The ultimate objective of preaching and teaching is not just conveying information. It is achieving transformation (Andy Stanley, Communicating for a Change). Believers often know more Bible than they are living. If anyone needed a transformation of his whole life it was Zacchaeus of Jericho. The story of the transformation of Zacchaeus could be a […]
Have you received any Christmas letters this month that seem too good to be true? The photos show everyone cleaned up, dressed up, and smiling cheerfully, and the single-spaced review of the past year is jam-packed with humble brags. Johnny got straight A’s and batted clean-up for his Little League team. His sister Jenny won […]
Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson: 1. What comes to mind when you think of these words: overhaul, makeover, restoration? Give an example of things that have gone through one or more of those radical changes. 2. When have you said, “It’s just too small for me anymore” or “It […]
Can you feel it? Can you sense it? Stores are bustling with shoppers hunting down that special gift, radio stations are playing non-stop holiday music from years gone by, and trees with bright lights and beautiful ornaments are glowing in homes across America. Without a doubt, the Christmas season is here. I enjoy this time […]
Two boys were born in the same hospital 10 months apart, their early lives tragically similar, yet they turned out differently. What made the difference? Charlie’s Story When Kathleen, 16 and unmarried, gave birth to him November 12, 1934, he was listed as “no name Maddox.” The place: Cincinnati General Hospital. She married soon, but […]
