Taking the Lead . . . .

In the margin of my Bible, right next to Psalm 45, I have written the following words: take the lead, at the front, for causes bigger than you—don’t be shy. To the right of these words I have placed a star, scrawled in pencil, and to the left of these words an arrow pointing toward READ MORE

The Cry of the Warrior-Poets

Stop for just a moment. Ask yourself from what it is the Lord has set you free. Was it the scaring shame of deep-seated sin? Was it a relationship that was once spiraling out of control, now healed and thriving? Was it a season of depression or anxiety that you thought would never end? Was it READ MORE

Is the Lord Shepherding You?

One of the most famous lines in the whole world is “The LORD is my shepherd,” found in Psalm 23:1 in the Old Testament’s Psalter. Five words in the English language, two in the Hebrew, the simple statement has captivated and encouraged the souls of millions for ages. Tucked generally into the middle of the 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

Guarding the Deposit

Swept up into the activities of leading the church in Ephesus, young Timothy must have had moments of anxiety and despair. After all, this was the church Paul had so lovingly founded. It was nestled in the cradle of the Roman Empire—a cosmopolitan city that was renowned throughout the known world. And it was a READ MORE