Judges 13

The more I study about the life of Samson, the more I'm convinced that Samson gets thrown under the bus in our Bible classes. His calling as a Nazarite - for life - was important in how God was able to use him to liberate Israel. Come back tonight, and we will geek out on the nuances of the Nazarite vow together.

Judges 11:29-40

Jephthah is, in every way, a self-made man. Rough around the edges. Perhaps gruff and short tempered, but everything he has, he has accomplished. As a self made man he bargains with God to ensure victory in battle, but the consequences of that deal are unspeakably difficult.

Judges 11:1-28

Have you ever wondered how God chooses whom He uses? Jephthah will make you ask. Without a doubt, he had a troubled upbringing. A victim of the choices of his father and his brothers, Jephthah had no advantages in life, and made troubling choices as a result, but God chose him.

Psalm 145:1-7

Sociologists call it Generational Fragmentation. Basically, it means people in modern society spend less time with people outside their generation. Even in church we can gather together like oil and water in the same bottle. This morning we will discuss the blessings of having all our generations under one roof.

Luke 2:41-46; 51-52

Becoming a mom or a dad is easy. Being a father or a mother is a lot harder, for many reasons. One of the greatest challenges for parents today is the outsourcing of parenthood. Schools. Sports. Church programs. It happens so frequently that we rarely acknowledge how much of a responsibility our children are; and not just "providing food and shelter." Kids develop their intellect, faith, character, vocation, relationships. Luke says of Jesus that he "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor of God and man." (Lk 2:52). Through all that, parents guard, guide, and direct. It's a big job.

1 Timothy 2:11-12

This verse has come up in conversation with some friends. Where is a woman’s place in the church? What about women who are not naturally quiet? (one of whom I will gladly admit I am) Are we sinning?

Joshua 4:20-24

Most of us have traditions in our lives. It's just the ebb and flow of how we live. But those traditions say a lot about who we are - and, surprisingly, they become guardrails for who your kids become! Family legacies often rest in family traditions. What is yours? (this is a tough question for newlyweds!) Are you doing your family traditions on purpose? Let's explore this some more this morning.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tonight we will tackle one question: "Can I get some background on 1 Thess. 4:13-18? What does Paul mean by saying “asleep”? What does “The dead in Christ will rise first” mean?" This is one of the clearest teachings of the resurrection in Scripture. A doctrine that most Christians do not understand, believe, or teach. So we will unpack the idea of the resurrection together - both what it is, and what it is not. email

2 Corinthian 4:7-12

You and I are living in the middle of a seismic change in our country. For as long as we have been alive (you and I), the country has always believed that the church had the market cornered on morality and virtue. Even people who wouldn't be bothered with all the rules of church typically thought church a good thing, but no more. The Christian faith is moving to the margins. Today, the average American no longer thinks of Christians as moral people. We are backwards, superstitious, malevolent, bigoted, and hateful. This perception is being fueled by the antics of a few truly disturbing groups, but it is working. This morning, we will kick off our series on Perseverance as we talk about faith in the margins.