Christian Formation

Some of CS Lewis’s most famous quotes reside in one of his most famous works: Mere Christianity. However, I must admit that while I skimmed through this book as a new Christian years ago, I have not read it since.  Quoted from it, absolutely. Engaged with the actual work, not exactly. This January, I picked up Mere Christianity for a class I’m taking on its author, CS Lewis. I had as much familiar...

If we have ever thought about how Christianity intersects with our career, we most likely have asked the question “How does God fit into my work?” For many of us, if we think about being a faithful Christian at work that most likely means we feel the pressure to evangelize. But what if there is a better understanding of the mission of God and our work? Instead of asking how God fits into our work,...

To be disciplined means to train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way.  If I want to work out more, I must be disciplined. If I want to eat better, I must be disciplined. If I want to learn how to play the guitar, I must be disciplined. But will I achieve these things if I simply put my mind to the task? An important piece missing from the above definition is motivation.  We li...

In an ever-polarized world, there is an internal polarization that we all feel to be true. While often our society is divided on issues of politics, race, gender and border control, there is a deeper division that we experience and share only with those closest to us. That is the division between our heart and our mind. It seems as though we are sent mixed messages between following our heart and...

Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the season of Lent. For many of us, this season may mean little more than faint memories of noticing some coworkers walk around with dirt on their foreheads, going to fish fry’s on Fridays, or seeing the sanctuary draped in purple for a few Sundays. However, the season of Lent is not merely a ritual of the traditional churches we once attended, but...

This week we consider how our identity informs how we live. http://www.providenceomaha.org/formation/2019/2/21/who-you-truly-are Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

Shane and I both grew up in the church and were blessed to feel the need for Christ early in our lives. Shane had a more devout idea of his life calling than I did as a child. He saw himself building houses in Africa, while I wanted to be single and run a farm for displaced cheetahs. Nothing against cheetah farmers, but God has since given us a calling as a couple, and now as a family, to invest i...

As strange as it is for a Brit to be writing a blog post on nationalism so recently after ‘Independence day,’ I do want to say that apart from the unfortunate episode of wasting perfectly good tea by tipping it into the sea (a crime few Brits can condone), there are no hard feelings! On a more serious note, anything that has a hint of nationalism at the moment is, in light of recent cultural tensi...

My wife Debbie and I are typically long-term planners. Organized, figured out, written down. We plan our steps in the direction that our heart beats, knowing all along that God may choose to redirect us. And though spontaneity is not a daily occurrence in our marriage, flexibility and spontaneity is a required component as we serve the Lord. Our intent is to let God steer our moving heart. He has...

“How was your trip?” The eight members of the Thailand team have been asked this question many times since touching down at the Omaha O'Hare Airport. The team members are still asking themselves that question. “Good” seemed too simplified, “Amazing” doesn’t exactly ring true. Was there one word that we can use to tell acquaintances in passing how the last three weeks impacted us physically, m...

We moved into the apartments on 51st and NW Radial Hwy out of obedience on January 6th. It was difficult to track down the landlord, and even after we had made an appointment to view the apartments, he had forgotten about us and didn't show up. I mentioned in the last blog post that there was every reason to say no to this place, but we knew Jesus was asking for our yes. We ashamedly lived fo...

I used to think that trusting in God meant a rosy future filled with nothing but good things. The more I trusted him, the easier my life would be. Picture an “up and to the right” graph—this was going to be my life. What I’ve learned since then is that suffering is a normal part of the human experience, and especially part of the Christian life. An emotional upheaval gave me the biggest opportunit...

Discipleship. We throw this word out a lot in the church or in ministries, and if we are honest, it all may be a little confusing. I want to try and explain discipleship through 3 ideas: what is discipleship, what discipleship looks like, and why discipleship matters.  Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

Latest episode of Christian FormationHave you ever attended a wedding and found yourself at the end of the evening without so much as a glance at the bride and groom? Not once witnessing the bride in her full white dress at the altar? Not once catching the groom in his svelte black tux cutting his dance moves on the polished wood floor? No, probably not, because to attend a wedding ceremony and no...

Sound theology fuels joyful worship and obedient Christian living. The Protestant Reformation was aimed at rooting the wayward Church in sound theology once again. While there is a gap that exists to this day, the focus of this article is on the all-important fifth sola: the exaltation of God's glory. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomah...

In Christian circles there seems to be a revival of Jesus-centered churches. We love to talk about Jesus, which is great! But, as much as we love to say Jesus, we don't seem to speak of Christ all that often. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

Faith. A word tossed around so frequently in the Christian world that it loses its significance over time. Faith is both complex and simple, and so the meaning can also be lost on us. If you have been a Christian for a long time, it’s easy to gloss over the word in Scripture. It’s one you’ve seen a thousand times before, and your brain doesn’t pause anymore to revel in its meaning. Or, if you are...

“Unless I am convinced by Sacred Scriptures or by evident reason, I will not recant. My conscience is held captive by the Word of God and to act against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand; I can do no other.” These words were boldly stated by Martin Luther in 1521. The Protestant Reformation was well on its way at this point, headed by Luther himself. The reformation movement began...

When I think about mission, I often think about businesses or incredibly driven people. Every business has a mission statement that, hopefully, drives the decisions of that business. But then I think that the most driven people also have a clear mission in life. I think of athletes that I have heard say “I was born to play this game”, or musicians that proclaim “Doing this is all I’ve ever wanted”...

A discussion on community as a core value of providence church. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

Simultaneously, the gospel is so simple that a child can understand it, yet so complex that angels look at it with wonder Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org

There may be no more universally affirmed yet underachieved discipline as that of prayer. As Christians make New Years Resolutions, they often make ones like “I need to pray more” or “I would love for my prayer life to get better”. Ever made a statement like that? I know I have. Connect With Us providenceomaha.org | Instagram | Facebook Email Us formation@providenceomaha.org