As a church, your priority is to reach people, but you also want to be financially prudent.
So you may be wondering, “Does our church need an app, and is a church app worth the money?”
In this article, I compare the two in hopes to help you arrive at a decision you can feel confident about. (more…)
R.C. Sproul1 was ready to escape his dry campus for an evening at the bar when he realized he was out of cigarettes. Recalling the vending machine in the dorm, he returned to pick up a 25¢ pack of Lucky Strikes. We don’t often hear of smoking as a catalyst for good things, but that night Sproul’s nicotine craving led to a conversation about God.
[Read more…]
Each year, Christianity Today honors outstanding books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture.
The Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels, edited by Barry Beitzel, recently received this prestigious award for the category of Biblical Studies. The commentary delivers fresh insight by paying attention to an often overlooked component of the Gospel stories—their geographical setting.
Most houses (be they of a commoner or a king) had a guest–room or lodging place (katalyma) where a traveler could pause to eat or sleep for a period of time.
This excerpt explores—and challenges—the traditional understanding of the location of Jesus’ birth. [Read more…]
Everybody has heard of the 12 Days of Christmas. In fact, we’ve all probably sung about them.
But what are the 12 Days of Christmas, and who actually celebrates them?
[Read more…]
It’s easy to imagine what Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, or the Magi were thinking and feeling when they encountered the baby Jesus for the first time. I can imagine the mix of excitement, nerves, and expectation as they wondered when God would reveal the details of his plan and what kind of man this child would grow to be.
But have you ever thought what the angels of Luke 2 were thinking and feeling? I hadn’t until I read Rev. C.H. Spurgeon’s sermon on Luke 2:14 titled “The First Christmas Carol.” [Read more…]
Christmas is just a few weeks away, and that means it’s the season for carols and Christmas hymns.
Here are 20 ideas for Christmas songs and hymns. We compiled this list by identifying the most-used songs in Proclaim last December, plus a few more that thematically fit well (covering themes of the Incarnation, hope, and salvation).
Here are the top five from the full list. [Read more…]
Here are this week’s top deals, brought to you by Faithlife Ebooks. For more deals, visit our sale page or get our Free Book of the Month. Some of these deals are only good for a few days, so act fast to get these books at the sale price! [Read more…]
Beware of missing the forest for the trees in Titus 21
While Paul certainly has particular instructions for older men, older women, young men, young women, slaves, and masters, the overall thrust of the chapter is equally important.
Let’s take a closer look at Paul’s instructions to walk away with a balanced understanding of the chapter—and in the process, learn a few simple steps we can apply to our Bible study, whatever the passage.
[Read more…]
The story of the birth of Jesus can never be improved on—it is unfathomably magnificent.
So how can we fight the familiarity and see it with fresh eyes each year?
Here are a few ideas. [Read more…]
Every year is a year of discovering great books—some old, some new, some best sellers, some obscure.
Here are our top picks from 2018. Some we chose because they are customer favorites, others because they won awards in 2018, and others just because we like them.
Which of these is your favorite? Find other top books from 2018 on Faithlife Ebooks. [Read more…]