It can be difficult and scary to talk about God. And maybe for some of us, it always will be, as talking about God can feel very personal, or very easily offensive. But in this post, as we continue to follow Paul’s journey as told in Acts 17, Paul will demonstrate how to talk aboutContinue reading “3 steps to follow when talking about God (to avoid offending people) – Acts 17, Part 3”
Tag Archives: Apostle Paul
How to listen to sermons (or any teaching from the Bible) – Acts 17, Part 2
In the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college, I was on a college ministry team that traveled around the Northeast USA spending 10 weeks ministering at summer camps. One week we served at Camp Berea in Maine. Camp Berea gets its name from the people we’re going to meet today as weContinue reading “How to listen to sermons (or any teaching from the Bible) – Acts 17, Part 2”
Why is it so hard to talk about religion? – Acts 17, Part 1
How do you feel talking about Jesus or about religion? Do you find it easy or difficult to talk with others about these topics? When it come to talking about Jesus, I had a bit of a reality check this week. As a pastor, you can imagine that I talk about Jesus a lot, butContinue reading “Why is it so hard to talk about religion? – Acts 17, Part 1”
How to have hope even when it seems all is lost – Acts 16, Part 4
Have you ever lost hope? You might know the feeling, either from something in real life when disaster has struck, or maybe you had one of those vivid nightmares that seem totally real, and you wake up, sweating, heart racing, so thankful it was just a dream. The loss of hope can cause us toContinue reading “How to have hope even when it seems all is lost – Acts 16, Part 4”
Do you struggle to hear from God’s Spirit? – Acts 16, Part 2
Have you ever wished God could just be like Siri or Google, at your beck and call for answers and guidance whenever you need help? We Christians believe that God is always present with us, and in fact, that the Holy Spirit lives within us. There is plenty of teaching in the Bible that GodContinue reading “Do you struggle to hear from God’s Spirit? – Acts 16, Part 2”
What do we have to do to become followers of Jesus? – Acts 15, Part 2
Editor’s Note: This series of posts on Acts 15 is written by guest teacher David Hundert. Thanks, David! The series of five posts begins here. How do people become disciples of Jesus? What do they need to do? This was a hotly debated question in the early church, as the good news about Jesus expandedContinue reading “What do we have to do to become followers of Jesus? – Acts 15, Part 2”
Is it okay to be a mediocre follower of Jesus? (or is there something more) – Acts 14, Part 3
Is it okay to be a mediocre follower of Jesus? What does Jesus really want from his followers? Have you ever wondered if you are following Jesus in a way that is in line with his desires for his followers? Is it enough to believe in him, and attend church sometimes? Or is there somethingContinue reading “Is it okay to be a mediocre follower of Jesus? (or is there something more) – Acts 14, Part 3”
How bamboo can help you understand your role in the mission of God – Acts 13, Part 5
Right about this time every year in my family’s backyard, we have bamboo that grows like mad. In a matter of just a few days, a stalk can grow a couple feet. It’s so fast, I sometimes wonder if I stare at it if I’ll see the motion of the growth! Bamboo is also persistentContinue reading “How bamboo can help you understand your role in the mission of God – Acts 13, Part 5”
One suggestion for surviving fear and pain: look outward – Acts 6:8-8:3, Part 4
If you are feeling scared, anxious or even downright terrified by the news of the spread of the coronavirus, what should you do? I feel the weight of it myself. As a pastor of a small church, we’re having to rethink how we do everything, and it can feel like a heavy burden. We’re allContinue reading “One suggestion for surviving fear and pain: look outward – Acts 6:8-8:3, Part 4”
What to focus on when you are in pain – Acts 6:8-8:3, Part 3
When we’re in pain, usually we just want it to go away. At least that’s how I am. I can get very worked up emotionally, imagining that I’ll be in pain the rest of my life. So far, that thought of mine has never been true, as the pain heals. What it reveals is thatContinue reading “What to focus on when you are in pain – Acts 6:8-8:3, Part 3”
Engaging Scripture 