When I was in Sunday school as a kid, one of my clearest memories was the fill-in-the-blank type of questions we would be asked. The teacher would say, "and WHO should you turn to when you need to face a tough decision?" The answer was always 'Jesus', even if my first thought was something else. …
Hot Topic: Abortion
Over the next four weeks at The Ave, we are looking at four hot topics in our culture today. Too often Christians avoid discussing these issues for fear of offending someone or coming off too strong, or even for causing division within their own community. In this series we want to understand the boundaries of …
Jesus the New Israel
From Egypt, Yahweh led His people into the wilderness. He led them with the promise of a new land for them to occupy as their own with His blessing. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He re-entered the story of Israel. He faced the temptations of Israel: 'provide for us, oh God, …
Home Churches: New or Just the Same Old Thing?
A recent Time article about house churches sent my mind spinning off on a tangent. I have a fondness for the concept of house churches. But I began to wonder about something. The critique of the home church about megachurches is often that they are too big, not biblical enough, and reflective of America's self-centered, …
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Rediscovering Jesus
For those who have been following along in the recent series at The Ave, "Come to Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Is and Was," here are some companion resources for your information. It is a given that the best place to encounter Jesus is through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Holy …
Matthew Erickson 