Tag: Ministry

sinai
By micoots
01/07/2016 0

Egypt: Islamic State claims responsibility for Coptic priest murder

Egypt's North Sinai region is threatened by Islamic State insurgents.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for shooting dead a Coptic priest in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula yesterday.

Rev Rafael Moussa, 46, was outside a car repair shop near his church in El Arish, the region's main town, when a masked man walked up and shot him. Witnesses said the man threatened them before fleeing.

“Islamic State soldiers were able to successfully target the priest Moussa Azmi, known as..

westside-family-church-of-lenexa
By micoots
01/07/2016 0

Church calls for underage sexual assault victims to be named

A Kansas church is asking for the identity of two under-age girls who were the victims of sexual assault at a holiday Bible school to be revealed by the court.

Westside Family Church of Lenexa has accused the girls' family of a “Pearl Harbor-styled barrage of negative publicity,” Baptist News Global reports, after the family “tactically decided to 'draw fist blood' on the issue publicly” by leaking the story to the press before notifying..

Screen-Shot-2016-06-30-at-11.16.13-AM
By micoots
01/07/2016 0

Mary AND Martha, by Mary Stromer Hanson

Mary Stromer Hanson is a recent graduate of Denver Seminary with an MA in NT biblical studies. She is a longtime member of CBE and active in the Denver chapter. She is the author of The New Perspective on Mary and Martha: Do Not Preach Mary and Martha Again Until You Read This! and Bold Girls Speak: Girls of the Bible Come Alive both published by Wipf and Stock. Mary blogs regularly at Mary’s Sword.
Used with permission.
Mary and Martha continue to stir up heated dispute in the church, but their..

By micoots
01/07/2016 0

van Ruysbroeck: the universality of His love

Friday, July 1, 2016
Commemoration of John & Henry Venn, Priests, Evangelical Divines, 1813, 1873
Meditation:
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
—1 Timothy 2:5-6 (ESV)
Quotation:
Christ was common to all in love, in teaching, in tender consolation, in generous gifts, in merciful forgiveness. His soul and His body, His life and His death and His minist..

By micoots
01/07/2016 0

Teaching the Crowds – Mark 10:1

Key Passage: Then Jesus left that place. He went into the area of Judea and across the Jordan River. Again, many people came to him. And Jesus taught the people like he always did.
— Mark 10:1 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought: Two characteristics marked Jesus' ministry at this stage of his life. First, he was very popular and crowds accompanied him everywhere he went. Second, he taught them God's will. Jesus' goal in attracting people was not to gain an earthly following, but to teach..

IMG_1239
By micoots
01/07/2016 0

Five first steps to experiencing more of God’s presence

Five first steps to experiencing more of God’s presence.
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).
Living among a busy and distracted people, followers of Jesus need to live in God’s presence. We do not need a theology of his presence: we need the experience of his presence. He is here, now. Are we awake?

getting-a-tattoo
By micoots
30/06/2016 0

‘Gimmicks over gospel’: Group draws flak for using tattoos, booze to raise funds for planting new church

A group that identifies itself under the banner of the so-called “Reformed Christianity” has drawn criticism from mainstream Christian leaders for its method of raising funds—offering tattoos to members and hosting a Bible conference featuring a beer flight, or a sampling of several beers for “taste presentation.”

The Temple, Arizona-based group called Apologia Studios, which is a part of Apologia Church, is behind the fundraising effort to plant a new church in Hawaii, according to Christian News Network.

Marcus Pittman, the leader of Apologia Studios, posted a live video of the tattoo fundraiser to social media on Wednesday. In the footage, a supporter is shown getting a tattoo of the logo for Pirate Christian Radio on his arm.

“This is actually a fundraiser for our Apologia Kauai church plant, so people of the church are donating to have another member of the church tattoo them so they can go to Kauai and we can plant a church there,” Pittman explains. “So, it's pre..

1213836424_2c9f078f4b_o-300×200
By micoots
30/06/2016 0

Is Jesus Amazed At Your Faith?

Matthew 27:28-29, “The crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law” (NIV).

Introduction:
It’s interesting to note that the word “amazed” is found some 30+ times in the Gospels. Most of the time the word is used to describe the response of the masses to Jesus. “Amazed” is an amazing word with a lot of power and nuance.
Something interesting to do in your studies or devotions is pay..

Colossians-1-Bible-Study
By micoots
30/06/2016 0

Colossians 1 Bible Study, Summary and Discussion Questions

Here is a Bible study on Colossians chapter one with a summary and discussion questions to follow.

Colossians 1:3-5 “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel.”

I love the line where Paul said he thanked God for the believers and for their love for wh..

Unity_Hands_Sky
By micoots
30/06/2016 0

The 4 Focused Teams You Need in Your Church

Yesterday, as the receptionist at the medical specialty clinic checked my wife in for a procedure, she handed me a small lighted gadget. “When it goes off,” she said, “they’re through in the back and will be coming to get you.”

We’re all familiar with these things. What are they called, buzzers? They fit in the palm of your hand, they’re operated by batteries, and restaurants use them for patrons awaiting tables. When they go off, lights flash, the buzzer sounds, and the thing vibrates.

Pretty..