Eat This Scroll

Who were the Essenes? As a matter of fact, who were the Pharisees and Sadducees, or the Zealots? The life and ministry of Christ saw Him cross paths with several different groups, but have you stopped to consider who they were? Jerell helps shed some light on these groups, what their motives were, and offer us insight into the conflicts that Jesus had with them. 

What happened between the Old Testament and the time of Jesus in the New?  How we understand the history and context of a place and time is often a helpful, if not essential, piece of understanding the Bible. Jerell helps us understand the backdrop of Jesus' ministry, what the Jewish people would've thought and understood, and how we can benefit from the context. 

How do we do friendship in a fallen world? At each point in our life we've experienced the incredible joys and difficult trials that come with friendships. They're an essential part of being human, but can often bring as much pain as anything else. Jamie shares with us how the redemption and model found in Christ can be our source for walking in redeemed friendships in our lives. 

Are you tired, weary, and worried?  Everybody suffers the exhaustion of this life. We are all worn down by the challenges we face, whether our own or due to circumstance. However, Jamie shares with us the great comfort that Psalm 27 offers us if only we'll dwell in the house of the Lord. 

Do you take Christmas lights for granted?  Light is an ever-present and overlooked blessing we have in life. In fact, without it we wouldn't be able to live. Jamie shares how the beauty of the Christmas season points us to our Savior. 

Why did God do what He did? Some parts, namely events in the Old Testament, can sometimes leave us scratching our heads. We find it difficult to reconcile the New Testament with the Old. Our "modern" sensibilities recoil at some of the actions God's people had taken in  obedience to God. However, Lew examines Deuteronomy 12 to help uncover part of what motivated God's actions. 

What happens when we read the Bible? Sometimes reading Scripture can feel like a complete chore and other times we find ourselves distracted away from it time and again. Sean brings insight into how the Word is effective in our lives as we engage with it by faith. 

What should I do if I don't feel bad about sin? How we respond to sin can be a helpful measuring tool for where we are with Christ. Sean discusses two possible positions for those who encounter sin but lack the affectionate repulsion to it. 

What is authorial intent? Sometimes we read a story, say for example the story about Peter catching a fix with cash money in its mouth, and we wonder what it's about. Discovering authorial intent is central to faithfully and accurately identifying what God's Word is saying, and this particular story is jam packed with Gospel Truth. Sean helps us unpack this seemingly difficult passage. 

Busy, busy, busy! It's our favorite feeling to grouch about. Yet, we built business into our lives and we're resistant to make it leave. Jamie shares how intentional silence and solitude have impacted the busy lives of women in our  church with the guidance of the twenty-third Psalm. 

It's almost the most wonderful time of the year! But, do we slow down long enough to appreciate what makes Christmas so special? Jamie shares with us how advent helps prepare our hearts for Christ as we contemplate His incarnation. For the busy, read everyone, this is a great time to slow down and remember what the season is all about. 

Does the Trinity even matter? It's a good question to ask. Sometimes we can encounter topics that get more attention than they deserve. But, is this one of them? Sean helps  us understand the essential nature of this topic as well as its practical application. 

So what is the Trinity? While it's not the most transparent beliefs presented in Scripture, it's certainly one of the most important. What we understand and believe about God has, potentially eternal, consequences for our lives. Sean explains the nature and relations of the Trinity. 

Sometimes things spread in such a manner that they transfer from fiction to fact in our minds.  If you can forgive the pun title, you'll be in for a treat. Our ideas, and certainly those outside the church, can be affected by pop-culture in such a way that the truth becomes blotted out. The Council of Nicaea is one such event that has suffered because of fiction. Sean joins us to bring clarit...

Is the church a business? That's the question that has been circulating in the last several decades. As pragmatic approaches descend on the church, the question should be asked whether we should follow suit. Lew discusses what it looks like to lead the church in light of the competing worldviews. 

What do those two things have in common?  Well, you'll just have to find out. Jerell shares from Jesus' teaching on salt and light while challenging two ways we might fall short of God's purpose as we go about life. 

Where there are differences, there has to be understanding and forgiveness.  The world is made up of a lot of different types of people and so is the church. To be able to deepen our relationships there has to be an attitude of humility and forgiveness so our differences strengthen rather than weaken our connection. Jerell shares how these two go hand in hand. 

A tool for connection has arrived! The body of Christ, the church, the family of God, you and me, we're all connected! But, sometimes it doesn't feel like it, or it can be hard to live that out. Jamie and I discuss how the directory seeks to meet that need and make it as easy as possible to live as a family in the church. 

How should we treat our emotions? For some of us emotions are unbridled, they come and go and we go with them. For others, emotions are inherently bad and should be suppressed. However, Lew provides a different option as we examine what it means to be made in God's image as it pertains to our emotions. 

How do you show up? Have you ever stopped and reflect on the type of person you're trying to be? Maybe more importantly, have you asked why you're showing up that way with others? Jerell shares how true authenticity doesn't actually come from within and it has a serious impact on those around us. 

What does it mean to be called to minister in a far off land? Well, it means a lot of things. However, we have two who do just that sharing their experience in engaging in Christian ministry in a context that is largely apathetic towards it. Don't miss out on international efforts with have very practical implications for where you are right now. 

What are you doing Sunday? With sports, activities, sleeping in, there's no shortage of alternatives to attending church. That's not even to mention the introduction of virtual attendance or just listening to the sermon later. Jerell examines what Scripture says on the matter and discusses some of the philosophies at work in this issue. 

Who's your master? Everyone has one. Some of us might think we think we're the master of our own lives. But, to be a follower of Christ is to have a new master. Jamie shares what it looks like to examine the idea of a master and what that means for our relationship with God. 

Get the pitch forks and torches! That can be our reaction when we deal with someone with opposing views to ours, especially on matters of theology. However, did Jesus have fragmented and bitter tribalism in mind when He gave us unity in Himself? Lew discusses how theology can be engaged in poorly and gives us some insights into a right thinking on the matter. 

Be afraid, be very afraid!  That's how we treat the idea of the fear of the Lord. We should feel a fear when we consider God, because He is beyond our full understanding. However, that fear leads us into wisdom because God is also full of mercy and love towards us. Jamie shares some practical ways that the fear of the Lord plays out in our lives.