perception – The Grove Church

The Air I Breathe

God's universal presence surrounds us as the air surrounds the soaring eagle or the Pacific engulfs the dolphin as it dives, "for in him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28). Whitney Experiencing the presence of God is something that we ought to grow more familiar with each day as mature in [...]

By Matt Warren|2016-10-21T15:11:41-05:00March 18th, 2013|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: nearness, perception, Presence|0 Comments

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How Does God the Father Relate to Jesus Christ in 1 Peter?

Divine fatherhood is the controlling concept of God in 1 Peter. [...]

We Can’t Build Political Solidarity from Cultural Rubble

‘Democracy and Solidarity’ offers a trenchant examination of our cultural rupture that’s alarming, informative, and interesting. It’s a book we’ll be arguing about for years to come. [...]

Themelios 49.1

The new April 2024 issue of ‘Themelios’ has 262 pages of editorials, articles, and book reviews. [...]

Goodwill’s CEO on Christian Leadership and the Fight for Opportunity

Collin Hansen asks Steve Preston how Christianity influences his leadership from investment banking to the Bush Cabinet and now to Goodwill Industries, where he serves as president and CEO. [...]

Should I Give to Missionaries Directly or Through the Church?

Christians should consider the value of giving to missionaries through the local church. [...]

Give Them Time: How to Protect the Assuring Nature of a Child’s Baptism

How do we know if we’re looking at a good kid or a regenerate kid? The one thing we know for sure is that time will tell. The post Give Them Time: How to Protect the Assuring Nature of a Child’s Baptism appeared first on 9Marks. [...]

Four Ways God Used a Church Fire for Good

On November 1, 2022, our church building burned down. Not one part was salvageable. The fire swept through the attic at astonishing speed. Not a single notepad or paper clip … keep reading… The post Four Ways God Used a Church Fire for Good appeared first on 9Marks. [...]

Visible Grace in Disagreements

Does the tone of your disagreements sound more like the intercessions of Jesus or the accusations of Satan? The post Visible Grace in Disagreements appeared first on 9Marks. [...]

Four Benefits of Inviting Evaluation of Your Preaching

In “swapping sermons” with fellow pastors, I have discovered four benefits. The post Four Benefits of Inviting Evaluation of Your Preaching appeared first on 9Marks. [...]

Does Your Church Have an Evangelist?

When churches invest time, prayer, resources, and finances into reaching the lost, God loves to bless those efforts with fruit. The post Does Your Church Have an Evangelist? appeared first on 9Marks. [...]

Making the Ordinances Meaningful: Spurgeon on Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

As Spurgeon pastored the largest evangelical congregation in the 19th century, he understood the importance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper for their identity as a church. Rather than downplaying or individualizing them, he elevated their importance and incorporated them into their life as a church. What might Spurgeon have to say to church leaders today about making the ordinances more meaningful in the life of the church? [...]

Susannah Spurgeon: A Faithful Wife

Susannah Spurgeon experienced both tremendous joys and agonizing suffering throughout her life, but the legacy she left behind testifies to her ultimate hope in the Lord and her undying faithfulness to her husband. She lived a life of service and devotion to God and her husband, and was ever his constant encourager and source of both incredible joy and comfort. Thought she was often incredibly ill and spent many years as an invalid, she remained steadfast in trusting the Lord and His sovereign plan in all things and sought to serve both in her own home and church body. Mrs. [...]

Keep Up the Prayer Meeting Pt. 1

The congregational prayer meeting was a key component of Spurgeon’s ministry. He believed that prayer meetings were “at the very secret source of power with God and with men.” Apart from earnest, consistent prayer, a congregation should have little hope that God would use and bless their ministry. Spurgeon always gave thought and planning to the prayer meetings at the Tabernacle. He once said to his students, “Do not go walking into the prayer-meeting, as so many do, to say anything or nothing that may occur to you at the moment; but do your best to make the meeting interesting [...]

