Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
Learning some basic information when new small groups start can save misunderstanding later. Asking participants to answer a few basic questions the first day can help leaders structure the time to better meet the needs of a group. Here’s an example “Small Group Welcome” survey.
The Epistle to Philemon is a private letter written by the Apostle Paul. Along with the letter, Paul returning Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon. This letter appeals to Philemon to take the right action and free Onesimus, but it speaks volumes to us today about how to live our daily lives.
When starting new small groups, it’s helpful to establish expectations up front with a clear set of ground rules. Here’s a sample we’ve developed over 25 years of ministry.
The Epistle to Philemon is a private letter written by the Apostle Paul. Along with the letter, Paul returning Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon. This letter appeals to Philemon to take the right action and free Onesimus, but it speaks volumes to us today about how to live our daily lives.
While philosophers often use this letter to talk about the evils of slavery and sometimes condemn Paul for not taking a strong stance against it, I think this letter has much more to say to us as individual believers about how we should live our daily lives.
At my financial planning firm, we like to challenge our clients to answer the question: What is the money for? The answer that most disappoints me is: “I’m not going to live that long.” That is not a life plan; it is a death plan. If you feel that way, then the book of Ecclesiastes is for you.
The “so what” of being justified by faith is now we have a reason to boast. Paul explains the 3 things we boast about in Romans 5:1-11. The first is hope.
July is the time to start preparing for your fall Bible study. Are you overwhelmed by the details or don’t know where to start? Assuming your study starts in September, here’s my summer ministry preparation checklist.
Chronology of the post exile: Ezra-Nehemiah
Saving faith is the permanent, ongoing trust in God that one day He will free me completely from all the consequences and effects of sin because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Saving faith itself is a gift from God and it involves 4 things.
There are 2 consequences to our sin: 1) We experience death and futility. 2) Our rebellion is wrong and we now owe a debt to justice that must be paid. Justification is the payment of that debt.
Everything you need to kick start your study of the Gospel of Mark: maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study.
Understanding the gospel means we must understand the problem that the gospel solves. While the word gospel means “good news,” understanding the gospel begins with bad news: death.
A friend once asked me if I was on an airplane that was about to crash and had only a couple minutes to use my cell phone to call my family, what would I say? What would I tell them if I knew this would be our last conversation on earth? At first my mind when blank, but then the answer seemed obvious: Hang on to your faith. But to understand why saving faith is that important, you have to really understand the gospel.
Everything you need to kick start your study of the Gospel of Matthew: maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study.
Compare Romans 16, Paul’s conclusion of his letter to the Christians in Rome, to a high school yearbook. During the high school years, we are supposed to learn skills, knowledge, and an approach to life that will get us launched into adulthood. The book of Romans also records truths that should be foundational building blocks for life, the essentials upon which we ought to build our lives. The high school yearbook is the history of the events, ideas, and accomplishments that took place during the year, but it also contains a collection of handwritten names, greetings, memories, and thoughts about life. We find at the end of the book of Romans some very personal words, too.
It’s always helpful to get feedback from your students at the end of a Bible study year. But evaluations can be a problem. If they are too short, your leaders don’t gain any useful information. If they are too long, few students will not fill them out. Here’s an example we’ve used at Wednesday in the Word that seems to find the right balance.
Paul closes Romans as he began, with a personal word about himself and the church in Rome. Reflecting on his life so far and where God will take him next, Paul discusses two themes: 1) the situation of church at Rome, and 2) the future of his ministry. As you study Romans 15, you might want to compare what Paul says to your own church and ministry.
Have you ever noticed, how much easier it is much easier to destroy something beautiful and worthy than to build it? Building up and tearing down is at the heart of Romans 14-15. Paul’s going to encourage us to build each other up and remind us that this building takes a lot longer to accomplish, than does tearing down.
A comparison of 2Peter and the Epistle of Jude (offered to help you study both books).
The issue Romans 14 concerns one of our favorite sports: How and when should Christians meddle in each other’s lives?
In Romans 13:8-14, Paul explains what it means to be able to live as people who are free to love one another and free of self-recrimination, guilt, uncertainty, or doubt. The passage speaks of freedom from debt and freedom from darkness.
In Romans 13, Paul continues in his application of how we should live in light of the gospel. In this often-discussed and debated passage, he explains how to be good citizens: submission, fearlessness and conscience.
In part, Romans 9-11 is an explanation of how people can be caught in spiritual pride and how the advantages of knowing about God and His truth can be twisted into something that actually drives us away from God.
In Isaiah 55:1-5, Isaiah describes the glorious and abundant banquet that God has prepared and bids all to attend — both Israel and the Gentle nations. This banquet is none other than the life offered through the work of his Servant, Jesus Christ. We saw that the way into the feast was to listen and believe. Now we’re going to see that part of that listening and believing is repentance.
Jesus often taught in parables. Parables are stories which include a dramatic illustration that makes and impact on the listener and calls for a response. Parables are serious theology. But they are metaphorical theology. They teach through metaphor, simile, and dramatic action rather than through logic or reasoning. Here’s a list of the parables of Jesus as recorded in the gospels.
In the Servant Songs, we saw that a Servant would come who would bear our iniquities and inaugurate a new age through his death and resurrection. Now Isaiah invites all to a banquet feast to celebrate and share in the reign of the Messianic King.
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians.
In 54:11-17 Isaiah speaks of a New City to demonstrate that what the Servant accomplished through his death and resurrection not only fulfilled the Old Covenant, but it far surpasses Israel’s grandest dreams.
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study both Paul’s epistle to Philemon.
Can believers expect prosperity in this life? What happened to the promises of prosperity in the Old Covenant? When the Servant finished his work of atonement, a new age will be born which promises a prosperity which far surpasses the prosperity of this age.
Church women’s retreats offer one of the best opportunities of the church for women to step away from their daily responsibilities, rest and connect with other women in the church and spend some concentrated time learning more about the Lord. While retreats require a lot of planning, they are worth it in the long run.
The apostle Paul writes to give his systematic presentation (including implications) of the good news of Jesus Christ, who as Messiah is the Savior for all people, who as the Transformer of lives writes His Law on our hearts, and who as the Lord of history is carefully bringing this salvation to all nations — culminating in the full restoration of Israel. Here’s a chapter by chapter summary.
Isaiah describes the work of the Servant and how his work will be received by the Lord, by the nations and by Israel.
Runaway announcements seems to be a particular problem of running a women’s ministry. How do you handle it? What kind of limits should you put in place? After 25 years, in women’s ministry, here’s the policy I’ve found best.
The apostle Paul writes to explain the good news of Jesus Christ, who as Messiah is the Savior for all people; who as the Transformer of lives writes His Law on our hearts; and who as the Lord of history is carefully bringing this salvation to all nations — culminating in the restoration of Israel.