A Parable of Judgment, Not Rapture Main Idea of Matthew: The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and King who fulfills the promises of the Old Testament. It calls people to enter the kingdom of heaven through repentance and faith, and to live as disciples who follow the teachings and example of …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: One Taken, One Left (Matthew 24:40-41)”
Our Witness Before Worldly Authorities Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to an …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Submission for the Lord’s Sake (1 Peter 2:13-17)”
Identity, Injustice, and the Gospel in the Dominican Republic Main Idea of the Article: The Dominican government’s historic failure to provide legal identity to all of its citizens has created a system where its documentation-based deportation policy is set up for failure. This contradiction inevitably leads to injustice, making racial profiling the de facto means …
Read more “Deported from Home: The Tragic Paradox of an Immigration Crisis”
Honorable Conduct in a Hostile World Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Living as Foreigners and Exiles (1 Peter 2:11-12) “
Our New Identity as God’s Temple and People Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: A Living Stone and a Holy Nation (1 Peter 2:4-10)”
The Diet of a Newborn Christian Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Craving the Pure Milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:1-3) “
A Biblical Look at the Regulative and Normative Principles How should the church worship God? For centuries, this question has been a source of passionate debate. At the heart of this discussion is a concept known as the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW). What is this principle, is it found in Scripture, or is it a …
Read more “The Shadow and the Substance: How Covenants and Progressive Revelation Shape Our Worship”
The Outworking of Our New Birth Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Born Again to Love (1 Peter 1:22-25) “
Living in Awe of the God Who is Both Father and Judge Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Redeemed by Precious Blood (1 Peter 1:17-21)”
The Practical Response to a Glorious Salvation Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Therefore, Be Holy (1 Peter 1:13-16)”
Seeing the Gospel with Fresh Eyes Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: A Salvation the Prophets Longed to See (1 Peter 1:10-12)”
Examining the Role of Experience in Missions Mobilization It’s a common and unsettling sight in the world of missions conferences: a well-known pastor from a large, comfortable church stands before a crowd, passionately speaking about the need to reach unreached people groups in harsh, remote corners of the world—places they have never been. This raises …
Read more “The Professor and the General: Examining the Role of Experience in Missions Mobilization”
The Marks of a Living Hope Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: A Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3-9)”
The Marks of a Living Hope Main Idea of 1 Peter: 1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Chosen Exiles (1 Peter 1:1-2)”
The Implications of Sola Scriptura for Life and Practice Why are there thousands of different Christian denominations? Why do some churches have self proclaimed apostles, others one lead pastor, while others are led by a group of elders? How can one church forbid something that another church encourages, with both claiming to follow the Bible? …
Read more “Nothing Beyond What is Written: Sola Scriptura as Our Safeguard”
A Living Hope for Exiles Main Idea of 1 Peter: First Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage suffering Christians to persevere in holiness by remembering their new identity in Christ and looking forward to their future glory. Introduction to the Series: Have you ever felt like you don’t quite fit in? …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: 1 Peter (A Living Hope for Exiles) – An Introduction”
The Marks of Christian Fellowship Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous lesson (Eph 6:10-20), we received our marching orders as …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: A Farewell of Grace and Peace (Ephesians 6:21-24)”
A Guide to Building Healthy Cross-Cultural Missions I’ll never forget the day a pastor from Haiti called me. I was expecting a request for funds or a report or suggestions on a recent difficulty. Instead, he said, “Brother Antonio, I was praying for you this morning. How are you? And how can my family pray …
Read more “More Than Money: The Principles of Healthy Ministry Partnership”
Standing Firm in the Spiritual Battle Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous lesson (Eph 6:5-9), we saw how the gospel …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)”
The Futility of Effort Without Wisdom Main Idea of Ecclesiastes: The book of Ecclesiastes explores the vanity of searching for meaning in a fallen world “under the sun,” apart from God. It concludes that true wisdom and fulfillment are found only in fearing God and keeping His commandments, recognizing that He will bring every deed …
Serving Christ as Master Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous lesson (Eph 6:1-4), we saw how the gospel transforms the …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Gospel in the Workplace (Ephesians 6:5-9)”
