Phil Steiger
When our church went through our series on Renewal, one of the principles we spent time on was: Our reaction to crisis will determine whether we find Renewal. Often, genuine spiritual renewal is the result of some kind of crisis. Sometimes is it large-scale cultural upheaval, sometimes it is a radical change of regional circumstances,... Continue Reading →
I started preaching through Ephesians a few weeks before the Coronavirus pandemic. In study, I was struck by the Ephesians 4 model of church leadership and spiritual gifting in a new way. Before the phrase “social distancing” entered our lexicon, I held my annual reviews with staff and began to lay the groundwork for how... Continue Reading →
One day in the Passion Week is especially poignant for us right now. Jesus was crucified on a Friday, and before the morning of the resurrection, there is a day of darkness and isolation for the disciples. It says in John 20:19 that the disciples were behind locked doors “for fear of the Jews”. After... Continue Reading →
During the COVID-19 pandemic I have been brought back to some of David’s Psalms, specifically his laments. During our church’s mid-week Bible study, we have been going through David’s life, sometimes with a fine-toothed comb, and I have been left a little overwhelmed with the completely human, yet shockingly faithful character of the human king... Continue Reading →
The world is currently caught up in the Corona COVID-19 virus pandemic. The consequences of both the virus and the mitigation attempts are enormous, certainly much more far-reaching than we can now imagine. One of the characteristics of daily life right now is the constant, even unexpected, adjusting to a temporary new normal. Just about... Continue Reading →
Living Hope, I want to take some time to talk about being followers of Jesus Christ during the current COVID-19 Corona Virus epidemic. Christians have been here before, and we can take comfort and wisdom from the actions of those who have faced these kinds of things. During the first 100 years or so of... Continue Reading →
What is the influence of Christianity on the culture and history of the West? It’s complicated, but it isn’t as rotten as you have been led to believe. In fact, we owe our basic moral structure to our Christian roots, whether we like it or not. And more and more, we tend not to like... Continue Reading →
Preaching through the first chapter of Ephesians isn’t easy. The whole chapter is packed with big ideas, abstract concepts, central doctrines to the Christian faith, and some talk about this “predestination” stuff. If you read a good commentary or study on the book, you will discover that the introduction is notoriously long and dense. Then... Continue Reading →
One of the best books I read last year took me by surprise. I became aware that I had not actually read much by Martin Luther King Jr. Like most Americans I had heard snippets of his speeches and learned some about significant events in his life. Like a smaller set of people, I had... Continue Reading →
Jude vs. 17-19 "But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit." Jude is concerned that a church is being... Continue Reading →
Every Thought Captive 