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How are we to live in today's secular culture? In the book of Acts, what was Paul's approach to the pagan people of Greece? Most of the people of Athens were well educated, but they were also pagan, and worshipped many Greek gods. Paul's approach to his sermon to the people of Athens was very consistent with what he taught about going out into the world and dealing with a secular pagan...

Do only good people go to heaven? No. Good people don't go to heaven— forgiven people go to heaven. Think about these attributes of God: He's loving, He's merciful, He's holy, He's full of grace. He's all powerful. He's just, He's fair. And that's called the theology of glory . And it's all true of God, and it makes people feel good about Him. But think abou...

Looking for wisdom in your family relationships? The book of Deuteronomy is rich with guidance, focusing on two realities: our tendency to forget, and our call to remember. Deuteronomy was given to the Hebrew people as a teaching tool—to give them a kind of ordering of their own knowledge and understanding of their place in the world before each other and before their God, so that they can teach i...

Are you experiencing true joy? Richard's guest Mark Gignilliat continues in his discussion of Psalm 100. "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give...

Do you have pain in your life that is unresolved? Maybe a painful memory, unresolved relationship or self-inflicted wound that seems to be unusually hard to get over? There are things in our lives that can be absorbing, unresolved and unknown and yet really need the grace of God. Hebrews 9:23-26 tells us: Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites,...

Everyone wants peace and hope. As we grow older, we feel a special urgency to make peace with the past and to discover hope for the future. In doing this, it's important to be thinking more and more about eternity. Let the gospel be the lens through which we act and move and have our being. I John 4:19 is the key to our motivation for life: "We love because He first loved us." >&g...

Have you given much thought to what God can do through you? Today my special guest is Tim Kallam, senior pastor of Mountain Brook Community Church. His message highlights the life of Barnabas through the book of Acts. From Acts 4:32-37 " All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great pow...

Is anything holding you back from fully embracing Christ? Today's message from Jerry Leachman closes with this prayer, interceding for all istening: "Dear God, there's no catch today. We don't have anything for anybody to join. We don't want anybody's money. We don't want anybody's anything. We're a band of brothers in here this morning. Lord, if there are men...

The father of the prodigal son gave a hugh banquet to celebrate his son's return home. His son was lost, but now was found. Does this remind you of what awaits believers in heaven? In Revelation 19:6-9, John describes the Lord's future banquet in heaven for those who have trusted in Christ: "Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of th...

What was Paul's legacy to Christians? Paul was a man that was given a real vision. He was an apostle to the Gentiles and he was a man on the move. In many senses we might think of the Apostle Paul in today's terminology as a church planter, but not one who would plant a church in Jasper, Alabama and then stay there for the next 20 years. Instead, he would be like one who planted a church at Jasper...

Why do men have difficulty being transparent and sharing vulnerable details about their lives Richard contends that it comes down to problems associated with pride, which drives men to worry about being seen as a failure by those around them. In his book  The Power of a Humble Life  Richard explains why men especially struggle with pride and humility—and how pride is, quite literally, the driving...

Have you ever thought about the prodigal son's older brother? From Luke 15:25-28a: “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.   ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’   The older brother beca...

How does a person become "lost?" Many times it's because they have run out of relationships—they've burned through all their relationships, for all kinds of reasons. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, that's what this young son has done. He didn't have anybody to go to. He's in this distant land. He's run out of money, food and resources. He has no friends. Why d...

Where is the love and hope of the Cross? They are found in the person of Jesus Christ alone,  "who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time."  - 1 Timothy 2:6 This Good Friday annual message from Richard and The Center features a unique performance by  the Birmingham Boy's Choir. >>Watch on YouTube

Mark continues his study in Colossians chapter 1: "...The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." &...

What does true freedom look like in our lives? The parable of the prodigal son is what I consider one of the most significant of all of Jesus' parables, taken from Luke 15:11-32. I discussed this parable with some of the older men in our Bible studies, and several of them said they didn't like this parable because the older brother gets "the short end of the stick." Today we are...

Do you need encouragement in your prayer life? We are studying another powerful prayer of Paul to believers from the first chapter of Colossians. Paul is talking about a knowledge that goes deep into the very fabric of who you are in your affections, your feelings and in your mind. What is this knowledge—this deep intimacy with the Almighty that he's calling us to? It's the knowledge of wh...

Where does true belief begin? True belief is an issue of the heart, not the head. Many people believe that a God of love cannot also be a God of wrath. Think about that. But author and pastor Tim Keller says there is no love without wrath. In the book Hope Has Its Reasons Becky Pippert writes, "Think how we feel when we see someone we love ravaged by unwise actions or relationships. Do we res...

Is Hell real? In the past most people did not have a difficult time with the idea of hell. But modern American sentimentalism is one indication that people today tend to care only for the softer virtues of God like love and tenderness. They have forgotten the hard virtues of holiness, righteousness and justice. So as we seek to come to terms with the hard issues like hell, we must consider the que...

How much is enough? This question can apply to many different areas of our lives, but today we're looking at this question in regard to money and wealth. Other than theological issues like faith and God's kingdom, the number one issue that Jesus addresses in the Bible is the issue of money and wealth. He doesn't condemn wealth. He doesn't say that money is inherently evil, but Jesus sternly warns...

Have you given much thought to retiring someday? Richard's guest is Phil Reddick leading this seminar on how to maximize your impact as you think about retirement or are already retired. Meet our guest panelists: Mark and Julie Edwards  - Mark is with McGriff Insurance Services. Julie is a full-time homemaker. Felix "Tank" Tankersley  -  Tank is a Senior Wealth Advisor at BMSS Wesson Wealth Soluti...

What kind of man are you? What kind of man am I? Jesus' well-known "Beatitudes" from His Sermon on the Mount contains some of His most vital promises to us. These verses are Jesus' formula for how to have a successful life and a successful eternity: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." - Matthew 5:6 >>Watch on YouTu...

Are you looking to strengthen your prayer life? Join Richard's guest Dr. Mark Gignilliat as he teaches on the prayers of the apostle Paul. Paul's prayer to believers, from the first chapter of Colossians: "...Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love...

Did Jesus have an opinion on money and wealth? There are five primary teachings given by Jesus in the Bible. The Kingdom of God God the Father Faith The nature of Satan and the power of sin Life and everyday living, money and wealth Jesus says a lot about money—He says a lot of hard things about it as well. Why do you think he taught on money and wealth? I believe one of the main reasons is becaus...

What is Epiphany? The idea of epiphany is a pulling back of the curtain, so that one can see something clearly. These are normal, historical events that can be explained by natural cause and effect. Yet these epiphany moments reveal that there's a lot more going on here than what you see on the surface. This is the unveiling. It is a revealing. >>Watch on YouTube Dr. Mark Gignilliat is profe...