Civility appears to be a lost art in the U.S. these days. Whether you’re reading social media, listening to talk radio, or watching the evening news, the words, body language, and tone of voice betray a lack of tolerance for others. Likewise, integrity has taken a hit across our culture. It’s difficult to know who to trust, if anyone. And even Christians aren’t given the benefit of the doubt anymore … or maybe that should read, especially Christians aren’t give the benefit of the doubt. Who you say you is being scrutinized by pretty much everyone you meet. This week’s Conversation explores how to present our best testimony, even when we fall short.
The Future Begins Today: Investing Your Testimony
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The Future Begins Today: Investing Your Treasure
We’ve all heard the quotes. “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” “You only reap what you sow.” “Those who sow generously will reap generously.” All good sayings and undoubtedly, they’re all true. But they’re all about “me.” It’s as if we weigh up what we give by what we’re going to get in return. As if God somehow owes us if we’re generous enough. But let me ask you this … is that what you see in the New Testament? That those who gave generously ended up better off than when they started? Because if you can find an example of that, I’d like you to point it out to me. That’s the question we’ll be wrestling with during our Conversation on Sunday … if God isn’t going to bless us when we give, why bother to give?
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Super Natural: The Dangers of Dabbling
It’s that time of year. Some might call it a “thin” time, a time when the separation between the spirit realm and the corporeal world is but spider’s thread apart. Once upon a time, we looked at these topics with wry amusement. Only superstitious, unscientific children believed in such nonsense. But that’s not so much the case today. At least two generations have risen up and confessed that not everything has a scientific answer … and there’s too much evidence for hauntings, ghosts, spirits, demons, and angels to dismiss it all. But with the rise of interest and belief comes a rise in dabbling. Is it safe to play with things we don’t understand, or are we taking risks in things that my do more than go bump in the night? This week’s Conversation takes a serious look at what we may be getting into.
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Super Natural: Miracles
The miracle of medicine. The miracle of love. The miracle of life. We call lots of things miracles, but the truth is, we see very few things that most of us are willing to call genuine miracles. And most of the ones we hear about, we’re quick to doubt or to explain away. The Bible seems to be so full of miracles, sometimes you have to wonder if we just don’t have as much faith as people “way back then.” During this week’s Conversation, we’ll explore the reality of miracles then and now and see if we can’t find some “thin places” between the miraculous and the mundane.
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Super Natural: Angels and Demons
My favorite Hollywood angel was John Travolta’s portrayal of the Archangel Michael. He was a slovenly angel who cursed, smoked, and regularly proclaimed, “I’m not that kind of angel.” I don’t know what what “real angels look like, but I know that almost every time they show up in scripture that people end up on their faces quivering in terror. I don’t have a favorite demon, though the one on the Underwood Deviled Ham tin is probably the most famous demon of all. The reality is, though, that most people believe in angels and demons in about the same way as they believe in Robin Hood or Merlin. Of course, the biblical authors believed in them, as do most other religions. But is there any “real” evidence to back them up? Demons and Angels – This week’s Conversation on Sunday morning.
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Super Natural: Hell – Myth or Reality?
Is there really a hell? You know, a fiery inferno where souls are tortured for all eternity for their sins? You might not be surprised to learn that the majority of Christians don’t believe in a hell … but apparently there are a lot of non-Christians who aren’t so sure. Perhaps it’s because there’s so much evil in the world that it doesn’t take much imagination to picture a home for all things dark. Is hell a fairy tale story created to scare us into obedience? Or is there something darker behind the thin places? This week, the Conversation will explore these questions as we talk about Hell: Myth or Reality?
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Living the Happy Life: Bless More
The world’s most popular radio station is WII FM. That stands for What’s In It For Me? Because we all tune in to that channel more often than we’d care to admit, there’s a danger that we’ll get comfortable, kick off our shoes, and slip into the entitlement t-shirt. On the back of the shirt is the WII FM logo, and on the front is the badge, “Whatever It Is, I Deserve It.” Interestingly enough, Jesus seems to have agreed and when he delivered the Sermon on the Mount, he started it all off by answering the WII FM question for the crowd. It turns out, our happiness hinges on our blessedness.
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Serving the Lord
A conversation with four Raytown Christian Church's staff members about what it means to serve the Lord at RCC. Kim Lawhead, Youth Director; Phylis Goforth, Networking & Public Relations; Tina Cochran, Abundant Living Ministry; Carol Frevert, Outreach.
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Not Another Hallmark Christmas: Disgraced
Hallmark Christmas Movies live and die by a checklist. Snow? Check. Christmas baking? Got it. Present wrapping? Absolutely. Disgrace the main character? Absolutely not. And yet, the first Christmas was completely wrapped up with disgrace. Here was Mary, daughter of Joachim and Anne, an upright family in the little town of Nazareth, where everyone’s business what everyone’s business. The gossip was the teenage girl was out of control … she’d gone and got herself in the baby-way before she could tie the knot. She’d made a hot-mess of her life and everybody knew about it. Christmas disgrace … Mary may have been the first, but she wasn’t the last. This week we’ll take a look at disgrace and we’ll look at Christmas grace.
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Not Another Hallmark Christmas: Disappointed
It’s many a girl’s Christmas dreams … the white dress, the rose and daisy bouquet, her dad – no, her father – walking her down the aisle to meet her Prince Charming at the altar. Every eye on her, stunned by her beauty, envious of her poise and grace. But the fairytale Christmas wedding isn’t in the cards for some. Life gets in the way and can try to defeat us with a cruel twist. This week in the Not Another a Hallmark Christmas series we’ll take another look through Mary’s eyes at that very first Christmas.
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