Kelley MathewsShuffling along the dusty paths of ancient Israel, travelers and residents would inevitably stumble upon piles of rocks. A particular pile near Gilgal, however, showed evidence of being constructed with purpose. The mighty warrior Joshua had...
Michael F. BirdJoan Osborne’s 1995 pop hit What If God Was One of Us? asked an excellent question. Another song, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing—a famous hymn of Charles Wesley and George Whitefield—gives the correct answer. The ancient world had many deities, even...
Logos StaffWhat is Advent? The Advent season begins four Sundays before Christmas. In 2023, Advent starts on Sunday, December 3, and ends on Sunday, December 24. Each Sunday coincides with the lighting of one of four candles—a purple one on the first, second...
Jennifer Grisham“Advent is for the few.” That’s one of the first things Rev. Fleming Rutledge said to me in our recent interview about the Advent season. This time of year, it’s easy to let our imaginations return to the sights, sounds, and smells of past...
Everybody has heard of the 12 Days of Christmas. In fact, we’ve all probably sung about them. But what are the 12 Days of Christmas, and who actually celebrates them? What are the 12 Days of Christmas? For more than 1,400 years, the 12 days of...
Mark WardIf I thought I was a pretty scintillating Bible teacher, the kind that makes people sit on the edge of their seats, the kind that is also able to put the cookies on the lower shelf and interest even kids, that thought was shattered when my own kids...
Much of the Christmas season is packed with gathering, traveling, and gifting. But one easy way to reflect more on Jesus’ life (even during the busiest days) is by spending a few minutes in an Advent or Christmas devotional. See several options...
Ryan PembertonRyan J. Pemberton—author of Called: My Journey to C. S. Lewis’s House and Back Again and coauthor of Walking with C. S. Lewis—explores Advent ideas for your worship community. For Pemberton, Advent is a beautiful, counter-cultural...
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...
Ryan RotzIn this article, Ryan Rotz reflects on the unexpected Advent lessons he’s learned from the notorious historical figure, King Herod. Explore advent and Christmas resources in the Logos Christmas sale. King Herod the Great is known by most...
Lexham PressThe Christmas season easily overwhelms, and meaning can be lost in the busyness. But a new Christmas devotional by Mark M. Yarbrough, Tidings of Comfort & Joy: 25 Devotions Leading to Christmas, reminds us why we celebrate with 25 short...
“How is it almost Christmas?” I ask that almost every year—but especially in this one . . . 2020 . . . the year that has somehow moved by slower than a slug but quicker than a Tesla Model S on the Autobahn—simultaneously. (Motion sickness, much...
This December, spread Christmas cheer for all to hear . . . and see! Inside Proclaim + Pro Media, you’ll find church media as pretty as a sparkling Christmas tree or the fireworks on New Year’s Eve. As you close the door on this year, you can use...
To some, Christmas means only a time of warm celebration with friends and family, gift-giving, and festive holiday traditions. To others, Christmas means the celebration of something eternally significant—the Savior’s birth. “Jesus is the reason...
This Christmas, deck your church’s screens with good tidings of great joy. Christmas and Advent motion graphics are waiting for you inside Proclaim + Pro Media! This winter, use new professionally designed graphics to . . . Announce holiday events...
This post is the seventh and last in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. 2 Samuel 7:1–16 It happened that the king settled in his house. (Now Yahweh had given rest to him from all his enemies...
This post is the fifth in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24 Rejoice always, pray constantly, give...
This post is the fourth in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. Luke 1:46–55 And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, and my...
This post is the third in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. Psalm 126 When Yahweh restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like...
This post is the third in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. Psalm 126 When Yahweh restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like...
This post is the second in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. Isaiah 64:1–4, 8–11 Would that you would tear the heavens and come...
This post is the second in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. Isaiah 64:1–4, 8–11 Would that you would tear the heavens and come...
As Christ’s arrival draws closer, a natural consequence is joy. When the thing we have been waiting for gets closer and closer, joy increases. When I was a boy, my dad was in the Navy. There were times he was away from home for months. We wrote...
This post is the first in a series adapted from Anticipating His Arrival, a family Advent devotional by Rick Brannan. We will be posting one devotional a day through Christmas. As Christ’s arrival draws closer, a natural consequence is joy. When the...
What do you think is the most “Christmasy” book in the New Testament? The obvious frontrunners are Matthew and Luke, especially their opening portions. One of the reasons these books will show up so often in Christmas-time sermons and Bible studies...
Martin WeberWe’re celebrating Advent by giving away dozens of free books and beautiful Advent Art. In this post, Martin Weber reflects on the peace signaled by this season of anticipation. Martin is the author of numerous books, including My Tortured...
Ray Deck IIIMarking seasons and holidays can be a meaningful spiritual exercise in the life of a church. Some of the holy days on the traditional church calendar are familiar to us, like Christmas and Easter, but some of the lesser-known seasons can be just as...
Rebecca BrantThere’s no better time of year to explore the life of Mary than now, as we head into the Advent and Christmas season. The Gospels mention Mary in only a few verses, so we easily assume there’s not much to learn about her life. Yet she was present as...
paul-burkhart[This article is based on parts of the manuscript for a message I gave on “Beauty” at Epiphany Fellowship. On my personal blog and the webzine I run you can find the audio, manuscript, and full blog series inspired by the message.] We...