Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So...
Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for...
This summer we have 24 Kairos interns working in various ministries at Grace Church. Keep reading to learn a little bit more about these guys. Visit our Kairos website for more information about internships at Grace Church....
I grew up in a wonderful home. My parents were great, we had all the comforts and advantages of southern suburbia, and we were very involved in church. In that kind of environment, it was easy to come to a subtle conclusion: while God loves...
Christmas is, by some distance, the most significant holiday in the world (at least in the West). It’s startling just how all-encompassing it is—school, economics, business, entertainment, travel, families, and church all revolve around it and submit to it....
As a firstborn myself, there are some recurring themes in the life of Jacob that don’t sit well with me. Birth order seems to come packaged with sets of unique traits; traits that would be invaluable when looking for the one who would be the...
Just go kill it. These words from Matt’s sermon have not stopped ringing in my ears, “If there is a dream that is separating you from God, just go kill it.”...
Having an older brother was always great, except on Christmas day. We would be opening presents, tossing shiny wrapping paper everywhere, and looking for devices we could steal batteries out of to use in our new gifts....
One of the things I see clearly in the biblical narrative of Jacob’s life is how God never gave up on Jacob and the plan he had for Jacob’s life. It gives me comfort because I know he brings that same faithfulness and patience to...
What an interesting idea reconciliation is—to willingly forgive, restore, and make right a relationship that has gone wrong. I do not believe it is a natural human instinct....
I secretly hope my neighbors aren’t watching as I back out of my driveway. I would say that I’m better now, but I used to fear that the front end of my car was going to hit the side of my husband’s truck....
While student teaching last spring in a fourth-grade classroom, I got a front row seat to a lot of girl drama. After a while, I noticed that one particular girl was always in the middle of it....
All my life I have been analytical. By definition, that means I study and evaluate just about everything. I seek to use logic and reasoning to answer the question that’s always on my mind: “Why?” ...
Recently, my dad had a falling out with a long-time friend. He’s not entirely sure what caused it, but he suspects that a comment he made one morning over breakfast hurt his friend’s feelings. Dad tried for several weeks to get in touch with his...
We’ve all been there at some point or another. New job, new church, new school, new neighborhood—what we know and what is familiar and safe is coming to a close and the horizon holds a shiny new idea for us to grab ahold of....
Each year from August to May, Grace Church offers an internship called Cultor House. The internship provides recent college graduates with the opportunity to learn and work in the ministry structure, while also gaining experience in another part-time job. ...
The desire for control is a creepy thing. It creeps up on us all the time in ways that we don’t even know. It creeps up in our thoughts and in our hearts, affecting our words, actions, and decisions....
Genesis 27—where we see Rebekah manipulate circumstances to get Esau’s blessing for Jacob—sounds eerily familiar. Isn’t it the struggle that all mothers have to take matters into their own hands and make things happen for their kids? And not just mothers. I think it’s the...
This has been a summer of weddings for me. In this season of life, it feels like there are more weekends with weddings than not. Amidst all the festivities, there is one wedding tradition I always avoid: the bouquet toss....
Talk about taking advantage of summertime! Our 24Seven leaders at the Pelham Campus blew it out of the water with a Life Skills lunch for our 7th-8th grade students. We had 22 students sign up and come to this daytime event, held separate from our...
“O praise the name of the Lord our God. O praise His name forevermore. For endless days, we will sing Your praise. Oh Lord, oh Lord our God.” One of the ways that I sense God’s presence the most is through songs of worship. ...
Summer is finally here. For students, it means freedom. No more class. No more homework, and no more responsibilities. For those of us out of school, it means going through the same routines, but the only difference is now it’s hot....
Kurt Arens’ life is a story of the Lord’s redemptive power to change our hearts and teach us His ways. He grew up knowing there was a God, but his faith was not fostered by his family as neither parent attended church. It was common...
They move towards the building, some running, holding bags or purses over their head, some quickly walking with umbrellas pulling against the wind. They splash through puddles, not noticing, as their shoes are already soaked through. The rain comes in sheets, and they don’t care...
Like so many of us, Kathy Scully was raised in a home that often succumbed to tension, dysfunction, and brokenness. Her parents’ actions communicated a confusing message that she was both the very best thing and the very worst thing....