Person of the Year | Behold Him
This week Time magazine announces its anticipated “Person of the Year” for 2020 (my vote goes to those in education and to essential workers – the nurses, doctors, delivery people, and grocery-store employees). What if this award was announced around 2000 years ago? People like Caesar Augustus and Herod the Great would likely make the list of nominees. One not likely to make the list is Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph. Scripture doesn’t say much about him, but he is like the unsung hero of the Christmas story. He was on the verge of sending Mary away when she became pregnant, but instead, he chose to stay with her. Like me, you might be wondering, “How does Joseph go from ‘I’m out’ to ‘I’m in’?"
The Good And The Bad | EXILED
As Thanksgiving approaches I’m reminded of how grateful I am for my parents, Prof Steeger, Mrs. Watson, Gary C., Poppy and Grammy, Michael B., and especially, my wife. If it weren’t for these and others I’m not sure where or what I would be doing today. Throughout the different stages of my life – the good and the bad – these individuals have been on my side. In a similar way, God has been on our side, but imagine if He hadn’t been on our side. Where would we be today? Make plans to join us Sunday as we conclude our series to discover the encouragement found in the truth that through the good and the bad, God is On. Our. Side
Going Below The Line | EXILED
Our TBC staff occasionally does a team building exercise called “going below the line.” This activity gives our team permission to share with one another how they genuinely feel about themselves and other areas in their life, like their faith, their finances, their health, and their ministry. This is always a healthy activity. There’s something about being honest and not pretending that helps foster unity with others. This Sunday, you and I have an opportunity to "go below the line.” We have an opportunity to study a Scripture that’s referred to as an exile Psalm and learn how to express to God how we really feel in times when He seems to have left us alone.
The Stakes Are High | EXILED
Tuesday evening millions will be glued to their television or device to see who will serve as our next president. Many have expressed the significance of this election including Franklin Graham who described it “as the most critical election of our lifetime.” The stakes are high, and so many will be watching. However, there is another kind of watching we as Christians must not neglect. We see it in the life of Ezekiel as he seeks to warn God’s people about their spiritual condition.
Consider The Context | EXILED
It’s one of the most popular and most searched Bible verses on the Internet, and yet most misused. Do you know what verse? It’s Jeremiah 29:11, and it’s found in the passage of Scripture that we will study this Sunday as we continue our series. I hope you make plans to join us online or in person as we look at Jeremiah 29:11 in its context to discover what it meant for the original hearers and how it applies to us today.
Living As Exiles | EXILED
The year is 586 BC. God’s city (Jerusalem) is captured, God’s house (the temple) is destroyed, and God’s people (the Jews) are exiled. How did this happen? Why did it happen? And why does something that happened in 586 BC matter to us in 2020? It matters because when we look back, we discover warnings to heed, promises to remember, hope to cling to, and actions to follow that will help us live as “exiles” in today’s culture.
Hope | Heart of a Healthy Church
Have you ever been around people who live from their future? They aren’t clinging to their glory days as a high school athlete, or to the good ole days when life seemed simpler and safer, or to a carpe diem "seize the day" approach to life. People who live with their future in mind don’t live from their past or from their present; they instead focus on a hope that awaits them in heaven.
Your Mind is a Garden
The information, ideas, and thoughts planted in our minds influence our lives. As believers, we want to cultivate good information, ideas, and thoughts, so that our lives may be lived generously.
Racism | Hot Summer Topics 2020
Racism, it’s been called our country’s “original sin,” and the tragic death of George Floyd has again elevated tensions regarding race and racism. The non-stop discussions and debates on social media, and in arenas like politics, sports, and education, make this one of our society’s hot topics. It’s a problem the church shouldn’t avoid or overlook, so let’s equip ourselves to engage in the conversation.
God Won’t Abandon What He Starts | His Word, My Story 2020
Many of you have a favorite sport, restaurant, or book. Do you also have a favorite Scripture? Although all Scripture is important, sometimes there is one that becomes especially important. Maybe through a life changing event or challenging circumstance, that Scripture gripped you like a baseball player grips a bat. Over the next few weeks, several TBC pastors will share a Scripture that is significant to them. Our hope through this sermon series "His Word, My Story" is that we, like David, see God’s word as a treasure and bury it in our hearts.
