Wednesday Bible Study | Evergreen Church

The world continually calls believers to compromise in the realm of faith; but true greatness is reserved for individuals of integrity who remain faithful to their deepest convictions. When people of faith honor God, God honors those people of faith.

God loves all people and wants them to be part of His family. He provides freely the way of salvation; but the offer is for a limited time only. Every individual and every nation ultimately answers for spiritual decisions made or not made. When God finally announces judgment, the verdict is final.

From earliest childhood, man desires to be in charge, to call the shots, to live without boundaries or restrictions. In essence, everyone wants to be God. What began in Eden continues today. We mask this desire in many ways, but the issue of sovereignty must be settled before life can be fully lived.

As Evergreen enters The Year of Advance, we must evaluate what it looks like to advance as a body of believers. We cannot answer God’s call to advance in His plans for us as a church, without giving him full control of our life and fully grab hold of the grace of Jesus Christ. It is through the precious blood of Christ, and his grace, that we find the ability to pursue holiness, be obedient to wha...

Christianity is under attack around the world and even in America today. Examples of this aggression may be seen in news media, education, politics, jurisprudence, and especially Hollywood. Yet, this is nothing new to God’s people throughout history. Despite cultural hostility, authentic disciples bow to only one King.

Secular culture often muses about religion, but never really grasps the things of God. Believers are interpreters of God’s activities in history. This is possible because God reveals His plans. Living as interpreters guarantees influence and impact in every generation.

The Bible speaks about many different responses to cultural exile. Jonah, for example, condemned the surrounding culture; while Esther generally accommodated it. Since America is clearly no longer a Christian culture, how should we respond? Daniel, living in Babylon, gives us a better model to follow.

Listen in as Pastor Taylor Gabbert teaches this week from the book of Numbers.

Paul intends in Colossians to impress his readers with a majestic view of the person and work of Jesus. The depth of Christology may be difficult to process, but pondering Christ should always produce an attitude of wonder and worship. Leo I played an integral role in finally solidifying the orthodox doctrine of the Incarnation.

Spiritual amnesia is a danger to faith in every generation. The psalmist complained, “They forgot what He had done, and the wonders He had shown them” (Psalm 78:11). Fortunately, this Church father, Eusebius of Caesarea, recognized the importance of remembering the history of God’s mighty acts in the lives of His Church. We are in his debt, even today.

The finest preacher of the ancient church, John of Antioch proclaimed the gospel with a pastor’s heart and elevated the literal exposition of the Word of God above the dominant allegorical school in the fourth century. God’s veiled wisdom is revealed in sound preaching.

Politician turned bishop, this unlikely Church father played a significant role in defending orthodoxy, demonstrating the Church’s influence in the public square, and shaping worship in the fourth century. His story has particular relevance to our current age when the secular culture needs the engagement of the Church more than ever.

In the second half of the fourth century, a trio of Church fathers (known as the Cappadocian Fathers) had a profound influence upon Christian theology as they grappled with a way to speak of the Trinity that neither minimized the unity of the Godhead nor fell into the error of tri-theism, or three gods. Their contributions are codified in the Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381).

One of the least likable of the Church Fathers, Jerome nevertheless had an influence which dominated the Western Church for a thousand years. Always torn between comfort of wealth and demands of holiness, he spent years of soul struggle in ascetic isolation. His legacy, however, is God’s Word set forth in the language of the people.

A disciple of John through Polycarp of Smyrna, Irenaeus was a theologian of great intellect who dealt a final death blow to the Gnostic challenge to Christian orthodoxy. His arguments against false teachers devastated the opposition and preserved “the faith handed down to the saints.”

Born of Greek parents in Palestine, Justin was a searcher for truth. He explored the instruction of the Stoics, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Plato. Unsatisfied still, he was introduced to the Hebrew prophets and his philosophy for life. He was an educated defender of the faith among the elite class of Roman society contesting the charges made against Christians by Jews and Romans alike. He demonstra...

The second Bishop of Antioch, disciple of John the Beloved, and friend of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Ignatius was a fiery leader who fought aggressively against the Docetic heresy and promoted a single elder model for the churches. Martyred as an atheist c. AD 115, he left significant letters to a dear friend and six churches. His theological contribution is still recognized and quoted extensivel...

An elder in the first-century church in Rome, Clement possibly knew both Peter and Paul personally. His writings stress that one of the essential components of biblical Christianity is humility. He spoke of the mutual harmony experienced in a church with cooperative members joined to caring pastoral leadership, both without pride and a grasping for power.

The book of James is one of my favorites because the author (James) is very clear and direct about what he is trying to write. How was he directing the early Church on how to live? What exactly did he mean by “dead faith”? How does this apply to our lives today?

Malachi means “my messenger,” and speaks to God’s people as the voice of the Lord Himself. It is written as a series of discourses, which uncover the hardness of heart in the Israelites. Malachi was perhaps the last prophet to speak to the people before the 400 years of silence leading up to Christ. He leaves us with a call to repentance and a hope.

Chapter 9 offers a transition between the lofty heights of chapter 8 and the workaday world of chapters following. The philosophical survey of wisdom will soon be replaced by the pithy and isolated sayings offered on a host of common topics. But first, a final review of the options and a call to choose correctly is given.

This chapter is unique among the Proverbs. Here, Dame Wisdom speaks for herself; and the entire poem is a praise song reminding us how important she is and where to discover her. In contrast to Lady Folly, Wisdom is available publicly. She offers true wealth; and her influence is infinite from eternity past to eternity future.

After extensive teachings regarding the temptations of lust and illicit sexual behaviors, Solomon turns to other bad choices—particularly bad debt, poor work ethics, and prideful self-sufficiency. This chapter is the Israelite version of the medieval list of seven deadly sins. Wisdom is always the answer.

Contemporary culture is obsessed with sexuality. We use it to sell everything from cars to soft drinks. Sex is daily presented as the key to happiness and excitement in life. However, the illusions of out-of-bounds sexuality disappear when examined realistically.

The father (and mother), not the professional teacher or pastor or government official, has the most profound responsibility and opportunity to lead a young man in the right way. With the urgency of parental love, these verses highlight the inheritance passed from generation to generation. Wisdom must, however, be willingly received by each generation as well.