Building a Culture of Evangelism

How did Spurgeon mobilize his church for evangelism? How can we build a culture of evangelism in our churches? In one of his lectures to his pastoral students, entitled “How to Induce our People to Win Souls,” Spurgeon gives three basic principles for building a culture of evangelism: Patience, Pastoring, and Prayer. [...]

Principles from Spurgeon’s Sermon Prep Process

Spurgeon did not intend this description of his sermon prep process to be prescriptive for his students. Indeed, he recognized that his process was influenced by his unique circumstances and abilities. While he was glad to share his approach, each preacher must figure out what works best for him. Still, from Spurgeon’s description, we can learn at least a few wise principles. [...]

Mortification of Spin Releases Its 500th Episode

Back in 2013, Carl Trueman and Todd Pruitt launched Mortification of Spin, sharing a microphone in a small underground bunker, shooting the breeze as the British like to say. Their first episode, "Rock Star Pastors in Las Vegas," aired February 8, 2013, and received 502 plays. Some of their early guests included Steve Nichols, Derek Thomas, and author Simonetta Carr, the force behind another Alliance podcast Kids Talk Church History. All these years later, Carl and Todd no longer share a mic, but they're still going strong, celebrating their 500th first-run episode and over 2.8 million plays! Joining them for [...]

Listen to the podcasts on the Alliance YouTube Channel

Did you know the Alliance Podcast Network is now available on YouTube? You can listen to any of the Alliance podcasts on any device, including your Smart TV, media player, game console, phone, tablet, or computer. Additionally, you will find Alliance events, interviews, updates, and more on the channel. To subscribe, please visit youtube.com/@Alliance-Video and be sure to turn on notifications. On April 10 we will sharing a special video episode of Mortification of Spin—you won’t want to miss it! Continue reading The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is member supported and operates only by your faithful support. Thank you. [...]

The Holy Spirit with Robert Letham

Join us for the first Gap Bible Seminar of the spring semester, April 12-13, in Gap, PA. Robert Letham will teach four sessions on the Holy Spirit and His work in the Bible and today. Robert is a Presbyterian minister with twenty-five years of pastoral experience. He was formerly a professor of Systematic and Historical Theology and now serves as a senior research fellow at the Union School of Theology in the UK. He is also an associate professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a fellow in History and Theology at Greystone Theological Institute. He has written many books, [...]

Do you enjoy listening to sermons by solid, Reformed preachers?

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals has a rich treasury of sermons from throughout our 75-year history. We want these messages to have maximum impact on the Church. One of our key goals is to construct a reliable and searchable database that is easily accessible to our supporters and listeners. To that end, we are looking for volunteers to help us accomplish this project. Alliance Allies will listen to sermons, complete a simple review form, and return the form digitally or in a postage-paid envelope. That’s all there is to it! You get to listen to excellent messages from James Boice, [...]

Walking in the Old Paths

Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it." The messages from the 1993 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology look at the “old paths” – what they must mean to us now and with a concern for our present responsibilities. Re-released with eight newly discovered messages from the pre-conference and conference workshops—this special 30th-anniversary set will surely bless your time as you listen. The PCRT 1993 Anthology includes 15 messages from John Armstrong, James Boice, John Gerstner, Phillip Jensen, Roger Nicole, and J.I. Packer—see the [...]

Door of Hope (Hosea Study #7)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 2:15-23 Last time, we stepped into the wilderness to discover that in the Bible, the wilderness is often a harsh and dangerous place God uses to test and refine his people. It is also a place where he provides sanctuary and allows his people to encounter him in powerful ways. Today, were going to go back in time a bit to when Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. Remember the scene? [...]

I Will Allure Her and Bring Her Into the Wilderness (Hosea Study #6)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 2:14Long before God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, he had another son, Ishmael. God had promised Abram and Sarai a son, and when he didn’t move fast enough for them, they took matters into their own hands. Sarai gave her handmaid Hagar to Abram as a wife and things didn’t turn out so well. Sarai became jealous of Hagar and dealt harshly with her. So, Hagar escaped into the wi [...]

