2 Truths & A Lie?

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. - Romans 16:17-18 (ESV)

Ever play the game 2 Truths & A Lie? In this party game, you go around a circle and one person says 2 things about themselves that are true about themselves and one 'truth'. The goal is to figure out who are the best liars. It's a fun game and a great ice breaker. This same game is not fun when it comes to the gospel, but often times that is how error creeps in. Things sound good. The person is eloquent. So what they say has to be true. Right? Read more

God's church and our part in it

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. - Romans 16:16 (ESV)

One of the traditions of Hope during our gathered worship is to have scripture read by an individual from the congregation. (BTW: If you would like to read I'm always looking for folks.) It's great to hear God's Word together. One consistent question I've heard when I ask is, 'Does this passage have any weird names or places in it? And if so, can you help me figure out how to pronounce them?' That's one of the reasons we won't have anyone read the passage we are going to look at this week. It is filled with names. It's a passage we might easily skip or skim when we are reading. Read more

Have you ever had a trip that didn't go like you expected?

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. - Romans 15:24-25 (ESV)

Have you ever had a trip that didn't go like you expected? You had grand plans. Every detail was mapped out. Reservations were made and confirmed. But in the middle your plan suddenly took a detour. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe someone lost the reservation. Maybe the money wasn't there for the trip. How did you respond? How did it turn out? What did you learn? Read more