Spiritual gifts can either seem like something for the early Church in ages long past . . . or like something so hard to pin down, they’re more to be accepted than understood. But after exploring which spiritual gifts are listed in the Bible (an...
Like lighting Advent candles, Advent readings (for church services or personal devotions) provoke a pause from the everyday. There’s nothing quite like navigating the special weeks of Advent: preparation, anticipation, joy, and incarnation. ...
Every year, Sunday school teachers spend time teaching the virgin birth. But pastors and small group leaders teach it too—and as a small group leader or pastor, you can dive deeper into Mary’s story and its applications. For one, faithfulness to God...
The annunciation is Gabriel’s prophetic announcement to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. However, in the past, some critics believed the idea of the Messiah as Son of God was a Graeco-Roman concept that Christians picked up after...
So many exceptional Christian books released in 2021, it’s tough to pick the best. But some couldn’t be ignored! Take a look at a few popular books featured as the best new Christian books of this year. Prayers for Knowing God In Prayers for...
Happy Thanksgiving! As the smells of turkey and stuffing waft through homes across the United States, it’s the perfect time to thank God for his kindness and faithfulness to us. “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful...
Christmas! It’s one of the best times of the year—especially for church outreach. And this year, that outreach may be even more important than ever. Many churches are shrinking. Carey Nieuwhof reports that “anecdotally, most churches find themselves...
Bible commentaries are one of the best ways to dive into the details of Scripture. But maybe you’ve been intimidated by the sheer number of sizes of commentaries (some are over a thousand pages). We’ve broken down the different kinds of commentaries...
assurance [ uh–shoor–uhns, –shur– ] Also called: Confidence, Security A sense of confidence, security or certainty, especially concerning one’s salvation. Top Bible Verses about Assurance John 3:16 For in this...
The holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the new year—are a special time in ministry. Not only do we celebrate the birth of Jesus but we also get the chance to welcome visitors in our churches—many of whom will be attending for the first time. It’s...
October 31 marks a momentous day in Church history—its 504th anniversary, to be exact. Though eclipsed by other holidays, Reformation Day deserves an observance. How much do you know about it? Whether you know a little or a lot, here are three...
You know about Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli. You may even know about Thomas Cranmer and John Knox. . . . But what do you know about the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation? Learn how one pre-Reformer set the stage for Martin...
1. 2 Samuel 14:25 As far as Absalom, there was not a more handsome man in all of Israel to admire so much; from the sole of his foot up to his crown, there was no physical defect on him. Read 2 Samuel 14:25 2. Esther 2:2–3 And the king’s...
Why were John Calvin’s writings more popular than one of Martin Luther’s disciples, Martin Bucer? In this video excerpt from the Mobile Ed course Understanding the Protestant Reformation: Precursors and Legacy, Gerald L. Bray, author of Doing...
Sunday, October 9, is Pastor Appreciation Day, a special reminder to encourage and pray for your pastor. We’ve pulled together eight prayers from Scripture and respected pastors to guide your intercession. Feel free to use them as-is, drop in your...
It’s easy to think reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin were superhuman. They stood up to the world’s strongest power. They did what others didn’t dare to do. They changed the world. We think, “These people were extraordinary!” We forget...
Pastors have a monumental calling. Acts 20:28 instructs, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” Whether you’re...
This post on Renaissance humanism is by Jennifer Powell McNutt, excerpted from the Mobile Ed Course Milestones of the Protestant Reformation. *** One cannot explore the emergence of the Protestant Reformation without talking about the contribution...
If you’ve been blessed enough to go to Bible school or have taken seminary courses, you know the joy of prolonged seasons of structured theological learning. And you probably miss them now that they’re over. If you had the time, you’d love to sit in...
Scrolling endlessly through photos is only fun when it’s by choice (oh hello, vacation albums). When you’re trying to find media for your church presentations, it’s just frustrating. And if you serve in a bilingual church where you need to create...
Quick, list everything you know about angels! If you’re thinking about bells, harps, and wings, your idea of angels might be more informed by Christmas movies than the Bible. That’s what Dr. Michael S. Heiser is trying to correct in Angels—now...
The Apocrypha is a closed collection of Jewish writings composed mostly during the “intertestamental” period, from as early as 300 BC to AD 100. They are deemed part of the biblical canon by many Christians, including Roman Catholics, the Eastern...
The Mishnah is a third-century Jewish collection that expands upon the legal material and language of the Old Testament and is considered to be “oral Torah.” Mishnah (the Hebrew term מִשְׁנָה means “study by repetition”) is the foundation of all...
Introduction Research papers are one of the best ways to learn in seminary—which is why so many teachers assign them. A research paper trains you in how to gather information, interpret it, and present an informed opinion persuasively. And yet...
Most of us desire to do deep and meaningful Bible study, but sometimes we get into a rut. Bible study can become more of a chore than an exciting time of learning and growing in your understanding of God’s Word and in your relationship with Jesus...
In this video and transcript excerpt from the Bible Survey course on 2 Timothy, Dr. Kenneth Waters discusses issues of Paul’s authorship of the Pastoral Epistles in light of the familiarity evidenced in the letters to Timothy. *** Let us now...
He’s the universe’s public enemy number one, the chief opponent of God and his people, and the leader of uncounted demonic forces. Jesus says he’s been a murderer from the beginning, and he’s engaged in an all-out war against the forces of good in...
Family devotion time: sweet memories or absolute mayhem? For most families, it’s a little bit of both. We asked readers over social media—plus a few colleagues at Faithlife—to describe their family devotions and how they make the time meaningful and...
The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines Logos (λόγος, logos) as “a concept word in the Bible symbolic of the nature and function of Jesus Christ. It is also used to refer to the revelation of God in the world.” But it’s also arguably...
Christian worship is big business. From Christian radio stations to massive international tours to the entire Christian recording industry, worship is no longer confined within church walls; it has a global reach. But what does Scripture teach us...