Hedge My Way With Thorns (Hosea Study #5)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 2:1-13In America, committed Christians are now a “worldview minority” in an increasingly anti-Christian culture. Israel was not just a worldview minority in their surrounding culture but was a tiny speck on the map of a rapidly expanding and violent Assyrian Empire. They were also surrounded by the polytheism and Baalism of the Canaanite culture. But they were called to worship and depend on Y [...]

No, Martin Luther Was Not a Deconstructionist

This article is in response to this piece from The Gospel Coalition. As a past TGC contributor, as an act of good faith, I did express my concerns directly to TGC before posting my article here. **Update** The Gospel Coalition was gracious to publish a condensed version of my article on their site. No, Martin Luther Was Not a Deconstructionist. And neither was Jesus. Many years ago, my Christian beliefs were challenged intellectually by a progressive Christian pastor. It t [...]

Mercy Me... (Hosea Study #4)

(To read these posts in order from the beginning, start here.)Read Hosea 1:8-11More than a thousand years before Hosea, there lived a nomadic farmer who was out in the middle of nowhere minding his own business when God started speaking to him. And what God said wasn’t easy. God put Abraham through a grueling test of faith by asking him to slaughter his only son on an altar of wood. This was set to take place at a location that would eventually become the site of the first Israelite te [...]

You Are Built Up In Christ

Paul’s letter to the Colossians, along with Paul’s letters to the Ephesians and Philemon, was apparently written during Paul’s first imprisonment. If this is the case, the most likely date is around 60-62 A.D. Moreover, Paul’s letter to the Colossians covers much of the same material and uses many of the same themes as his letter to the Ephesians. [...]

Relationship To Jesus Christ & His Body

Paul's letter to the Colossians, along with Paul's letters to the Ephesians and Philemon, was apparently written during Paul's first imprisonment. If this is the case, the most likely date is around 60-62 A.D. Moreover, Paul's letter to the Colossians covers much of the same material and uses many of the same themes as his letter to the Ephesians. [...]

Christian or American

On a wintry day in 1618 Rene Descartes rejected tradition, the church, and the Bible as the source for authority. In his famous conclusion “I think, therefore I am,” he revolutionized the quest for authority. Following Descartes declaration, a new day was sprung. It was called “the enlightenment.”Deeply influenced by enlightenment thought, John Lock provided the world as well as the American colon [...]

Divisions In The Church

Divisions in the church are nothing new; they are as old as the church itself. Unfortunately, we “protestants” are the worst! [...]

New Credo Podcast! Whatever Happened to Contemplation? Zena Hitz

What is the meaning of intellectual life? In modern education, educators and students alike are often disillusioned by the attitude prevalent in educational institutions that emphasizes usefulness and practicality rather than contemplating the meaning and purpose of life. Zena Hitz shares her own disillusionment and frustrations as an educator, and how she found the true… [...]

Whatever happened to Contemplation? Zena Hitz and Matthew Barrett

Divine Simplicity and Trinitarian Action

One crucial aspect of storytelling is the concept of a “through line.” A through line connects themes and story structure throughout the story. In The Lord of The Rings, Frodo’s journey to destroy the Ring of Power in the fires of Mt. Doom serves to connect the many themes and subplots throughout the trilogy. Even… [...]

Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction

Life in the present world waiting on the world to come raises questions for God’s people about how to relate to our God well. The covenant of grace’s substance in redemptive history’s every era is that God will be God to us in Christ, but we still need a way to experience those heavenly blessings… [...]

On Barth’s Romans Commentary with Mark Gignilliat

Why was Karl Barth’s commentary on Romans so disruptive? This seminal work is still marked by its profound impact on the German liberal theological tradition. His commentary emerged in the shadow of the Great War, but more fully reflected a crisis in his own pastoral ministry where traditional theological frameworks seemed inadequate. Dr. Mark S.… Download Audio [...]

