Deeper Roots

A RESPONSE TO “WHEN PEOPLE ARE BIG AND GOD IS SMALL” BY ED WELCH

This book starts off with a story that I completely identified with.  Too often I would sit at awards ceremonies wishing that they would not call my name because I was afraid of what everyone would think of me.  Would they think I was a know-it-all?  Would they think I had cheated?  What would they think?  I didn’t want to win anything.  But as soon as the ceremony was over and they had not called my name, I immediately was upset that I didn’t win anything!  I would wonder all over again what people thought of me.  Would they think I am dumb?  Would they think I am lazy?  I was constantly controlled by the opinion of other people.  I really liked that Ed Welch began with a story that made it very clear that we are controlled by what is important to us, and for most of us, people are most important. (more…)

A RESPONSE TO “LIVING PURELY IN AN IMPURE WORLD” BY JIM BINNEY

Binney starts off the book talking about the basics of sin in our lives.  He says almost right away that there are only three causes for problems in the human experience: sin, sickness, and Satan, or a combination of these (p. 10).  This caught me off guard.  Right away I noticed that something was left out.  What about the problems that happen in our life apart from those three things?  What happens if something inconvenient and unexpected happens in our life and its cause cannot be relegated to either sickness or sin?  Do we automatically assume that Satan is the instigator of our problems?  I think we should reconsider this. (more…)

A RESPONSE TO “DEPRESSION: A STUBBORN DARKNESS” BY ED WELCH

The first three chapters of this book were extremely eye-opening for me.  I have never known someone who was depressed and so have never interacted with the way that they feel and think.  Depression, to me, seemed as simple as the sin of not trusting God.  I thought that everyone who was depressed was going through the same thing.  Welch sheds much light on the subject and explains that this is just not the case. He says that there is both a severe and a less severe form of depression.  (more…)

I thought, as many probably do, that my spiritual life would improve after I got married. I assumed that I would be more responsible, that I would know what needed to be changed and I would change it. Life, however, does not work that way. (more…)

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

As we take a step back to look now at our need for God’s Word, Psalm 1 stands out as one of the clearest passages in scripture on the role of the Word in our life. (more…)

God has given us as His children a great responsibility to make disciples of all nations. This responsibility, though it includes evangelization, includes growth as the corporate body of Christ as well as growth on a personal level for (more…)