Scripture Applied

How to Keep a Church Strong

How do you keep a church strong? The Apostle Paul gives (3) clear ways in his close to the book of Romans (16:17-27). First, guard the unity of the church against “those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learn.” Watch out for smooth talkers who flatter and “avoid them.” Second, show grace, love, and care for your fellow saints. We see this pictured as believers, from some 800 miles away, sent kind greetings to the church at Rome. Third, establish the church by preaching Jesus Christ. Paul’s clear implication is, without sound preaching, the church will be weak and malnourished, but with it they will be grounded and strong. Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/698979860df6c37ba98e6e44

Your Husband’s Not Ignoring You - He’s Carrying Weight

Every woman wants a good, reliable, and steady man. Yet wives tend to respond with angst whenever their strong man doesn’t seem to fully “understand” or “relate” to them. Does he even care? The truth is, it’s a mistake to take your husband’s silence as apathy or detachment. A man bears burdens the way he lifts weights: He’s not thinking, “How do I feel?” but “What am I carrying?” A man doesn’t think, feel, or cry like a woman does. And that’s exactly the point — God made men and women differently (Gen. 1:27). There’s great beauty in His design for manhood and womanhood which expresses His glory to the world!

Should You Correct Your Spouse?

Should you ever correct your spouse? The Bible says you should, and it tells you how (Gal. 6:1-3). First, you must not be just frustrated and fed up, but “spiritual.” Second, your goal must not be to humiliate, expose, or “win,” but to “restore.” Third, you must bring correction in a “spirit of gentleness,” not anger. Fourth, you must examine your own heart, “lest you also be tempted.” And, finally, you must “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2) — so whenever the problem persists, you’re called to be patient and longsuffering. Correcting your spouse is sometimes called for, but it must be done carefully, this way (Gal. 6:1-3).

After These Big Election Losses: Why Not Despair?

People in our church had a big disappointment in this last election. We prayed. We showed up at City Council meetings. We spoke. Yet, when the votes were counted, all the godly candidates we supported for office were wiped out. Despite these losses, our response must not be despair, but prayer—not withdrawal, but intercession: “first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority. . .” (1 Tim. 2:1). This must be our default position. Even as we witness our foundations crumble before our eyes, God is not surprised or absent. He’s taught us to pray for our civil magistrates and for laws that honor Him—so let’s keep praying!

Up Close and Personal: Grace on Display in the Local Church

The local church is not some abstract idea with nameless members—it’s a family of real people who are personally connected with one other. That’s what we learn in Romans 16. After all the great doctrine in Paul’s letter, he greets real people with real names and commends the real labor they performed in the Roman church. His words read like a family photo album as he illustrates what grace looks like in a local church body. This is what God intended for church life—that it be alive and fruitful, like a family. Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/696dc90a6dae751850c3cffa