Blog Archives

Sep 06, 2020 08:00am

Here’s How You Know if Your Church is Sick

There are many examples of people who thought they were healthy but when they visited the doctor it was the […]

2573 Views
Aug 28, 2020 08:00am

Through all of This Chaos There is Hope

Be still.Be quiet.Listen. Sometimes, when the world around us seems to spiral and spin off each page of every day, […]

2220 Views
Aug 26, 2020 10:41am

You Don’t Have to Quit Sinning Before You Come to Jesus

Is it possible that you are “saved” and in the family of God, but you are sinning and you don’t […]

3280 Views
Aug 17, 2020 08:00am

Here’s Why You Don’t Ignore the Guy With Tattoos

As usual, my plane was late and I did not think I would be able to make the connection. I […]

2866 Views
Aug 10, 2020 08:00am

Is There a Solution for the Racism That Divides Us?

What is the antidote for racism, prejudice, hate, ethnic nationalism and supremacy? First of all, there is no form of […]

1791 Views
Aug 09, 2020 08:00am

Is Truth Based on Whatever You Feel?

Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38, “What is truth?”  And two thousand years later, we’re still asking . . . In […]

1857 Views
Aug 08, 2020 08:00am

A Parent’s Guide to Biblical Wisdom: Part Eight

(Missionary to Thailand Brandon Lingle has written a parenting book in Thai, and he has graciously agreed to share it […]

1571 Views
Aug 04, 2020 08:00am

Not a Suggestion But a Command: Multiply

When churches become healthy, thriving, and begin to live “sent” they accept the mission God has given them.   They realize […]

1146 Views
Jul 07, 2020 08:00am

Here’s How to Ensure You Don’t Betray Your First Love

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) I feel the truth of […]

1493 Views
Jun 25, 2020 08:00am

7 Ways to Upgrade Your Prayer Package

At the risk of losing you before we get started, I confess that I am old enough to remember the […]

1147 Views
Jun 24, 2020 08:00am

Real Faith is Transformational not Informational

Real faith uses information for the purpose of transformation. D. L. Moody said, “the Bible was not given for merely […]

2788 Views
Jun 06, 2020 08:00am

Real Religion is Faith That Works

Greg Stier, Founder and President of Dare 2 Share Ministries, tells the story of encountering a fan of Marilyn Manson […]

1783 Views
Jun 04, 2020 08:00am

Facing Rejection and Finding Acceptance

For four months I’ve been studying the book of Mark in the Bible because I received a slightly random and […]

1223 Views
May 30, 2020 08:00am

What Boldness is Not

I want to be bold. Do you know what I mean? I want to live a life that makes a […]

2980 Views
May 19, 2020 08:00am

8 Ways to Conquer the Destructive Power of Fear: Part Three

It is true that fear has a destructive power in our life. But it is also true that faith in […]

2402 Views
May 17, 2020 08:00am

The Destructive Power of Fear-Part One

People are afraid.   They are afraid of losing their health, wealth, mind, job, spouse or children.   They are afraid of […]

2135 Views
May 16, 2020 08:00am

7 Definitions of a Friend

When the First World War ended, the King and Queen of Belgium wanted to honor President Hoover for the aid […]

1245 Views
May 13, 2020 08:00am

6 Ways You Can be a Barnabas

Barnabas was, in my opinion, the greatest man in the New Testament other than Jesus.   Why?   Because Barnabas was an […]

2540 Views
May 12, 2020 08:00am

Tilling the Garden of Your Marriage

Springtime means gardens for many people. While my husband and I have tried our hand at vegetable gardens before, it […]

1940 Views
May 11, 2020 08:00am

What is God Doing With This Crisis?

Most of us would admit that we are living in times that are distinct from anything we have ever known. […]

1220 Views
Apr 26, 2020 08:00am

Politics, Religion and Freedom: Lessons From a Veteran

I was born into a military family. Those are my roots, and because of that, I probably don’t see the […]

1435 Views
Apr 22, 2020 08:00am

6 Ways to Share Your Story With Non-Christians

(Read “How to Transition into ‘Gospel Conversations’ with Non-Christians” as it builds on this blog. https://lifeword.org/blog/how-to-have-gospel-conversations-with-non-believers/ As you peel back […]

1489 Views
Apr 19, 2020 08:00am

Easter: The Rest of the Story

Easter may have looked different this year – yes. Virtual services, maybe a small family gathering for lunch depending on […]

1356 Views
Apr 16, 2020 08:00am

Now is the Perfect Time for an Appointment with God

As I sit to write these words, I have just listened to our national leaders warn us that we are […]

1481 Views
Apr 13, 2020 08:00am

It’s Time to Speed the Spread (of the good news)

When was the last time you spread the good news?  What an odd time to think about spreading things!  News […]

