The United Gospel Outreach Church’s building, which is open to all Christian groups in the city, is one of the few church buildings built since 1975 with the government’s tacit approval. For such a place to exist was unthinkable 15 years ago and is a sign of expanding religious freedom in the country’s big cities.... Continue Reading

In the Christian community, we tend to be enthusiastic about new voices and fresh perspectives. We are eager to hear conference headliners and read the latest viral posts. We seek out variety and diversity. This isn’t necessarily bad. But we must not overlook the value of a single, faithful voice: 52 Sundays every year, standing... Continue Reading

The lessons from these two church plants mean much to me as I now sit in another small service, two years into another new church, on the opposite coast from Church X and Church Y. No bells. No whistles. Just the ordinary means of grace—prayer, Bible study, communion, fellowship. My new church doesn’t garner the... Continue Reading

About halfway through the almost two-hour Easter service, Dan Cogdell, Caldwell’s legal counsel, paced the stage in front of the white-robed choir and shouted to the cheering congregation, “I know the truth and the truth will set him free!”   Thousands of worshipers at a Methodist megachurch in Houston didn’t expect to hear from their... Continue Reading

The number one way we can get our children to see the church as important is to model to them its importance. If we make it a priority, and we encourage our children to be with us at the usual meetings of the church, it tells our children that we value it and so should... Continue Reading

There will many in our pews who walk in a false presumption of salvation. This Sunday-morning mission field should burden us to conclude by calling unbelievers – be they professing Christians or conscious unbelievers – to repent of their sins and call on the Lord for salvation. Point the congregation to the Lord Jesus Christ... Continue Reading

I know we’ve had “famous” evangelists and televangelists in the past, and I know there’s nothing new under the sun. Celebrity pastors have been around ever since the Corinthians debated the merits of Paul, Apollos, and Peter. Nevertheless, I do think today’s cultural environment has provided conditions that are particularly toxic. The ubiquity of social... Continue Reading

“Do you see my point in recounting this solemn, yet glorious, narrative? Nobody would have recognized Joseph as one of Jesus’ followers. His family, friends and neighbors did not associate Joseph with the Nazarene. His fellows on the Sanhedrin were startled by His impartiality and integrity yet never, for a second, suspected a turncoat in... Continue Reading

“2 out of 3 Americans confess to being a sinner (67%), according to LifeWay Research/ The rest don’t see themselves as sinners (8%), don’t think sin exists (10%), or preferred not to answer the question (15%). While a few of the self-confessed sinners don’t mind being one (5%), most say they are either working on... Continue Reading

“The Lord’s Supper is spiritual nourishment promised by the sign of bread and wine and realized by the Holy Spirit. If this empowering is the work of the Holy Spirit, it must also be said that the Spirit works through faith. In other words, this empowering comes through believing the Gospel, both as it is... Continue Reading