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UNION TRUSTEES MARK OLIVER’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

By Tim EllsworthUnion University news officeJACKSON — Union University trustees during their April 5 meeting celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Union president Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver, granted tenure and promotions to several professors, approved a $94.8 million budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year and voted to discontinue a few low-enrollment programs. At an April 4 […] The post UNION TRUSTEES MARK OLIVER’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

APRIL 28: DREAMER

By Rich LloydPastor, First Baptist Church, NewportFocal Passage: Genesis 37:5-8; 18-28 Giving gifts for the most part is just such fun and important. So important, that gift giving is actually one of the Love Languages. During our early years of marriage, I loved to buy my wife clothes. I knew her sizes. I would walk […] The post APRIL 28: DREAMER appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

PRESSNELL RETIRES AS HARVEST FIELD 6 TEAM LEADER

By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist & ReflectorTAZEWELL — Tazewell and Claiborne County native Randy Pressnell will retire as Harvest Field 6 team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board on May 2. Pressnell has served in the harvest field role for the past four years. When he joined the TBMB staff he also served as bivocational […] The post PRESSNELL RETIRES AS HARVEST FIELD 6 TEAM LEADER appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

APRIL 28: GROWING IN CHRIST

By Darrell NimmoRetired Tennessee pastorFocal Passage: Colossians 1:9-14; 21-29 There are a lot of discussion these days on how to go about fulfilling the Great Commission. If we break it down, we find it has two parts. One, we are to make disciples. In other words, we are to help others find salvation through Jesus […] The post APRIL 28: GROWING IN CHRIST appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

FBC FOCUSING ON INTENTIONAL CHURCH PLANTING

By Lonnie WilkeyEditor, Baptist & ReflectorSHELBYVILLE — Beginning this year, First Baptist Church, Shelbyville, is launching an effort to start five ethnic churches in Bedford County over the next 15 years. For a number of years, First Baptist has owned a building adjacent to the church that they rented to a Hispanic grocery store, said […] The post FBC FOCUSING ON INTENTIONAL CHURCH PLANTING appeared first on Baptist & Reflector. [...]

Hold Your Clapbacks

C.S. Lewis recommended discernment over diatribes in exactly the moments we’re most eager to indulge in critique. I’d just finished reading one of C. S. Lewis’s lesser-known books, Studies in Words, when I happened upon a recent New York Times report on evangelical support for Donald Trump. The former president’s summer of legal woes is off to an early start, and many have asked whether the present trial (or another) will lose him support ahead of Election Day. The answer—among his base, anyway—is undoubtedly no. If anything, the opposite is true: In some circles, his adversities are hailed as a [...]

Eco-anxiety Is Crippling Gen Z. How Can We Move Forward?

Christians can disciple each other toward action, prayer, and hope. I’m 26 and mostly full of enthusiasm for the future. But when I think about the heat waves, floods, and humanitarian crises that I’ll likely experience in my lifetime, I feel a sense of dread. And even more so when I think about the future of my children and my children’s children. I wonder if they’ll get to experience all the beauty of God’s creation that I so cherished while growing up. As a young farmer, I feel my chest tighten as I watch weather patterns and the seasons become [...]

Let the Seas Rise and Feed the Poor

Helping marine biodiversity flourish is a means of participating in God’s work, says an Indonesian theologian. Indonesia is the largest archipelagic nation in the world. It’s made up of an astounding 17,000 islands, with 70 percent of the population living in coastal areas. Many view the country as a divers’ haven because it is home to vibrant coral reefs teeming with colorful fish, and it’s also where the largest mangrove ecosystems on the planet exist. But my country is facing a severe marine ecological crisis today because of destructive fishing, pollution, climate change, and greenhouse gas emissions. Our ecosystem of [...]

Panic Won’t Protect the Planet Well

I grew up as a climate change denier. Now I understand we must care for God’s creation and people alike. I grew up believing that Earth Day was a liberal holiday. Climate change was a lie, a ploy by leftist political activists to dismantle US economic superiority by undermining domestic energy production and crippling our industries. Humans had a God-given right to have “dominion” (Gen. 1:26) over the earth, I was taught. The natural world was ours to “steward” (Gen. 2:15), which to us meant it could be used as desired to improve the lives of industrious, hard-working families like [...]