Honor and Nurture in the Family Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous two lessons (Eph 5:22-33), we explored how a …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Gospel in the Home (Ephesians 6:1-4)”
A Husband’s Love as a Picture of the Gospel Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous lesson (Eph 5:21-24), we established …
The Principle of Submission and a Wife’s Calling Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous lesson (Eph 5:15-21), we learned that …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Foundation of a Spirit-Filled Home (Ephesians 5:21-24)”
What the Developing World and the First World Must Learn from Each Other Thirteen years as a missionary teaches you to see patterns. I’ve seen believers in first-world nations who can beautifully articulate the nuances of Pauline theology, backed by a library of resources at their fingertips. But I’ve also seen how the gravitational pull …
An Update from Venezuela and the Story of a New Believer Preaching the Gospel “By the Lord’s mercy, we continue to advance in the Grace Community Biblical Mission in Maracay, Venezuela. Sundays We continue to have our regular consecutive sermons on the Gospel of John, currently in Chapter 7. In Sunday school, we are studying …
Read more “VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINES: Bearing Fruit in Maracay”
Anchored in Truth, Growing in Love Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: What powerful imagery does Paul use in verse 14 to describe spiritual …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: From Immaturity to Maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:14-16)”
Living as Children of Light Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Recap from Last Lesson: In our previous lesson (Eph 5:3-7), we examined Paul’s stern warning against …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Walk to Embrace (Ephesians 5:8-14)”
Forsaking Darkness Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: After calling us to “walk in love” (5:2), Paul immediately lists things that should “not even …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Walk to Abandon (Ephesians 5:3-7)”
Our Identity and Our Walk Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: The word “Therefore” at the beginning of 5:1 connects this command directly to …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Imitators of God, Walking in Love (Ephesians 5:1-2) “
The Root of Sin and the Reason for Grace Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: Verse 30 gives a powerful, central command. What does …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Grieving the Spirit & The Gospel Heart (Ephesians 4:30-32) “
The Practical Marks of the New Self Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: Verse 25 provides the first specific example of “putting off” the …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The New Life in Practice (Ephesians 4:25-29)”
Why the Prosperity Gospel Misses the Point, and What the Bible Really Teaches In a world of hardship and uncertainty, the appeal of the prosperity gospel is undeniable. It promises that faith in God will unlock a life of material wealth, physical health, and earthly success. But is this the Gospel of Jesus Christ? To …
Read more “The Currency of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of True Prosperity”
The Old Self and the New Self Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: In verses 17-19, how does Paul describe the lifestyle of unbelievers? …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Putting on the New Self (Ephesians 4:17-24)”
Distinguishing Between Foundational and Continuing Church Offices As we journey through Ephesians, Paul’s mention of the ascended Christ giving “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” to the church (Eph. 4:11) can raise questions. These terms are sometimes used loosely or controversially today. The purpose of Christ in giving these leaders, however, …
Read more “A Foundation and a Frontline: Christ’s Design for His Church”
Equipping the Saints for Ministry Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: After emphasizing our sevenfold unity (vv. 4-6), Paul begins verse 7 with “But…” …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: Christ’s Gifts to His Church (Ephesians 4:7-13)”
The Creed of Our Unity Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: Immediately after urging the church to be “eager to maintain the unity,” Paul …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Sevenfold Unity (Ephesians 4:4-6)”
Rooting Church Leadership in the Character of God Many pastors and leaders today affirm the biblical model of plural eldership. The New Testament pattern is clear: local churches were guided by a team of qualified men, not a solo pastor. But in our push to recover this structure, have we stopped to ask the deeper …
Read more “More Than a Model: A Theological Reflection on Shared Leadership”
The Foundation of Unity Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: Paul begins with a plea to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling.” …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: The Walk of Unity (Ephesians 4:1-3)”
God’s Power at Work in Us Main Idea of Ephesians: Ephesians reveals God’s eternal plan to unite all things in Christ, detailing our spiritual riches, the Church’s unity as His body, and our calling to live out this new identity. Questions to Consider: This section is a doxology (a burst of praise). Why do you …
Read more “REFLECTIONS FOR A NEW HEART: To Him Be the Glory (Ephesians 3:20-21) “