All (Page 4) Articles 2021 Archives

There in the Deep End

Yesterday, in practice, she was the only one who did it. Why was she so afraid today?

Ron Rose writes about his daughter Julie from long ago and how she didn't want to swim in the deep end of the pool if her teacher wasn't there.

07/13/2021 by Ron Rose

ToGather: Trusting God's Truth for Our True North (July 11, 2021)

Will we trust God and his truth for our lives? This trust is a big challenge in a world that doesn't really acknowledge the ways of God.

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to challenge us and encourage us to trust in God as our true north and our basis for life and faith.

07/10/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Touchable Hope

What the resurrected Jesus gave to his shocked disciples who disbelieved for joy was tangible proof he had risen from the dead!

Phil Ware's Communion reflection on the Lord's Supper focused on Jesus' appearance to disciples after his resurrection, and what that appearance can mean for us.

07/08/2021 by Phil Ware

I Remember Mimi as the Fireflies Dance

I still remember the feeling of holding my mouth perfectly still while she put lipstick on my lips, the smell of the old wig on my head making me want to sneeze.

Melissa Troyer shares her memories of her grandmother, Mimi Margaret, and tells her children about the safest place of her childhood.

07/06/2021 by Melissa Troyer

ToGather: For Freedom! (July 4, 2021)

God set us free from law-keeping and sinful rebellion so that we can find freedom to become all we were created to be.

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to celebrate our freedom in Christ and make a commitment to never give up our freedom to law-keeping or sin.

07/03/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Tuning to My Interior World

Obeying what God commanded and avoiding the things he condemns is important. However, the way we deal with them must involve our interior world!

Phil Ware reminds that to become JesuShaped, we have to pay attention to our interior worlds, the world of our hearts, and not just religious externals.

07/01/2021 by Phil Ware

Inheritance Day

Melancholy or anticipation? We are part of a great cycle of inheriting from our grandparents and parents as well as passing on to our children and grandchildren

Philip Gulley talks about inheriting things from his grandfather and what it means for inheritance day to come.

06/29/2021 by Philip Gulley

ToGather: Jesus Longs to Be Real to Us! (June 27, 2021)

God — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is with us and has made his home in each of us and wants to reveal himself to each of us!

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us that Jesus is Immanuel and not only draws near to us, but is in us and with us.

06/26/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Family in the Fire

Jesus is among the familiar trappings of his heritage of faith and immediate family, both of whom are dangerously toxic to him and his ministry at this point in his journey.

Phil Ware continues his reflections and convictions on becoming a JesuShaped disciple, this time focusing on the dangers and difficulties the Lord faced from his religious adversaries.

06/24/2021 by Phil Ware

Beyond Chapter and Verse

Have we missed the joy of our Father and the party he longs to throw for all of us who love him and give up all to follow Jesus?

Jordan Harrell and Phil Ware invite to come celebrate at the table of grace our Father longs for us to share and not get hung up on chapter and verse prooftexting religion.

06/22/2021 by Jordan Harrell & Phil Ware

ToGather: Thank You, O God, Our Father! (June 20, 2021)

Some of us have had good fathers. Others have had absent fathers or bad fathers. In Christ, however, we have been adopted into God's family, and we all have a loving, powerful, tender, and attentive Abba Father!

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to help us honor and praise our Father in heaven on this Father's Day.

06/19/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

The Shear

We are called to live in the strong currents where Jesus' Kingdom meets the world and those trapped by darkness, and we need to know there is both danger and richness as we live in 'The Shear.'

Phil Ware continues his series on becoming JesuShaped disciples.

06/17/2021 by Phil Ware

Give Your Fears to the Father

How remarkable that Jesus felt such fear. But how kind that he told us about it.

Max Lucado reminds us that Jesus made all sorts of faces as he lived life much as we do, and because he has been where we are, even in the darkest of times, we can turn to him and find grace to help us in our times of need.

06/15/2021 by Max Lucado

ToGather: I Daily Choose Jesus' Cross! (June 13, 2020)

Jesus put fresh depth of meaning into the words 'love' and 'cross' because of WHO he is and WHAT he did!

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to open our hearts to hear God's call to choose to keep our sin dead and buried and live for Jesus in the shadow of the cross.

06/12/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

JesuShaped Prayer

Prayer becomes a tuning fork that helps us sing the song of God's magnificence with both holy praise as well as genuine concern for the people in our world.

Phil Ware continues his series of thoughts on living as a disciple that is JesuShaped and focuses on how the Lord's Prayer tunes our hearts to living the JesuShaped life.

06/10/2021 by Phil Ware

This Sanctuary

I think if I had known all we would face, I couldn't have breathed. Except for one thing. God would be with us.

Melissa Troyer writes powerfully and poignantly about the journey she and her husband, Daniel, have traveled to live love and mission and family, together, finding God as their sanctuary.

06/08/2021 by Melissa Troyer

ToGather: Who Pilots My Life? (June 6, 2021)

We must seek God's way, follow God's will, and trust him if our paths are going to lead us where we need to go.

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to open our hearts to ask God to guide us and lead us in all our ways so that our paths are the ones he would have us choose.

06/05/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Daily Altar of Grace

God isn't going to accept anything we offer him — our hearts, our Sunday worship, our offerings, our praise, our hopes, our private prayers, our dreams — if we knowingly remain at odds with a brother or sister in Christ.

Phil Ware takes the two love commands of Jesus, the Greatest Commands, and applies them to all of life for a follower of the Lord.

06/03/2021 by Phil Ware

What Is Our Blindspot?

Since it's a blind spot, no matter how hard you try you can't see what you should be seeing.

Jordan Reese shares a poignant piece of writing by her dad as she thinks through our blindspots and calls us to seek first Jesus' Kingdom and that righteousness, not our own biases.

06/01/2021 by

ToGather: Inviting Jesus to Come Alive in Us (May 30, 2021)

God bless us all as we seek to let the grace of Jesus shine through us and touch those around us.

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware share a DIY worship plan with a message, songs, and other resources in YouTuube video format and including a communion devotional by Rubel Shelly.

05/29/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Servant!

Jesus recalibrated greatness and changed it from being fame and notoriety to kneeling and using a basin and towel.

Phil Ware reminds us that the Jesus vibe is about being a servant and helping others, but he also reminds us that there are powerful memories in the Lord's Supper to help remind us of this thought.

05/27/2021 by Phil Ware

What Really Matters

What would you take if our house were burning down, and, if everyone were already out of the house?

Melissa Troyer reminds us that things are just things, but if we have people we love then we have what matters most!

05/25/2021 by Melissa Troyer

ToGather: Because God Is Able (May 23, 2021)

God has done great things and is worthy of all of our praise.

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to give us confidence in our salvation because our God is able!

05/22/2021 by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware

Crouching at the Door

How did Jesus have the strength to resist sin again and again and again? What strategies or tools did he use to overcome the schemes of the evil one?

Phil Ware leads in our focus on being JesuShaped disciples by talking about the real power behind Jesus overcoming temptation.

05/20/2021 by Phil Ware

Almost Persuaded?

Why do we put off our commitment to truly follow Jesus?

Paul Faulkner reminds us that we need to decide to respond to Jesus now and honor him with our lives.

05/18/2021 by Paul Faulkner