1352 Views
Mar 31, 2020 08:00am

How to Have Gospel Conversations With Non-Believers

Sam Chan’s wonderful book Evangelism in a Skeptical World fleshes out a practical pathway to create “gospel conversations.”  Simply put, conversations have three […]

1407 Views
Mar 26, 2020 08:00am

How to Deal With Prideful People

When someone opposes you, do your words kind of soften? Are you tempted to pull punches, or change the subject altogether? […]

7671 Views
Mar 15, 2020 08:00am

Don’t Settle For an Average Life with an Average Purpose

There are only two ways to live life: Your way.  God’s way.  There is no third way. To put it […]

2343 Views
Mar 05, 2020 08:00am

This is How the Cycle of Anger and Abuse Can Stop With You

Growing up, I thought my family was like every other family and then I learned that we weren’t. But wait, […]

1624 Views
Feb 27, 2020 08:00am

Here’s Why You Should Read the Bible

It’s something we’ve heard preached about plenty of times. It’s almost like broccoli: We know it’s good for us, but […]

1451 Views
Feb 22, 2020 08:00am

This is How You Can be the Salt of the Earth

“Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” […]

2028 Views
Feb 20, 2020 08:00am

The High Price Others Pay for Our Missed Opportunities

“Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.” (Colossians 4:5) H. Jackson Brown has been quoted as saying, […]

1188 Views
Jan 28, 2020 08:00am

This is What “Living Sent” Means

The command to “live sent” may or may not be a familiar phrase in today’s church vernacular. Same goes for […]

4172 Views
Jan 27, 2020 08:00am

Lessons From the Ultimate Traitor

Even if you’ve never read the Bible, you know who he is and what he did. Thesaurus.com lists Judas as a synonym […]

2203 Views
Jan 21, 2020 08:00am

Something Missing in Your Life? Don’t Start With Religion.

Perhaps one of the biggest frustrations in life is not knowing where to start. It is a common problem for […]

1580 Views
Jan 16, 2020 08:00am

This is Why a Sheep Loves to Read

In a pivotal passage, Jesus explains, “I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). In this verse he […]

1400 Views
Jan 09, 2020 08:00am

What Does it Mean to be “Born Again”?

We’ve all heard the phrase “born again”. Some mock. Some scratch their temple. Some bend their knees in worship. But, […]

1381 Views
Dec 30, 2019 08:00am

How Do I Know I’m Really a Christian?

I’ve lost count of people who’ve come into my office asking, “How do I know I’m a Christian? Like, really know?” […]

1389 Views
Dec 25, 2019 08:00am

Lesson From The Grinch

One of my favorite subtle movie lines is found in The Grinch (the Jim Carrey edition). In a scene where he’s busy […]

1625 Views
Dec 18, 2019 08:00am

What DID Mary Know?

The Christmas song “Mary, Did You Know?” was written by Mark Lowery and Buddy Greene in 1991.  It quickly became a […]

2281 Views
Dec 12, 2019 08:00am

A Life-Giving Home for the Holidays

During the holiday season, we always hear about going home or other family members coming home. It got me thinking […]

1362 Views
Dec 06, 2019 08:00am

Evangelism Begins With Grace

If you’re like me, the word evangelism is a like a guilt switch in my soul. You say “evangelism” and immediately three […]

2031 Views
Dec 05, 2019 08:00am

Confessions of a Church Addict

My name is John and I am a recovering church addict. Those are words that seem inappropriate. After all, church […]

1597 Views
Nov 26, 2019 08:00am

OUR COMMON ENEMY

It’s a heated environment these days. Politically. Racially. Religiously. Opinions abound.  Listening is lacking.  Fingers are pointed.  It’s an environment […]

2259 Views
Nov 23, 2019 08:00am

Inside Look at a Pastor’s Preaching Prep

Every week I have the incredible opportunity of standing before a group of people to proclaim the truths of God’s […]

1257 Views
Nov 20, 2019 08:00am

Considering Celebrity Conversions

In recent news, a fair number of celebrity conversions have been taking place in the public eye. Justin Bieber has […]

1151 Views
Nov 06, 2019 08:00am

Rescue From Rebellion

A salvation story doesn’t have to be R-rated to be powerful. We may not all be saved from a life […]

1694 Views
Nov 03, 2019 08:00am

Grateful: Not Just a Word on a Sign at Hobby Lobby

Hard to believe it’s already November, and it doesn’t seem possible, but it’s the month that officially begins the holiday […]

1222 Views
Oct 01, 2019 08:00am

Wine at the Wedding and A Future Miracle

John 2:1-10 chronologically records the first miracle recorded in the Bible that Jesus performed: Turning water into wine at a […]

1828 Views
Sep 28, 2019 08:00am

“You Heard Her”: The Power of a Praying Mom

I recently wrote that Augustine, though raised by his Christian mother to love Jesus, was not a Christian for a […]

3077 Views