Whispers of the Messiah came to Abram,  whose name means “Exalted Father” in Genesis 12. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your countryand your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that […]

One of the first whispers of the need for a Messiah is uttered in Genesis 3:15 after Adam and Eve chose to follow the voice of the deceiver instead of the voice of Truth. The evil one promised that their eyes would be opened, and they would be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen. […]

God gives us a sneak preview of the Messiah when Jacob provides the future blessings for his sons in Genesis 49. When Jacob comes to Judah, he says:  “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the […]

Discipleship is a term that many of us never hear outside of our Christian experience, so it might be helpful to understand it from a biblical perspective. The word for “disciple” is a learner who follows a master teacher.[1] In contrast to our current Western era, learning in Jesus’ time was very relational and holistic. […]

Matthew 5:1-12 NAS95 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who […]

Hebrews 3:1 says, “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS, THE APOSTLE and high priest whom we confess” (NIV). I have often heard of Jesus being our high priest, but thinking about Jesus being the apostle was a new concept. Maybe that is the case for you. Apostle […]

Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (NIV). As I read this, it dawned on me that I didn’t really know what “in the Spirit” really meant. The focus of this verse for me has always been on the phrase, “on all occasions” and not […]

The unique role of a leader in the midst of an organization presents inherent dangers and risks. The responsibility that a leader has to guide and influence not only systems, but people, places one in a very vulnerable position. While most followers look at leaders as strong and invincible, an honest leader knows one’s own […]

Much of the emphasis in the spiritual formation movement focuses on personal disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, solitude and silence. While these are good activities to engage in, an overemphasis on individual activities may result in a devaluing of the role of community in spiritual growth. My experience of spiritual community was started in […]