By Michael C. Mack 1. Who taught you how to pray? What did this person teach you, by words and by modeling? Read Luke 18:9-14. 2. What is your initial reaction to the Pharisee in the story? • I’d like to punch him in the nose! • I agree with him. He probably worked hard […]
By Jacqueline J. Holness In December Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, wrote a blog post entitled “16 Trends in American Churches in 2016.” Among the trends he predicted for 2016 were: • “Decrease in worship center size and capacity” • “Fewer segregated churches” • “Churches no longer viewed favorably by many governmental units” […]
By Dr. Mark Scott Humility was not prized in the ancient world. It was viewed as weakness. Jesus Christ changed the way that the world looked at humility. Following the incarnation, humility became a virtue. That does not mean the modern world does not struggle with arrogance. An NBA player says, “I am the greatest […]
Devotional thoughts on Luke 18:9-14 By Jen Dunning Most of us like to be recognized and enjoy a pat on the back for a job well done. It makes us feel valued and appreciated for what we’ve accomplished. I have always enjoyed the spotlight and have used my witty sense of humor for attention and […]
By David Faust Our church staff needed some new publicity pictures, and it was time for a photo shoot. The young woman organizing the group photo told me, “Your hair looks a little messy,” so I reached into my back pants pocket and pulled out a small black plastic comb. “He has a comb in […]
