Renewing Winter-Dead Branches

As the month of March begins to tease many of us in the North Dakota and Minnesota region with hints of spring, I cannot help but find my hunger for seasonal renewal getting stronger. With the days getting ever longer and the snow melting more and more each day, it is hard to not be READ MORE

Reflections on One’s Assignment: A Reprise

Joshua 12 presents a stark contrast between two great men, Moses and Joshua, and their successes in the field of battle. Moses, it is recounted here, defeated two kings: Sihon, king of the Amorites; and Og, king of Bashan. Joshua, however, defeated “in all, thirty-one kings” (v. 24). At first glance it would appear that READ MORE

The Legacy Begins at Home

In our time Christian families are struggling. Too many of our youth are walking away from the church, and too many families are conditioned to believe that the church is primarily responsible for the spiritual development of children. This reality not only needs to be called out, but it needs to be addressed boldly and READ MORE

Taking God’s Story Above & Beyond

At Bethel Church we are continuing a very important sermon series entitled “Living Above & Beyond.” The purpose of the whole series, and this season in which we find ourselves, is to equip followers of Jesus to live above and beyond material slavery, spiritual complancency, and small-minded eternal vision. We want God to meet us READ MORE

Worshippers Who Live Above & Beyond

This post finds us continuing in our series entitled, “Living Above & Beyond.” The purpose of the whole series, and this season in which we find ourselves at Bethel Church, is to equip us as followers of Jesus to live above and beyond material slavery, spiritual complancency, and small-minded eternal vision. We want God to READ MORE

The Hegai Principle

It is unlikely that Hegai will ever become a household name, and this is unfortunate. After all, this slave of King Xerxes’ court plays a significant role in the preservation of the people of Israel (though it is likely he never really understood this). The book of Esther introduces us to him by saying that READ MORE