When we arrive at church portrays something about us. More importantly it reveals much about the importance we place on God and worshipping him.
Aside from conditioned and cultural predispositions towards punctuality, we also have personal circumstances that can interfere with our best intentions.
Having a baby, small children, or many children can all impede our timely arrival. Needing to pick up someone, or something, on the way to church is a variable outside our control. Bad weather, road repairs, or car trouble can likewise delay our arrival.
While acknowledging that items outside our control, or only somewhat within our control, affect our arrival at church, let’s consider our normal practice:
Arrive Early
When we walk through the church doors early, it says we’re eager to worship God, and we enjoy Christian community. It shows respect for God and others. Depending on our personality we may spend this extra time in quiet contemplation, in prayer, or in conversation.
Arrive Right on Time
Some people breeze in right when the service starts. Though they view being late as rude, they see no reason to show up early. They don’t care to prepare themselves for worship. Does worship hold any meaning for them?
Alternatively, they might not value community. If their goal is to avoid human interaction, why go to church? Church should be about connecting with others and ministering to each other. If we don’t care about the people we attend church with, we might as well stay home and watch it on TV.
Arrive Late
Showing up late is inconsiderate of others and even more so of God. When habitual, it reveals we view our time as more important than theirs, esteeming ourselves over them.
Arriving late distracts others who are worshiping, or trying to worship, disrespecting the God we supposedly came to honor.
Yes, there are folks with psychological issues or social anxieties who purposefully arrive late to avoid human interaction; I’ll leave that for them and their healthcare provider to address.
Do we arrive at church with the expectation of experiencing community and in anticipation of worshiping God? Is church something we’re trying to squeeze into a busy schedule? Or is church merely an obligation to fulfill?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Solomon Asks God for Wisdom to Lead Well and God Grants It
God appears to Solomon and offers to grant him a request. This isn’t a genie-in-a-bottle situation; it’s the all-powerful God showing his love and appreciation. Solomon makes a wise decision. He asks for wisdom and knowledge to lead the people well.
Not Money
Solomon doesn’t ask for wealth or possessions. He could have, but he doesn’t. In our materialistic society today, money is the goal for many.
They don’t see it as a means to an end—such as to be a blessing to others—but as the end goal itself. But we can never have enough money or enough things. Pursuing money will leave us empty
Not Honor
Other people pursue prestige. They seek acclaim from others. Solomon doesn’t ask for honor either. Though receiving respect may be gratifying and ego stroking, it accomplishes little else.
Not Power
Along with money and honor, a third often-valued pursuit is power. An extreme display of power is overcoming our enemies by bringing about their death. Solomon doesn’t ask for this either.
Not a Long Life
Most people hope for a long life, one filled with worthwhile activities and pursuits. And the older we get, the more fragile life seems and the more important it becomes. Yet Solomon doesn’t ask to live long either.
But Wisdom
What Solomon does ask for is wisdom and knowledge. And this isn’t for a selfish, intellectual pursuit, but so that he can govern the people with excellence.
God grants Solomon’s request for wisdom. Because Solomon chooses wisely, God also gives him the things he didn’t ask for: wealth, honor, power, and a long life.
God gives wisdom to Solomon because he asks for it. And he will give it to us when we ask for it too (James 1:5).
Whether we lead a country, a group, our family, or ourselves, may we lead well with wisdom and knowledge. And if we lack wisdom all we need to do is ask God for it.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Though God Never Changes, the Bible Shows Us How Our Interaction with Him Has
As we read the Bible, it’s easy to stumble onto confusing and even conflicting perspectives of who God is and how we should interact with him.
This is because God has revealed himself in different ways throughout the various historic arcs or periods of time in the Bible.
Here are three ways we can categorize scripture and better understand God.
The Two Testaments of the Bible
The Bible has two testaments or sections, which we call the Old Testament and the New Testament. This is the first and easiest way to categorize Scripture.
The Old Testament addresses Father God’s relationship with his people and anticipates the coming Savior.
The New Testament focuses on that Savior, Jesus. It covers his ministry and the work of his followers. These are two testaments—that is, two testimonies about God—in the Bible, but there are other ways to view these segments of time.
