We are all familiar with that famous passage of Scripture in Hosea which states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos. 4:6). Most people usually generalize this verse and try to apply it to any situation where people suffer hardship due to their ignorance. But, this verse is not addressing financial ruin for lack of financial knowledge. Or …
The Disappearing of godliness
This past October, we, evangelical Christians, celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. It provided an occasion for us to remember, and appreciate our reformed heritage. It gave us an opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate some of our reformed theological principles. For myself, it was good to be reminded of that core, reformed distinctive which first caught …
When bad news is necessary
This year, I started a new preaching series through the book of Genesis. The series started off on a positive note as I expounded chapters 1 and 2, preaching about the creation and about man and about the Garden of Eden. But, then came chapter 3. Things got a little gloomy as I had to preach about the fall. Then …
Biblical Discipleship
In recent years there has been much talk around evangelical church circles about discipleship. So much so, until doing discipleship seems to be the latest evangelical craze. Amid all the talk on discipleship, one of the things I’ve noticed is just how little is said concerning the end result of our discipling, what exactly are we trying to produce in …
What makes a good sermon?
Its no secret, that when it comes to what kind of sermons are popular in churches today, those that are heavy on theological content are at the bottom of the list. Sermons which go deep in expounding a biblical text, or in explaining a doctrinal concept, are criticized as being boring and irrelevant. Part of the reason for this is …
It’s not about us
In this difficult task of church planting, one of the things which drives and motivates me the most is my desire to see a return to biblical Christianity. By biblical Christianity, I mean, an expression of the Christian faith that is shaped by the Bible and not by the culture. Sadly, today in America, the church has been almost completely …
A call to action
In his classic book The Cost of Discipleship, German Pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes the very sobering statement, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” To many, these sound like extremely fanatical words. Anyone speaking like that today, especially in our Western culture, would be considered mentally unstable. However, we should note, Bonhoeffer was not …
Gospel-centered at the core
Every institution, organization or society has it’s own identity, it’s own set of core values which defines it. Churches are no different. Every church has certain beliefs and core principles which shape it’s character and ministry. A core belief or value is a part of the foundation an entity stands upon. It guides all behavior and action. It is central …
A Dream Coming True
Today I am overflowing with joy and excitement over what God is doing with 5point7 ministry. The Lord has recently blessed us to purchase a church building within the 48224. This church was once home to Jamison Temple Missionary Baptist Church. It seats roughly around 200 people, has a nice size fellowship area, and space for children’s ministry and class …
Pray for Detroit
“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7 ESV As Christians, we believe that our existence in this world is temporary, and that our true and permanent home is in God’s coming, heavenly kingdom. However, …
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