Recent Blog Posts

Is Jesus That Good?

Either this woman is crazy, or Christ really is that good! Read more >>

Can I Lose My Reconciliation?

In yesterday’s sermon entitled “Reconciled…If” I taught through a powerful and thought provoking passage of scripture, Colossians 1:21-23. It was a great study. I was hugely encouraged by it and enjoyed delivering it to you. I was glad to hear that several of you were blessed by it too! That said, there were a few moments, especially during the discussion of verse 23, where I felt like the explanation was a bit lacking, partially due to time constraints…and partially due to mental constraints. (Sometimes this stuff makes perfect sense to me until I get up there and try to say it to you!) : ) Since this is a hugely important text and since it addresses a hugely important and often controversial topic, eternal security, I wanted to give it another shot via blog post. The question that I want to address most specifically is this: Does verse 23 teach that we can lose our reconciliation? Here are several reasons that I do not believe that is the case: Read more >>

Bonhoeffer and the Gospel

Colossians 1:18–20 (ESV): And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Last Monday marked the 67th anniversary of the death of renowned protestant pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer has a rare legacy; a man known as much for his passionate pursuit of social justice as his vigorous theology. Born in Germany in 1906, he would dedicate much of his life to battling the Nazi Fascism that dominated his county. This was fueled by his staunch belief in the gospel of grace. He was driven by the truth found in the above excerpt from Paul: that the gospel is inherently Christ-centered and thoroughly all-encompassing. He eloquently writes the following on what ought to be our focus when thinking about Christ’s work and authority: Read more >>

Off to a Great Start!

Wow, we got off to a great start with our When Sinners Say I Do study last night! It's amazing how our conversations are always about the same topic, the Gospel, and yet they are always riveting and never even slightly boring. I was personally so encouraged as we all talked about what the good news of the Gospel means to us and what it secures for us: reconciliaiton, redemption, forgiveness, atonement, propitiation to name just a few of the "big word" benefits. And I was struck most deeply by the reminder of what all this really amounts to. Josh nailed it, "It means we get God!" Peter says it this way in 1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" Read more >>