Bible Study Lessons
What comes to mind when you hear the word “church”? Most people think of a special building, a stage area, a preacher, people sitting in pews, and music. But that’s only one form of church, which can been labeled the institutional or traditional church. The traditional church comes complete with a special building, an organizational … Read more
*The most updated version of this post is in book form here. ————————————- Chapter 1: Questions I’m usually not bothered by other people’s income, but the apostle Paul’s finances have caused me great angst. The man who traveled extensively throughout the Roman world, preaching and teaching, also worked a day job. The man who wrote world-changing … Read more
The word tithe, meaning “tenth,” is not used much in English. To tithe is to give a tenth of one’s income. In addition to freewill and sacrificial offerings, tithing was another form of giving in ancient Israel. Tithing, however, was distinct because it was a required percentage. Since tithing has become a common Christian teaching … Read more
The Christian faith stands or falls on the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Without his life Christianity doesn’t exist. But how do we know anything about Jesus’ life? For two thousand years, Christians have relied on the information found in the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But can we trust the Gospels? Are they … Read more
I have a friend who is a Jehovah’s Witness. A while back he told me that we don’t have big differences in our beliefs so I brought up the issue of Jesus’ nature. “Do you think Jesus is divine?” I asked. “We don’t believe that” he asserted. And then he quoted a barrage of Scripture … Read more