Three Parts of the Bible
When I study the Bible, I like to consider it in three parts, as three epochs in the Bible. I see God interacting with his people in different ways in each of these sections, as parts of the Trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
This is a second way to categorize scripture.
The Old Testament: The first
part is the Old Testament, with Father God as the star. It looks forward to
Jesus.
The Gospels: The second part covers the life of Jesus through the perspective of four biographies, which we call Gospels—that is, the good news about Jesus—written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Jesus is the focus, with the Father playing a key supporting role, and the Holy Spirit beginning to emerge.
The Early Church: The third part covers the early church, Jesus’s followers. The focus of the church is Jesus’s life and teachings. The Holy Spirit arises as the principal guiding force, launching at Pentecost.
Ten Ages in the Bible
Yet as we read through the Bible, the way God relates to his people and how they understand him changes over time. If we look at each of these ages in the Bible apart from the others, we see God a bit differently in each one.
Considering ten ages in the Bible is a third way to categorize scripture.
1. Eden: We start in the Garden of Eden. God is in perfect community with Adam and Eve. They hang out. They spent time with each other.
Though this phase doesn’t last long, we can anticipate its return when our present reality wraps up and the new heaven and new earth emerge.
2. Sin and Separation: When Adam and Eve disobey God, their sin drives a wedge between the relationship with them and God. They must leave their idyllic existence, the garden of Eden.
After that God becomes distant, vaguely present and estranged from his creation.
3. The Reboot with Noah: We chug along with God sitting far away for several centuries until the time of Noah. With evil rampant, God does a reboot of humanity with Noah and his family. I
n doing so God takes a step forward to reconnect with his creation.
4. The Call of Abraham: We see the next transition occur with Abraham. God calls him to go to a new place and into a new relationship. Abraham’s descendants will emerge as God’s chosen people.
5. The Law of Moses: Next Moses comes along to lead the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt and to return to the land God promised Abraham.
This marks a significant transition because God gives them the Law: instructions about how to worship him and live right, rules of what to do and not to do.
Now, for the first time since Adam and Eve left the garden, the people have specific directives for how God expects them to act and connect with him.
6. Judges Lead—Sort Of: Moses brings the people to the promised land and Joshua takes them into it. For a time, God is their king, at least in theory. A series of judges try to reorient the people’s attention to God, but their efforts don’t last.
7. Kings and Prophets: Starting with Saul, the people have their first king, effectively pushing God aside as their ruler. The age of kings sees its pinnacle with David.
Then it diminishes insignificance over the centuries that follow until Israel and later Judah are conquered and deported.
The work of most of the prophets coincides with the age of the kings.
8. Repatriation and Preparation: After a time, some people return to the land God promised Abraham. They rebuild what they can, both physically and spiritually, but both fall short of what they once were.
Despite the dismal time, God is at work, which we see mostly in the Apocrypha (scripture that not all Bibles include). This prepares for the arrival of Jesus.
9. Jesus Changes Everything: We see the most significant shift occur with the arrival of Jesus. He fulfills what the Old Testament points to and anticipates. He doesn’t do away with the Law. Instead he transforms it from rules into relationship.
10. The Early Church: Led by Holy Spirit power and guidance, the church of Jesus is born. The rest of the New Testament addresses this.
We can use this to form our understanding of following and worshiping God, through Jesus as prompted by the Holy Spirit.
Categorize Scripture Conclusion
God’s way of revealing himself and connecting with his people differs in each of these ages in the Bible. Realizing this helps us to better understand who he is and comprehend his many facets.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Listen to some people in church. Watch what they do. It may
cause you to assume God views women as second class. Far from it.
The truth is, the Bible has story after story about how fascinating women are. They’re more nuanced than men, have profound insights we all often overlook, and can teach us wisdom that everyone needs to hear.
In Women of the Bible,
Peter DeHaan, PhD., digs deep into these Bible stories and uncovers how these
women rise above their circumstances—even though society pushes them down.
He also explores the women who were powerful, in both good
and bad ways, and what we can learn from them.
In this book, you’ll discover how to celebrate your victories, embrace your virtue, have more compassion for the victims in our world, and avoid the errors of the vicious.
It’s time for a change. It’s time for a fresh perspective.
