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"We need to stop trying to appear to others like we are thriving, flourishing, faith-filled Christians and start being honest about our fears and frustrations and hashing them out with God himself: the One who formed us to be complex, curious beings with minds capable of asking questions." Source: From Doubt to Depth
"In the Psalms we find how to be real with God and simultaneously reverent—how he wants us to relate to him as his children." Something that I've been doing this year has been going through a Psalm each day, journaling alongside it with thoughts from the day and copying down verses as my own prayers.... Continue Reading →
Refresh Ministry Bible Study - “The Family Business” I. Text: Mark 3:13-35 (ESV) The Twelve Apostles 13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with... Continue Reading →
Refresh Ministry Bible Study - “How to Save a Life” I. Text: Mark 3:1-12 (ESV) 1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And... Continue Reading →
It's often difficult to know exactly how to engage with our own sin, the sin of those around us, and the sin of those in the church; often, we opt to either be overly gentle about sin (to the point of almost accepting it) or overly harsh about it, removing God's grace from the... Continue Reading →
Relevant Magazine brings three major points to keep in mind when you start to doubt your faith. In some circles, having doubt about faith is shamed and seen as a turn from faith; it might be richer and far more complex of an experience than that. Just as doubts come up in our relationships with... Continue Reading →
"Our culture is uncomfortable with extended grief. The church has a responsibility to fight against the dishonesty of living on the surface of things, or encouraging people to put a smile on their faces so they will have a positive attitude about difficult things. The psalms can help. “The Psalms are by nature invitational,”... Continue Reading →
Recently, Pastor Eugene Peterson gave an interview in which he made some comments regarding a willingness to marry same-sex couples, and then taking back his answer after some time of reflection. Some people have reacted strongly both ways to the interview, but as someone who has been helped by his work, I found this article... Continue Reading →
Refresh Ministry Bible Study - “None but (Our Own) Jesus” or “Don’t Ask - You’ll Tell” I. Text: Mark 2:15-28 (ESV) 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of... Continue Reading →
While "Christian feminism" has many different manifestations, Wendy Alsup gives her perspective on it from a more conservative-leaning background. Regarding women in churches, she says: "I often hear the dreaded “slippery slope” argument, the fear that if you give women an inch more responsibility in the church, they’ll take a mile. This has deeply harmed... Continue Reading →
