Spirit & Truth: A Guide to Worship (Part 2 of 2: Worship in Truth)
In our continuing summer sermon mini-series, “Spirit & Truth: A Guide to Worship,” we delve into the essential elements of worship that Jesus highlighted in John 4:24: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” This week, our focus shifts to understanding what it means to worship in truth. […]
Embracing A Cappella Worship: Tradition, Unity, and Grace in the Churches of Christ
In the churches of Christ, we deeply cherish our tradition of a cappella worship. This style of worship is not merely a preference but a reflection of our commitment to follow the practices of the early church, striving to be the church that Jesus established on the day of Pentecost—an Acts 2 church. We value […]
Spirit & Truth: A Guide to Worship – Part 1: Worship in Spirit
This Sunday, I started a new 2-part summer sermon mini-series at HLCC titled, “Spirit & Truth: A Guide to Worship.” In the first message, we delve into the essence of worshiping in spirit, based on Jesus’ teaching in John 4:24: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” This […]
Understanding the Samaritans: Their Role and Significance in the Time of Jesus.
During the time of Jesus, Samaritans were a distinct ethnoreligious group living in the region of Samaria, situated between Judea and Galilee. The Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) and worshipped God on Mount Gerizim, which they considered to be the true holy place of […]
Remembering and Honoring – Memorial Day 2024
Memorials are all about remembering. The reason we need memorials is because we tend to be a people who forget. Tomorrow is Memorial Day. It’s a time our nation sets aside to remember, show our respect, and pay honor to the men and women who have given their lives in the defense and service of […]
Solomon’s Seven Petitions in His Prayer of Dedication (1 Kings 8)
In 1 Kings 8, during the grand dedication of the newly built Temple, King Solomon offers a profound and heartfelt prayer to God. This prayer is a pivotal moment in Israel’s history, symbolizing their covenant relationship with God and the central role of the Temple in their communal and spiritual life. Solomon’s prayer includes seven […]
Embracing Change through Acceptance: A Biblical Perspective
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” ― Carl R. Rogers, On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy This profound quote by Carl Rogers captures a truth that resonates deeply with both psychological principles and biblical teachings. It speaks to the transformative power […]
