Coming off another Father’s Day, I am struck by the dichotomy between what the world is preaching and what the Word of God teaches. In a society that is constantly trying to blur lines and separate itself from biblical principles, the call to be men and women of the Bible becomes harder and harder. It... Continue Reading →

This is the conclusion to the Celebration of Disciplines series… Why is it that some people think Christianity is boring and dull? That Christians don’t laugh or have fun? That to be Christian means to avoid joy? This is clearly not found in the Word of God. I am not saying that there aren’t times... Continue Reading →

Weekends can be such a challenge. We try to cram so much into such a little time. Morning to night. And if we go to church, we might get there a little late as we were up late the night before, and then we are watching the clock so that we can get to lunch... Continue Reading →

As we go through the spiritual disciplines, this week we focused on one that is difficult for most, if not all. This is especially true today. In a society that tells you to make up your own truth to be accepted just the way you are, and that truth is relative, confession leads us in... Continue Reading →

I remember working in management before I entered ministry. Things were falling through the cracks and everyone was focused on what “was” and what “wasn’t” their job. Debbie was out, and we had another nurse step in and cover for her. At one point on this particular night, a person had an “accident” in the... Continue Reading →

Hopefully it was a wonderful Easter/Resurrection Day for everyone. Resurrection Sunday is a day of new life. It is a day filled with hope, the hope that comes from knowing that the grave is empty! For those who checked out Elm Street Community Church’s service, we did focus on hope, but we also continued along... Continue Reading →

This week we celebrate one of the greatest examples of solitude in Scripture as Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He left most of the disciples to sit and pray in the garden while He went off with Peter, James and John. Then, leaving them to watch and pray with Him, He... Continue Reading →

For today’s devotion, we are going to look at the outward disciplines, starting with simplicity. In a sense, this discipline focuses on the difference between God’s kingdom and our stuff. At its core it is an issue of the heart, and it brings to light where our priorities are. As we look at simplicity, Richard... Continue Reading →