joelkime

5 important steps to help you read the Bible

When you pick up a Bible, you’re not reading a book. You’re holding in your hand a library of books. 66 books! (Well, 66 writing as a Protestant. Other Christian traditions include additional books in the Bible.) 66 books, written by about 35-40 different authors, writing over a period of about 1500 years, inspired byContinue reading “5 important steps to help you read the Bible”

Do you feel intimidated by the Bible?

This Sunday we continue our summer sermon series called Spiritual Exercises. Last week we looked at How to Pray. This week we are focusing on How to Read the Bible. But the Bible can be very intimidating. It is huge. When we talk about reading a novel, we think in terms of weeks. Days, ifContinue reading “Do you feel intimidated by the Bible?”

Practical suggestions to help you pray

This winter/spring I read an amazing book on prayer I wish I had come across years ago. It is called Prayer: Conversing with God by a missionary named Rosalind Rinker. She first published it in 1959, but it is so relevant. Could have been written yesterday. Easily one of the best books on prayer I’veContinue reading “Practical suggestions to help you pray”

Do you want to learn how to pray?

Do you know how to pray? Before we talk about that important question, let me back up a bit. It took me a while to find this image. To be honest, it almost always takes longer than I want to find the right image for my posts, or for the PowerPoint slides I make toContinue reading “Do you want to learn how to pray?”

How the scariest Bible story helped us create our Faith Church Growth Process

What do you think is the scariest, most haunting passage in the Bible? Maybe something about demons or hell or something? Could be. For me it is Matthew 7:13-29, and especially verses 21-23 where Jesus says this: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the oneContinue reading “How the scariest Bible story helped us create our Faith Church Growth Process”

How goes it with your soul?

“How goes it with your soul?” Anyone ever ask you that? Probably not. It kinda has an Old English sound to it, doesn’t it? We don’t talk like that. But maybe we should. That question “How goes it with your soul?” used to be a standard question in our church circles long ago. An AnglicanContinue reading “How goes it with your soul?”

What the Bible teaches about how much you should give (or How to beat donor fatigue in a world that asks a lot)

Donor fatigue is real. Do you feel it? Are you tired of all the people and organizations asking you to support them? Last week I introduced the issue of donor fatigue by saying that in our culture, where money is tight for so many, it can be hard to be generous. When all of theContinue reading “What the Bible teaches about how much you should give (or How to beat donor fatigue in a world that asks a lot)”

Do you feel you’re being asked to give too much, too often?

How many of you are living paycheck to paycheck? What do I mean by “paycheck to paycheck”? What I mean is that you need that paycheck to keep coming in order to pay your bills. If you don’t get that paycheck, you won’t be able to pay bills, buy groceries, etc. Does that describe yourContinue reading “Do you feel you’re being asked to give too much, too often?”

How you can experience eternal life before you die (and why waiting till after you die is foolish)

Do you feel like following Jesus is difficult? I sometimes think that I must be doing it wrong, because following Jesus seems like it should be easy, but I can struggle with it. Is it is struggle for you too? And what do we do when following Jesus seems too difficult? We so often flee pain,Continue reading “How you can experience eternal life before you die (and why waiting till after you die is foolish)”

Why does following the way of Jesus seem so difficult?

For those of you that are followers of Jesus, have you ever thought that that following the way of Jesus is difficult? I think life itself can feel difficult. But then add following Jesus, and there is another layer of effort, right? Ever think thoughts like this? I hear Jesus say “my yoke is easy andContinue reading “Why does following the way of Jesus seem so difficult?”