Died: Mandisa, ‘Overcomer’ Singer and American Idol Star

The Grammy-winning artist was found dead at her home in Nashville at age 47. Grammy Award-winning contemporary Christian singer Mandisa Lynn Hundley, a former Lifeway Christian Resources employee and top-10 American Idol finisher, was found dead Thursday at her Nashville home, her publicist announced on social media. No cause of death was given. “We can confirm that yesterday Mandisa was found in her home deceased. At this time we do not know the cause of death or any further details,” according to an official notice posted April 19 on the official X account of the performer known simply as Mandisa. [...]

Ep 820 | Did Satan Tell ‘Elliot’ Page to Transition? | Guest: Lauren Chen

Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube Watch or Listen on BlazeTV Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey: Today we’re joined by Lauren Chen, host of BlazeTV’s “Pseudo Intellectual,” to talk movies, pop culture, and news. First, we talk about movies and TV and how the approach to censoring humor has changed since the shows like “The Office” […] The post Ep 820 | Did Satan Tell ‘Elliot’ Page to Transition? | Guest: Lauren Chen appeared first on alliebethstuckey.com. [...]

Ep 819 | Jen Hatmaker Commemorates Her Divorce from Evangelicalism

Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube Watch or Listen on BlazeTV Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey: Today we start with a deep dive into Rolling Stone reporter Ej Dickson, who is in the process of writing a smear piece on conservative hosts who speak out against transgender ideology and the grooming of children. Turns […] The post Ep 819 | Jen Hatmaker Commemorates Her Divorce from Evangelicalism appeared first on alliebethstuckey.com. [...]

Ep 818 | How LGBTQ Became Our State Religion | Guest: Auron MacIntyre

Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube Watch or Listen on BlazeTV Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey: Today we’re joined by Auron MacIntyre, BlazeTV host of “The Auron MacIntyre Show,” to discuss why the Right isn’t winning and the “Total State” takeover of the religion of LGBTQ. We discuss the rainbow brigade’s insistence on exposing […] The post Ep 818 | How LGBTQ Became Our State Religion | Guest: Auron MacIntyre appeared first on alliebethstuckey.com. [...]

Ep 817 | Parenting Influencers Go All-In on Pride Propaganda

Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube Watch or Listen on BlazeTV Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey: Today we’re discussing several parenting influencers who have jumped into giving advice on how to teach kids about Pride Month. We respond to some of the things they’ve said regarding Pride and give you some encouragement and advice […] The post Ep 817 | Parenting Influencers Go All-In on Pride Propaganda appeared first on alliebethstuckey.com. [...]

Ep 816 | Reliving the Trauma of Sharing a Locker Room with ‘Lia’ Thomas | Guest: Riley Gaines

Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube Watch or Listen on BlazeTV Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey: Today, we’re joined by Riley Gaines to talk about her decision to speak out against men competing in women’s sports. Her story started when she tied with Lia (Will) Thomas in the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championships and saw […] The post Ep 816 | Reliving the Trauma of Sharing a Locker Room with ‘Lia’ Thomas | Guest: Riley Gaines appeared first on alliebethstuckey.com. [...]

Ten Things You (Probably) Don’t Know About C. S. Lewis

Unusual facts and common misunderstandings that take your knowledge beyond Narnia. [...]

John Calvin: Justice Is a Form of Worship

According to the Reformer, pursuing the good of others is a way to love God. [...]

An Unsung Inspiration for the Protestant Reformation: the Ethiopian Church

For the Reformers, renewing the church was a Pentecost moment tied to the global body of Christ. [...]

Juneteenth Was an Answer to Centuries of Prayer

African Americans asked the Lord for liberation for years. They still do. [...]

The Synod of Dort Was Protestantism’s Biggest Debate

Why Arminians and Reformers squared off 400 years ago. [...]