Category Archives: Index

Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Total Commitment

The lessons takes place at Caesarea, in the Plain of Sharon, on the Mediterranean. Herod enjoyed building things that defied nature. At Caesarea, he built into the Mediterranean. He built Roman baths, hot, cold, and lukewarm. His palace had a … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Power to the People

How was it possible for the disciples to suddenly have the willpower needed to change the world. We can find the answer at Pentecost, on the southern stairway at the temple mount. The southern stairs are inside the City of … Continue reading

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Faith Lessons By Ray Vander Laan: Roll Away the Stone

No one knows exactly where Jesus was buried, but if the Garden Tomb is not that place, it’s very much like the genuine tomb. Jesus’ death fulfills a promise God made to Abraham thousands of years earlier, as part of … Continue reading

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The Blue Parakeet: Naive Approaches

McKnight suggests that different people take different approaches to taming parakeets. Retrieval Some churches read the Bible to retrieve everything that was practiced in the First Century. If the early Christians met in homes, we should do the same. If … Continue reading

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Renewing Our Worship: Iconography, Part 3 of 3

Most elders and many preachers are of the analytical, left-brained type. They get all they need from a great lesson and fine song service. But they are not typical of their flock, and they aren’t adequately feeding their flock if … Continue reading

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The Blue Parakeet: How We Read the Bible

Good morning. Well, the Ray Vander Laan series is over for now. And I know you’d rather hear him than me! I would, too. But we’ve decide to take a break and continue the series in the fall. (We were … Continue reading

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The Blue Parakeet: Introduction for Teachers

Not long ago at all, I posted a series of articles on Scot McKnight’s book The Blue Parakeet, dealing with hermeneutics. We’re now starting a series of lessons at my church on the same material, and so I’ll be posting … Continue reading

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Renewing Our Worship: Iconography, Part 2 of 3

After the last post, you’re probably thinking I’m some sort of closet Catholic or Eastern Orthodox or some such thing. But I’m really not. I just think the creative arts need to be redeemed for Jesus. I mean, do we … Continue reading

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Renewing Our Worship: Iconography, Part 1 of 3

Over at Monday Morning Insight, I was reading an article about megachurches. A photographer had toured the country taking pictures of their buildings. He commented, It was physical and wholly alien from what my idea of organized worship had been. … Continue reading

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Renewing Our Worship: Entertainment, Applause & Worship

Recently, we received a complaint that something we were experimenting with at church is wrong because it’s “entertainment.” This is not surprising. Many Church periodicals have taken to condemning various practices on the grounds that the practice is entertainment, as … Continue reading

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