Emmanuel Tuscaloosa Building Blocks

Insiders and Outsiders // Mark stresses genuine discipleship, focusing on listening to Jesus and God's role in producing fruit in believers.

Jesus' Authority // Jesus' encounters with the pharisees teach disciples how to respond to opposition with resolve and perseverance. They illustrate the challenges discipleship entails and emphasize Jesus' authority and mission.

Contentment While Suffering // Christian contentment is finding satisfaction in the Lord regardless of circumstances and is learned as we wait on and treasure Christ amid suffering.

Biblical Foundations for the Glory of God // The whole Bible testifies to the fact that God's glory is supreme in his intentions and should be in ours as well. 

Suffering for the Gospel // Persecution is unique to followers of Jesus and faithfulness under it is essential for our spiritual growth and glorifying God.

Suffering as Witness // Suffering showcases God's glory, prompting believers to proclaim the gospel, live with integrity, and trust in God's justice.

Relieving Physical Suffering // Relieving physical suffering requires believers to maintain a posture of love towards all people as they consider the moral proximity to the need and the priority of the need.

Fighting for Faith Pt. 2 // Believers can encourage one another in suffering with Scripture, prayer, hospitality, and their presence.

Fighting for Faith Pt. 1 // Fighting for faith in the midst of trials includes reading, praying, and singing the Bible.

Unbiblical Responses to Suffering // We must guard against responding to suffering in sinful ways, including practical atheism, running to false gods, thinking we deserve better, thinking God can't help, and doubting God's goodness. 

God's Empathy in Our Suffering // Christ's sufferings on our behalf are the basis for our salvation and provide comfort in our affliction and an example for us to follow. 

The Future of Suffering // The eternal realities of heaven and hell comfort believers and warn unbelievers even as they shape our thinking about suffering in our lives now. 

God’s Revealed Purposes for Suffering // Suffering is granted to help believers grow, mature, learn, and ultimately glorify God.

The Problem of Suffering // The roots of suffering are traced to sin, but Job's story and other biblical passages demonstrate that God is sovereign over all things, including suffering, and he works his redemptive purposes and displays his glory through it.

Witnessing to Those in a Cult // In order to share the gospel with people from different belief systems or cults, we must understand the gospel, pray, prepare, and trust in God's power.

Protecting Myself and My Family // Christians need spiritual discernment, a Christ-centered church, firm doctrine, and a foundation in God's word to protect against false teaching.

When the Church Becomes the Cult // Some cults closely resemble Christianity, but they distort the Bible, promote extra-biblical doctrines, and manipulate followers, leading them away from true Christianity.

Demon Possession and Exorcism // Understanding Satan, demons, the occult, and spiritual struggles emphasizes the need for vigilance, faith in Jesus, and sound doctrine among believers.

Satanism // Satanism is separated from other occults by its intentional and vocal allegiance to Satan with a focus on individualism and progressive values.

Wicca, Witchcraft, and Goddess Worship // Witchcraft, including Wicca, is an occult practice involving the manipulation of forces for personal ends, often associated with the worship of gods and goddesses, spellcraft, and ethical principles.

UFOlogy // The UFO phenomenon, originating in 1947 with Kenneth Arnold's sighting, poses spiritual questions for Christians due to conflicting UFO-based religions rooted in the occult.

Eastern Mysticism and the New Age // The New Age movement promotes unity among diverse spiritual paths, rejects traditional concepts of God, and emphasizes personal spiritual growth, reincarnation, and inclusivity.

Scientology // L. Ron Hubbard founded Scientology in the 1950s, aiming to clear individuals of engrams and achieve spiritual evolution, while challenging traditional religious beliefs.

Mormonism // Joseph Smith founded Mormonism in 1805, claiming divine revelation for the The Book of Mormon, and introducing beliefs in God's physical form and salvation through faith and good works.

Jehovah's Witness // Founded by Charles Taze Russell, Jehovah's Witnesses believe in Jesus as Jehovah's firstborn Son but subject to God, reject the Trinity, deny immortality of the soul, and dismiss the concept of hell.