Editor’s Note: This week at Faith Church we welcomed one of my current students, Molly Stouffer, as guest preacher. Molly is from Hagerstown, MD, studying Pastoral Ministries at Lancaster Bible College. Here is the first in her series of posts guest blogging her Palm Sunday sermon! When I arrived at Lancaster Bible College, it wasContinue reading “College was not what I expected (…and how that relates to Palm Sunday) – Matthew 21:1-11, Part 1”
Tag Archives: christianity
A story of grace
I am part of our church’s Prison Worship Team. Approximately once/month, we hold worship services at Lancaster County Prison. Last evening we led three 35-minutes worship services, and because of the season of Easter, our theme was grace. My part of the worship services was the following story. In 2011 my family and I hadContinue reading “A story of grace”
Is following Jesus difficult? – Growing in Faith Together, Part 3
Some people say that being a Christian is easy. Others say it is difficult. They have a variety of reasons for their perspective. It seems to me that it depends. But let’s evaluate the ease and difficulty of following Jesus from his own words. In Matthew 16:21-26 there’s an interesting story in which Jesus saysContinue reading “Is following Jesus difficult? – Growing in Faith Together, Part 3”
Three times Jesus invited people to follow him into danger – Growing in Faith Together, Part 2
This week we’re talking about growing in faith together, particularly through the lens of Jesus’ famous phrase “Follow me.” In the previous post, we learned about some of Jesus’ first invitations to people to follow him. Some people accepted the invitation, some were hesitant. In Matthew 9:9, Jesus has another “follow me” invitation, “As JesusContinue reading “Three times Jesus invited people to follow him into danger – Growing in Faith Together, Part 2”
Jesus’ famous two-word phrase that relates to…Growing in Faith Together, Preview
Since the beginning of 2024, we’ve been studying what the Bible has to say about relationships in the church family. The seven topics so far in the series have each talked about how a church family is to be together. Meeting together was one of the topicss. But how do we meet together? What doContinue reading “Jesus’ famous two-word phrase that relates to…Growing in Faith Together, Preview”
How to study scripture like the first Christians – Studying scripture together, Part 5
As we think about studying scripture together, I want to point out an interesting episode in the early church that occurs during one of Paul’s mission trips. In Acts 17:10-12, we learn that, “As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the JewishContinue reading “How to study scripture like the first Christians – Studying scripture together, Part 5”
The problem with contemporary worship services – Study Scripture together, Part 4
The first Christians demonstrated communal Bible study. In Acts 2:42-47, the very first description of the very first church, we learn that the church was devoted to the apostles’ teaching. We read that they were together. The met in the temple courts and in homes. Add up those statements, and we can see how theContinue reading “The problem with contemporary worship services – Study Scripture together, Part 4”
How personal Bible study was created – Studying Scripture together, Part 3
Would it surprise you to learn that for most Christians across the two millennia of the history of the church, study of God’s written word was accomplished together with other Christians? We contemporary Christians are used to the idea of personal Bible study. Personal devotions. Reading the Bible by ourselves. Reading through the whole BibleContinue reading “How personal Bible study was created – Studying Scripture together, Part 3”
How to study the Bible – Studying Scripture together, Part 2
What is studying the Bible? Reading it? Yes, but we read lots of things for a variety of reasons. We read the newspaper differently than we read a novel or poetry or history. How, then, do we read the Bible so that we are studying it? There is one important attitude and one important actionContinue reading “How to study the Bible – Studying Scripture together, Part 2”
Personal Bible study is deficient, Preview
Do you have personal devotions? How about a quiet time? Maybe you read the Daily Bread? Maybe you use a phone app. I really like an app called Lectio 365. Some people try to read the through Bible in a year. There are all sorts of ways people read and study Scripture. So much ofContinue reading “Personal Bible study is deficient, Preview”
Engaging Scripture 