It’s time for every woman—and man—to discover powerful truths from the Women of the Bible.
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
It’s Saturday, and we head to church, a Seventh Day Adventist gathering. The focal point of the sanctuary is a large stained glass array. Modern and abstract it portrays an arm reaching up, with a dove upon an open hand.
I’m not sure if the dove is being held, given to us, or presented to God. I ponder the spiritual implications. Isn’t that the point of art?
To its right are pipes for the organ, prominent, but not ostentatious. Next to them, on an angled wall, resides a large flat-panel monitor. Announcements sequence as the display counts down the time to the scheduled start.
The service is the most technologically integrated one we’ve seen so far in our journey and certainly the most professional with its application.
The comforting modern feel contrasts with several traditional elements of the service: singing hymns, the pipe organ, and a male chorus.
In addition to the organ and hymns, we also hear the piano a couple of times as well as two contemporary tunes.
It’s World Kindness Week, and today’s service reflects that theme. Two girls read about the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:33-37. The first reads in Spanish. (The only time we hear a second language.)
The second girl reads from the KJV, even though the pew Bibles are the NKJV.
Some middle school students perform a skit, presenting modern-day scenarios about helping others. In the message, “Giving at a Cost,” the minister shares a story from Native American lore, again illustrating the theme.
The service is an ideal melding of the traditional and modern. With professional execution, engaging speakers, and compelling content that draws me to their worship.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Examine the Scriptures Every Day to See If What People Say Is True
The book of Acts tells about the early church, with the latter two thirds of it focused on Paul’s travels and interactions with the various city branches of Jesus’s church.
One brief stop is in the city of Berea. Luke writes this about them: “The Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica.”
Note that he doesn’t say they have a noble character, merely that they are more noble than the folks in a nearby city.
Depending on the level of the Thessalonian’s character, this comparison could mean little (if the Thessalonians have no character) or much (if the Thessalonians have great character).
Regardless the church in Berea is affirmed for their more noble character. There are three reasons why:
1. They Eagerly Listen to Paul
They seriously consider what he says. They have an open mind but aren’t gullible.
2. They Verify What He Says
They check to make sure that what Paul says about the scriptures (what we call the Old Testament) is true. They confirm he’s not misquoting the Bible or taking things out of context.
3. They Believe What Paul Says
After listening and verifying, they act. They believe in Jesus and set an example for others.
For these reasons their character is assessed as being more noble.
Today many people aspire to be noble like the Bereans, yet they fail to measure up. When they listen it is to find fault. They seek to argue over the meaning of words.
When they read the Bible it isn’t to find agreement with others but to seek reasons to disagree. They look for any way to reinforce their theology and reject the interpretations of others.
This is a huge reason why we have 42,000 Protestant denominations today. People choose to make distinctions and divide the church of Jesus.
If only they would be more noble like the people of Berea. They listen, verify, and believe.
We should be like the church in Berea. We can read and study our Bible to advance unity in Jesus.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
During a time of war, there is a curious story of King David. He mentions that he is thirsty for water from a specific well. Three of his mighty warriors break through enemy lines, draw water from that well, and return to David with it.
However, instead of drinking it with gratitude, David pours it out on the ground as a drink offering to God (1 Chronicles 11:17-19 and also in 2 Samuel 23:13-17).
Apparently, he felt that the risk the men took was so great that he was not worthy to taste the water, offering it to God instead.
This action may have parallels to the Old Testament instruction to give a “drink offering” to God. The drink offering was a libation of wine that was poured over the alter or used with meat offerings as part of the Jewish worship rituals.
Instructions for its use occur over 45 times in the Jewish law, with 19 other references in the Old Testament.
Since Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament worship practices, it is not surprising for there to only be two mentions of drink offerings in the New Testament.
Both were made by Paul, referring to his willingly pouring out his life as a drink-offering to God (Philippians 2:17 and 2 Timothy 4:6).
It is important to understand that while the Old Testament believers presented their drink offerings ritualistically out of obligation and compulsion, Paul—being freed from the law by Jesus—willing and gladly presented his own life as a drink-offering to God.
