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 second in her series of posts guest blogging her Palm Sunday sermon! “God please don’t let her die.” These were theContinue reading “A family tragedy had me questioning God – Matthew 21:1-11, Part 2”
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College was not what I expected (…and how that relates to Palm Sunday) – Matthew 21:1-11, Part 1
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”
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”
Why following Jesus means stepping out of our comfort zones – Growing in Faith Together, Part 5
In the previous post, I said that in Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus was thinking correctly when he said that he was going to leave his disciples. Why? First of all, he has given them plenty of opportunities to learn from him over the past three years. He trained them. He discipled them. He pushed them outContinue reading “Why following Jesus means stepping out of our comfort zones – Growing in Faith Together, Part 5”
When Jesus leaves us – Growing in Faith Together, Part 4
In Matthew, chapter 28, verses 16-20, we read about Jesus’ final invitation to his disciples. They have followed him for three years. They have followed him through the craziness of his arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion, resurrection. Now this: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.Continue reading “When Jesus leaves us – Growing in Faith Together, Part 4”
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”
Two very different responses to Jesus’ famous two-word invitation – Growing in Faith Together, Part 1
This time last year I was in India. The trip came together quite quickly in the fall, and I gradually became more and more excited as the day of my departure neared. Then just a few days before leaving, something happened that always happens. I started feeling like I didn’t want to go. Maybe you’veContinue reading “Two very different responses to Jesus’ famous two-word invitation – Growing in Faith Together, Part 1”
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”
Engaging Scripture 