3:7-9; Ps 73; Ps 25:17; 2 Cor 6:2; Heb 10:36; 2 Cor 5:4; 1 Thess 5:3; Prov 30:7-9; Col 3:1-4; Ps 32:5; 40:2; 69:14; 1 John 2:15: Job… Read More

Scriptures: Matt 7:3; 16:26: Jer 34:24; Ps 119:137; 19:9; Rom 11:33; 1 Cor 14:33; Ps 21:3; Rom 8:29; Jn 15:16,19; Gal 1:15; Matt 18:10; Rev 4:10; Matt 18:1; 1 Jn… Read More

Scriptures: Rom 1:21; (Sir 19:14; 14:1; 34:9); (Tob 4:18); Ps 60:11; 37:39; (Wis 1:1); John 14:6; Rom 3:4; Matt 10:17,36; 24:23); James 3:1; Phil 3:4-8. Application: Types of information of… Read More

Scripture: John 16:13-14; Ps 94:19; John 12:48; Mic 6:8; Gen 17:1; (Wis 1:1); John 8:32; Ps 25:5; 1 John 3:22; (Tob 3:5); Ps 119:20; (2 Macc 7:38); (Sir 11:4); Isa… Read More

Scripture: Ecc 2:11; 1 John 2:17; Ps 51:12; Eph 3:16; Eph 4:14. (Also Wis 9:4) Key phrases: * “In captivity”: True freedom is found in Christ, not the world. *… Read More

Scriptures: * 2 Cor 4:18 * Romans 12:3,16 * James 4:6 * John 15:4 * 1 Cor 4:7 * Matt 11:7 * Isa 40:6. Practicals: Be willing to take on… Read More

How close do I feel to God? We are called to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the first and greatest commandment. The church… Read More

Origins turns much of what Christians learned in Sunday School on its head in a revealing comparison of the Genesis narrative to the competing pagan narrative of the day. Relatively few… Read More

To have a sensitive heart receptive to divine love, we must keep our consciences clear as we live for God (1 Tim 1:5,19). Scripture: Eph 3:17-18; 2 Cor 1:3; Ps… Read More

Ibram Kendi breaks down what it really means to be the smartest person in the room. For more information: Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. Watch this podcast… Read More

“The simplicity of the book’s language and the direct appeal to the religious sensitivity of the individual in an uncomplicated way are perhaps the primary reasons why this little book… Read More

Genesis records that when Abram received the divine call he was in Haran (Gen 12:4). Yet Stephen said God called Abram in Ur (Acts 7:3-4). Which was it, Ur or… Read More

The world of the 1420s is radically different from our modern world! Europe is still recovering from the Black Death (1347-1349), which took the lives of easily a third of… Read More

The structure of James Watkins’ arrangement (encompassing 90 of the 114 chapters in The Imitation of Christ) is: I. Imitating Christ (Introduction) — 5 chapters II. Imitating Christ’s Character –… Read More

Isn’t baptism a work? Since we aren’t saved by works (Eph 2:8-9), baptism can’t be part of salvation. What do you teach about this?—Anonymous In the New Testament, baptism is… Read More

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Book I, Chapter I Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth . 1. HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness,” says the Lord (John 8:12). By these words… Read More

Dear Renew Partners, As this year ends, and 2019 begins, we are grateful for you. I promised a monthly update to all RENEW PARTNERS. As this month and year ends,… Read More

Why Medicating Shame’s Pain with Porn Never Works Dan Wobschall • Pornography is a pain medication for the shame many men and women experience. For the sex or porn addict, acting… Read More

Martin Luther shattered Christendom and transformed the West, making the modern world possible and inevitable. This is the consensus among historians, whether they see this sixteenth-century monk as an epochal… Read More

Human Embryo Gene Editing: We Need To Think This Through Carefully (An Interview with Francis Collins) In a recent podcast segment with Francis Collins, we asked about human embryo gene editing…. Read More

With 10 U.S. states allowing recreational use and 33 legalizing the medical use of cannabis, it is important for Christians to know how Jesus’ teachings apply to the use of… Read More

Nature has long been the reserve of great spirituality. The opportunity to be among the rest of God’s creations is an exciting one, and there are few better places to experience that… Read More

Do you know a church or ministry leader who would benefit from personalized disciple making training? At Renew, we want to raise up an army of disciple makers. We are… Read More

Two Common Mistakes Preachers Make: Searching for Reality in Sermons John Piper takes one simple verse in Romans and shows two major and prevalent mistakes preachers make today. www.desiringgod.org

The Ministry of Rob Kranz All incoming students at JUC are required to take “Physical Settings of the Bible.” This is classified as a geography course, yet the content is… Read More

Click HERE to learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100 languages!   Infographic via DayTranslations.com

EARLY CHURCH HISTORY WITH DAVID BERCOT Saturday, December 1, 2018 Download the PowerPoint from https://www.athensinstitute.org This will be available to all paying students until midnight 2 Dec ET only.

The following is a study conducted by the Oak Hills Church (San Antonio) on the role of women in the church. Click here for the study.

How can Faith Enhance Your Parenting Style? Your choice of parenting style can ‘make or break’ your child, according to recent scientific studies. In one study published in the journal Frontiers,… Read More

Click below for this extensive, and continually developing, bibliography, for the reading Christian. Helpful Books 30 June 2019  (Version XX)    

Is king David a real person, or a mythological figure created after the fact to support the notion of a divine origin for the nation of Israel? Continue reading: Does David… Read More