It was his intentional act of sacrifice and service.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
About two billion people in the world call themselves Christians, more
than those who align themselves with any other religion. But how many will call
themselves disciples of Jesus? The Bible never tells us to make Christians or
even to be a Christian. But it talks a lot about disciples and discipleship.
Make Christians
For most people, at least in developed nations, becoming a Christian is easy. For many it involves saying a prayer. For others, going to church is all it takes. Some even look at their family tree as the only requirement for them to call themselves Christian.
Other considerations that carry the Christian label might involve joining a church, checking off a box on a commitment card, or donating money.
With these things standing as the only prerequisite, being a Christian is
simple and requires little effort. Churches smugly count members, attendance,
or decisions. And that seems good enough for them.
Yet to mean something worthwhile, Christianity must be more than a
trivial, one-time act. It must be a commitment to live a changed life that
makes a difference.
A disciple is someone who follows and wants to be like their master, their
Rabbi. It’s a total, all-in commitment to a different lifestyle.
Look at Jesus’s disciples. To start, they left their old life behind.
Then they spent their time with him. They listened to his teaching and asked
him questions. Later they told others about him and healed people in his name.
This was their training. Their prep. Then, just before he left Earth to
return to heaven, Jesus told them to make disciples throughout the world.
First, they waited for Holy Spirit power. Then, when they told people about Jesus, thousands responded. The disciples continued to heal the hurting and help those in need. They taught people about Jesus and what it means to follow him and be his disciple.
They formed the first churches, which are far different than today’s versions and which pale in contrast to the gatherings that Jesus’s disciples started. They ignited a spiritual movement that spread around the world.
This is what it means to be a disciple. Few Christians do this. It’s easy to be a Christian, but Jesus doesn’t want us to be Christians. He wants us to be disciples. As disciples we point people to him and make a difference in our world—a difference that matters, both here and into eternity.
Go and Make Disciples
Stop being a Christian and instead be a disciple maker. And it starts by becoming a disciple of Jesus ourselves.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
How Big is Your Tent? A Call for Christian Unity, Tolerance, and
Love
What’s It Take to Be
Welcome in Jesus’s Tent?
The Bible gives us the answers, but most people miss them.
And too many clergy spout manmade solutions that miss the mark.
Discover what Jesus said it takes to “go all in” for him. It’s really quite easy. In fact, it’s so simple that some people can’t accept it. Instead of cramming faith into an exclusive box, what we need is a bigger tent. A unity tent, where we accept all Christians.
However, Jesus was a Jew. What about them? And what about other faiths that consider the Bible part of their heritage? Can we invite them into our tent?
Last are the other world religions. Where do they fit? Can our tent hold them, too? Should we make room? The answers will surprise you.
How Big is Your Tent? calls for Christian unity, tolerance, and love. And that makes for a most ambitious tent.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
As people drift in, excitement mounts. Anticipation surrounds us. The church seats about 150, with perhaps seventy present, although their milling about makes it seem fuller.
Most of the men wear coats and ties, with most women in dresses. All age groups are present.
A choir opens the service, singing with enthusiasm. We sing old-time hymns with piano accompaniment. They sing with vigor and draw me in. Our collective volume makes our number seem larger.
These folks certainly enjoy their hymns, singing with more gusto than I can ever recall.
We stand for the scripture and read it in unison. My wife scrambles for the lone pew Bible in our row so we can follow along using their King James Version. We read Hebrews 12:12-17 about bitterness.
The minister likens the root of bitterness to the tenacity of a yucca plant, for which he has great disdain. He’s a gifted speaker, dynamic and entertaining.
He shares four characteristics of bitterness and concludes with steps to rid ourselves of this destructive trait, ending with Paul’s instruction to forgive one another (Ephesians 4:31-32).
He leaves us with the parting reminder that “forgiveness removes transgression, but doesn’t automatically restore fellowship.”
When the service ends, people shake our hands and invite us back.
Each time, I simply respond with “thank you.” To me this means, “I hear you and appreciate the invitation” without making a promise I won’t keep. But I’m not sure what they hear when I say it.
Today we heard a powerful message, one the best in the past thirty weeks.
We worshiped God with people who are passionate about singing to him and who enjoy each other’s company. They sure are enthusiastic about their faith.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
