Word for the Week

It happens to us all.  You have the right thing to share, but it just comes across wrong.  Tips on how to communicate for a positive reception.  Looking at modern psychological principles and a look at how Jesus carries it through with the Samaritan woman at the well.

From ancient Samaria to our world today- What exactly is prejudice and why are we so prone to it?  Join us as we discuss personal experience in two different cultures.  Defining it and looking for a solution.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples to witness in Judea.  What exactly is our "Judea"?  One way to understand is to take a deeper look at the Judea of Christ's time.  This is where we are called.

In the New Testament, the ideal of unity is spoken quite often implicitly and explicitly; what about diversity?  A look at how Scripture uses the words unity and diversity.

Christ's last words are the first to remember.  There is a commission to change the world, but before that can happen, there's this...

Romans 10 says to be saved we must "confess Jesus", but is it really "confess", or should it be "profess."  It was a point of curiosity for me, for some 40 years.  What I found out showed me how important the right word really is!

Even with the incredible reality of a God who has conquered the grave.  What do we do with that?  What does God want us to do with that?

What's with the palm branches?  What's the historical significance of the donkey and why that was an odd thing to do?  These and other questions you may have wondered about in the Easter season.  Get the backstory.

Why do we believe lies?  Paul talks about a time we will no longer abide truth but look to satisfy our "itching ears."  In the age of digital communication and social media, are we there now?  A look into the Apostle Paul's time and the parallels of today.  Based on 2 Timothy chapters 3 and 4.

In a mere 18 sentences, the Apostle Paul shares 8 vital points on how to endure and accomplish what God has for you.  A look into the backstory on how and where Paul wrote this letter and the nuances of what he was saying.

Launching from 1 Timothy chapter 6, following the thread of giving.  The virtues mentioned do not simply accompany generosity, they are the building blocks that compose the generous spirit.

Should Christians correct each other?  And if so, how do we prevent good intentions from ending in catastrophe? Based on 1 Timothy 5:1,2, then surveying relevant texts throughout the Bible; we ended up with 7 features that are vital to any Godly correction.

1 Timothy 1, focusing on Gnosticism, speculative thought and making one's own preferred reality.  From the beginning of Christianity, it was truth as an absolute versus the appeal and falsehood of relative, or preferred truth.

Referring to 1 Timothy chapter 4, a look into the social and religious bias that were the challenges Timothy must've faced in establishing the church in Ephesus.  And a look at how that parallels the challenges in our time.

From 1 Timothy 3: What was marriage really like in the time Paul detailed the Christian marriage in Scripture?  Do the same features make successful marriages today as they did in ancient Rome?  A look into then and now, and what Paul was really saying about marriage.

1 Timothy 2,  contains one of the most "politically incorrect" passages in Scripture.  Was the apostle Paul a sexist, or is there more here than meets the eye?  A dive into the culture, times, and what Paul is saying.

A cross-world conversation with our good friends and missionaries in Taiwan.  Discussion on the mega-changes in Christian global missions and a glimpse into the daily challenges ministering to a COVID world.

Okay, granted, that's 2 words... but one aspect of God.  For all the opinions, what/who exactly is the Holy Spirit?  Here is a discussion aimed at a balanced Biblical interpretation of the Holy Spirit.  Also, enjoy a tune highlighted from our praise team last Sunday.

The big question: What makes life, LIFE?  Defining the word "life" is a major challenge from both the secular and religious side.  But here's what we've found.

Do we really need hope to survive?  What exactly is hope anyway?  Here's a look into the history and perspective of hope.

There are many concepts in English, which is true?  Biblically, there are at least 3 words in the Hebrew and 6 in the ancient Greek.  What does that tell us about "love"?

A dive in the conflicting concepts we have of reality.  And a view as filtered through Judeo-Christian teaching.

The nature of sound, the song of the universe, and a short playlist of our Christmas music.  Enjoy a short concert! 

The first revelation of God's attributes was creativity.  Genesis 1:1.  By Gen. 1:27, we are told we are made in his image.  Human creativity as the image of God.  Bonus: An interview with Kitzie Pallas, author of a new illustrated book for children.  A unique Christmas story, "Through the Eyes of a Donkey."

A deep dive into the giving side of Thanks.  What God says about it, what it does for us, and how we do it.  Oh yeah, and a new praise song as well!