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Worldview: How were people saved in the Old Testament?

I remember my first try at reading through the Old Testament. The ancient text was a very different world from what I had expected. Its stories, poems and seemingly endless list of names proved hard to master and comprehend.... Continue Reading »

Editor’s Word: Jesus Is Salvation — Anything Else Is Counterfeit

The salvation we have by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ is supernatural, but it is not merely something we add to our lives along with many other things — it is Jesus. It begins with the new... Continue Reading »

Wholly Healthy: Understanding the Zika Virus

It seems increasingly as if the names of diseases originate from science fiction novels. This is certainly the case with one of our latest concerns, the Zika virus. First described in Uganda in 1947 and named for a forest... Continue Reading »

Sunday Dinner: Ugly Duckling Cake

“I made that when I was a youngster,” my friend Marie said as we talked in the aisle of the supermarket where I had gone to buy ingredients for Joyce Tonroy’s Ugly Duckling Cake. The supermarket aisles are my... Continue Reading »

Kingdom Focus: Shine Christ’s Light on Social Media

Last night I experienced a first on social media. A person claiming to follow Jesus Christ questioned my salvation. This individual did not know me nor anything about my beliefs — other than the fact that I differed with... Continue Reading »

Outside the Walls: Saved from a Predictable Life

Predictable. Routine. These words defined Simon and Andrew’s lives. They were working in the family fishing business, and every night they would attempt to catch enough fish to feed their family. On this particular night, they didn’t have much... Continue Reading »

Pastor to Pastor: ‘Unashamed’

Thinking Christians agree that believers are targeted by terrorists, threatened by political agendas and mocked by special interest groups. Increasingly, Christians are told to “have moments of silence rather than pray in Jesus’ name” or “go hang your commandments... Continue Reading »

Comic Belief: ’Tis the Season to Be Chubby

Most of us gain a little weight over the holidays. Last year my New Year’s resolution was to lose some weight. Like most people, the second week of a diet is the easiest — because by then I’m off... Continue Reading »

Worldview: Is Jesus the Only Savior?

Is Jesus the only Savior? Are there many paths to God and to salvation? These questions raise the issue of religious pluralism — the idea that all religions, at least the ethical ones, lead to God and salvation. Often... Continue Reading »

Worldview: How Important Are Worship Styles? Reconsidering a Musical Matter

The “worship wars” appear to be waning. “Multiple generations are becoming more accustomed to different types of church music and worship style,” writes Thom Rainer. “There is a much greater appreciation for different forms of music than in the... Continue Reading »

Wholly Healthy: Cell Phones and Your Health

These days smartphones are ubiquitous. It’s amazing to realize that you hold in your hand a tiny computer that has more processing power than anything available to NASA during the Apollo years. It’s also amazing, when you have teenagers,... Continue Reading »

Editor’s Word: What Is Worship?

The word “worship” means to ascribe worth to God. He alone is worthy of the praise, adoration, submission, reverence, prayer, giving, singing and respect His people can show Him. Worship can be public, as in our gatherings, or private.... Continue Reading »