Is going to church really necessary?

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. - 1 Corinthians 3:16 –17 (ESV)

Is going to church really necessary? We can just watch something online and get what we need. Right? What's the reason for getting together? I can hear songs by great artists online. There are a lot of sermons I can get through broadcasts or podcasts. Does it really matter if I go to church? Read more

All of us have been forced into a new culture

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, - Ephesians 2:17-19 (ESV)

One of the things that I love about traveling is experiencing different cultures. When we are put into a situation where things are unfamiliar we are forced to look at the world in different and new ways. All of us in the last couple weeks have been forced into a new culture...whether we like it or not. Now we are forced to think about things differently. Everything from our interactions to our purchases to our travel has changed. Read more

Fear is cruel master

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. - Romans 8:15-17 (ESV)

Fear is cruel master. It grips and paralyzes us. It causes us to act irrationally. It isolates and imprisons us, but these words from Paul are words of gospel freedom. We know what family we are a part and we are assured of our relationship to God. That reality provides a bedrock for us to move through a fearful world. Especially in light of current uncertainty we need to understand and trust these truths. Read more