faith

It's Probably Time to Leave Your Church... Because It Might Not Be a Church

It's Probably Time to Leave Your Church... Because It Might Not Be a Church

Discern if your church is biblical (see above criteria). If you are in a faithful church, praise God! Labor faithfully. Make disciples. Support your pastor. He is undoubtedly struggling right now. Increase your time with the saints. Host dinner in your home. Fellowship. Be the Church.

However, if your church is not functioning as a biblically, confront your pastor with Scripture. If he repents, you have gained a faithful shepherd. If he doesn’t, leave and find a faithful church. Your spirit and the souls of your family can’t afford for you to wait. The Kingdom of God needs faithful saints doing the gospel work, not distracted fighting futile battles with wolf shepherds. Your children need to sit under faithful teaching (Romans 10:17). Your wife needs to see you lead as the spiritual head of your home. You need to be under a faithful pastor. Kick the dust off of your feet and leave now. You are needed elsewhere.

7 Books to Help You Decide on Jesus

Books about jesus

Following Jesus is a journey.  Before you Trust Jesus, you may have questions about Him. Here are seven books to help you on your journey:

The Gospel of John.  The bible has four comprehensive accounts of Jesus' life.  Known as "the Gospels," (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) they each address Christ's life with a different focus.  John's Gospel was written for a global audience and spread quickly throughout the known world in the First Century.  Lot's of people start here, though all of the gospels are helpful.  

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.  This book was written by an atheist journalist who set out to disprove Christianity, but ended up believing in Jesus.  The book provides a compelling argument for faith in Christ.  While the book is very logical, it is also easy to read.  You don't have to be a professor to follow this one, but your mind will be stretched nonetheless. 

By This Name by John R. Cross.  There are a lot of different religions and a lot of different views of God.  Cross looks into various religions, addressing why Jesus is unique, and providing an argument as to why Jesus is the Truth.  Whether you are an agnostic, pluralist, or just have questions, this book will be helpful.  

Stranger on the Road the Emmaus by John R. Cross.  This book is written for people who have had some experience with Christianity but have questions about what it all means.  Cross uses the Gospel of John as a template to explain historical backgrounds and help you understand who Jesus really is.  This is a good book to read in conjunction with the Gospel of John.  

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.  Written by one of the greatest thinkers in Christian History, this book is both beautiful and insightful.  Lewis approaches the Christian faith from a philosophical viewpoint, giving a rational argument for every major aspect of the Christian faith.  His argument for God's existence based on human morality is quite compelling.  

The Historical Jesus by Gary Habermas.  This book is written for scholars.  It addresses the historical evidence for Jesus Christ, and establishes the New Testament's account of Jesus as the most reliable documentation of any First Century person. This book as well as other books by Habermas is valuable for the thinker who wants to dig deeper into the evidence for Jesus.  

Questions of Life by Nicky Gumble.  This book is essentially the Alpha Course in written form.  Gumble's approach is both conversational and rational.  Each section answers a question, making this one of the simplest and possibly the best books on the subject.  Of course, I recommend signing up for the Alpha Course, so that you get the full experience.  The course is offered all over the world. 

Ultimately, my hope is that you Trust Jesus.  That only happens as He reveals Himself to you.  However, books and evidence can help along the way.  Are there other books that have been helpful to your process?  

7 Ways to Experience Jesus Before You Believe in Him

7 Ways to Experience Jesus Before You Believe in Him

A lot of people have very little interest in spiritual things.  They may have some passive view of religion, but it doesn't influence their daily life.  It's more like a "good luck" charm to them.  Others see religion as a foolish or even dangerous thing.  Then, something happens.  They suddenly have an inexplicable desire to learn more about Jesus, not just spirituality.  They are drawn to Jesus.  Another time, I can explain what this is about.  The short answer is that God is drawing. 

Maybe this is happening to you.  You might be an atheist or an agnostic, but you find yourself drawn to church or to people people who love Jesus.  I've had conversations with people at church who said things like, "I hate all of this, but I keep coming back.  I don't know why."  More often, I meet people who were feeling drawn to be around God's people.  They couldn't explain it, but they felt at home. They asked questions and sensed God leading them in a journey to Truth.  

Here are some things that I recommend doing while you are on that journey: