Articles Tagged 'Relig'

Merry Christmas!

We pray the Lord blesses you with the grace of Jesus' presence this Christmas!

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ToGather: Called to Holiness, Not Passing Judgment (November 14, 2021)

Can we really pursue obedience and have a deep passion for holiness and still welcome people who practice their faith differently than we do?

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to recognize God's greatness and to living a life of holiness that refuses to judge others in Christ over non-essential practices.

Beyond the Reach of Corruption and Decay

Are humans that predictable? Are people really so selfish? Do we nearly always pursue some payoff or reward in every situation?

Phil Ware writes out of a quiet time study of Matthew 6 and the memory of the crass motivation often behind our behaviors, even our most religious behaviors.

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.

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.

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.

Through the Keyhole of Grace

What can we learn about God by looking at Jesus?

Phil Ware compares Jesus to a keyhole through which we look at God and the closer we get to Jesus the more clearly we see God and gives us a reading plan to discover more!

The Way of Jesus #2: Unsettling the Religious Status Quo

We must always remember that God's love for broken people and our call to his mission must matter most.

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the deadly consequences of a religion that forgets the love of God for broken people and the mission Jesus has for us to the lost world and helped define the way of Jesus through the cross to the empty tomb.

Viewing People as Jesus Did!

We can view people in ways that demean their value to God instead of viewing people as Jesus does!

Phil Ware reminds us of the four ways we often view people that are very crass and treats them as less than human, then he compares that to how Jesus views people.

ToGather: X > ! (December 6, 2020)

Jesus won't let us classify him as just another good teacher: He challenges us to decide if he is Lord, liar, or lunatic!

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos to honor Jesus as greater than anything or anyone.

Beyond Religious Places, Practices, and Rituals

We must always remember that God's love for broken people and our call to his mission must matter most.

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the deadly consequences of a religion that forgets the love of God for broken people and mission Jesus has for us to the lost world.

ToGather: Caring for the Vulnerable (July 5, 2020)

We are Jesus' heart, hands, and feet. Let's remind each other that we should bless the broken, forgotten, left out, and needy.

Phil Ware and Demetrius Collins lead us into worship through songs, Communion, and the Word God, inviting us to experience, proclaim and rejoice in the love of God for all people and to be stirred to share that love with others.

Living Beyond the Formula

Jesus > You + X (all your dos) + Y (all your dont's)!

Jordan Harrell helps us understand what Jesus meant when what matters is in our hearts!

Beyond Religious Places, Practices, and Rituals

We must always remember that God's love for broken people and our call to his mission must matter most.

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of the deadly consequences of a religion that forgets the love of God for broken people and mission Jesus has for us to the lost world.

Not a Patch, but a Whole New World

Pursue Jesus. Completely pursue him. You will notice that while you are not religious, you are being drawn to a holy character and gracious compassion that religion longs to impart, but cannot!

Phil Ware continues looking at the gospel of Mark and reminds us that Jesus isn't a patch on religion or a new joy to infuse old and stale religion; he is an altogether all new thing.

Viewing People as Jesus Did!

Too often as human beings, we tend to view people in ways that demean their value to God and reveal the diminished value we place upon them.

Phil Ware reminds us of the four ways we often view people that are very crass and treats them as less than human, then he compares that to how Jesus views people.

Where Is the Love?

As followers of Jesus, it is my responsibility to speak and demonstrate the language of this authentic love.

Tom Norvell reminds us that as disciples of Jesus, our job is to bring the love of Jesus into every arena of life, even if the rest of the world has forgotten to do so.

The Grace of Dropping Stones

Would I be willing to drop my stone first?

Tom Norvell reminds us of a well known truth we so often forget and even more infrequently apply.

Lifestyle: Connecting Others with Jesus

How we view people impacts our lifestyle

Phil Ware finishes his series on "The Andrew Effect" about connecting people with Jesus by reminding us how Jesus viewed people.

How to Discredit Christianity

Want to know how to make unbelievers disbelieve even more?

Rubel Shelly reminds us that wild predictions about Jesus' return on specific dates often are used by sceptics to discredit Christianity.

Through the Keyhole of Grace

What can we learn about God by looking at Jesus?

Phil Ware compares Jesus to a keyhole through which we look at God and the closer we get to Jesus the more clearly we see God.

His Hands Will Touch You, Too!

When you see this man, who do you see?

Max Lucado writes about the man born blind in John 9 and reminds us that even though no one else notices us as a person, Jesus does.

The Elephant Is Still an Elephant

Truth doesn't stop being truth

There are many opinions, many theories, and many philosophies. But there is an absolute truth: there is only one God and the only way to Him is through Jesus Christ.

Rules for Building a Snowman?

So there are actually rules for this?

Rubel Shelly reminds us of the keys to following Jesus by pulling our leg about a bunch of rules for building a snowman.

But Herod's Time Ended!

The cycle of violence is heartbreaking — will it ever end?

Phil Ware reminds us of the simple, yet powerful words found in the hard story of Jesus' birth and Herod's attempt to murder him at Bethlehem -- But Herod came to an end.

Meeting God Outside the Box!

Where can we go and meet God?

Phil Ware continues his series on Out of the Box and Luke 8 and Luke 9 and the limiting expectations we have for encountering and meeting God.