Jesus has some hard, countercultural-feeling encouragements for people, like "give to anyone who asks" or "give up your status". Should we follow Jesus out of duty or courage? Or, as Jesus himself instructs, should we follow him because he has our good health in mind? Isn't that a bit self-interested, Jesus? Maybe not...
Read MorePeople who try their hardest don't always get rewarded. And people who seem to cut corners or take advantage of others sometimes do get rewarded. Is life meaningless? Or do we need to double down and be perfect in order to succeed? The Wisdom writings of the Bible (particularly the books of Proverbs & Ecclesiastes) can offer us balance, nuance, and a starting point for meaningful experiences of prayer when we feel overwhelmed by such questions.
Read MoreGenerally when people talk about faith or God, it divides people - along religious, cultural, or social lines. Obviously, any of us, if asked about this church, would want to avoid that pitfall and say something sensible and helpful that represents this church well. But how? A parable from Jesus about wheat and weeds and thinking about the difference between a circle and a dot can help...
Read MoreThe Bible was written by and for oppressed minorities. People of privilege can miss this and therefore miss a great deal of the meaning behind the Bible's many writings. In light of the white supremacy, hate, and prejudice we have witnessed in our country this past month, we need just such an oppressed-minority voice to guide us.
Read MoreBLV prayer team leader, Anna Cruz, shares stories about prayer from her life, from the Bible, and from others in our community.
Read More"Why am I still single?" • "Why can't I catch a break?" • "How could this happen?"... What do you avoid asking God about because you're afraid you'll be dissatisfied with the response or get bad news?... Jesus teaches us to not avoid but engage our unsatisfied curiosities with him, and to expect GOOD news in response!
Read MoreIt's hard work emotionally and psychologically to navigate the families we came from and their impact on us personally. Jesus has lots of help.
Read MoreContinuing our series on Jesus' sermon on the Mount, we come to Jesus' comments on provision and security.
Read MoreThe "Our Father" or "Lord's Prayer" is a tutorial from Jesus on how to pray, and it has in mind some specific misconceptions of prayer, which (maybe unexpectedly) we still fall victim to today.
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