Category: Christian Living

Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.

Why Do We Worship God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 25, 2012

Today is Sunday and many who love God will worship him today. But why?

Because that’s what we’re supposed to do
Because we like the music and it uplifts us
Because the Bible says to
Because it gives us joy when we do it right
Out of habit
Out of fear
To feel good about ourselves
To avoid feeling guilty
To please him

These are all secondary reasons. Worshiping God is not about us, it’s about him.

The primary reason we worship God is to affirm him. He doesn’t need our affirmation, but we need to offer it. That’s what worship is.

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.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags God, worship

Christian Living

Sometimes We Need to Slow Down to Make Progress

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 4, 2012

We live in a fast-paced world. It seems there are always ten things to do at once—and at least two are urgent. So we plan and schedule in an attempt to fit (most) everything in.

It’s easy to approach God that way when we pray and read the Bible: plan and schedule, squeeze it in, do it quickly, check it off, and move on.

But when we do, we must fight the urge to power through it so we can progress to our next task for the day. We need to slow down.

Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is one way to slow down our Bible reading and prayer time.

Some practitioners of Lectio Divina read a small section of the Bible with slow deliberateness, contemplating each word or phrase, sometimes repeating it.

Others take a more focused approach to Lectio Divina, following a four-step process: read a passage, meditate and reflect on it, pray it back to God, and last, contemplate and listen to God.

They may read it a couple of times, but not to the point of mindless repetition.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags read the Bible

Christian Living

Two Ways to Read the Bible

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date October 28, 2012

There are two approaches to take when reading the Bible: quantity and quality.

Quantity

In the past I’ve read the entire Bible through in a year, many times.

Other times I’ve opted to read the Old Testament in a year and many more times, the New Testament in a year.

The pace is a bit different for each, but the goal is to methodically read vast amounts of the Bible in the course of one year.

Lately I’ve been on a chapter a day plan.

Quality

Sometimes when reading the Bible, I will tarry with a verse or passage, not moving on until I’ve received insight.

Other times, I’ll read the same section for several days in a row, seeking deeper understanding.

Which is Best?

The short answer is both.

There’s merit in the quantity approach, for it gives us the big picture. And there’s merit for the quality approach, for it reveals depth and meaning.

How do you read the Bible: quantity, quality, haphazardly, not at all?

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Tags read the Bible

Christian Living

Seven Reflections on Halloween

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date October 24, 2012

My perspective on Halloween has changed over the years. Here are my seven reflections on Halloween

As a kid I relished the opportunity to score some candy, a rare and treasured treat.

As a teen I was too old to go trick-or-treating, but there was usually a party to go to or friends to hang out with.

As newly married and in our first home there was the excitement of being on the giving end for the first time.

As parents of young kids, their excitement became our excitement: costumes, the trek around the neighborhood, fawning neighbors, memorable photos, sorting through their haul, and then attempting to teach restrained candy consumption.

As parents of teens, they celebrated with friends, while mom and dad stayed home to dole out the goodies.

As empty nesters, I’ve taken over the role of handing out treats to our neighbors. Not only do I have a brief conversation with each kid, but I also often have a quick interaction with the parent who accompany the younger ones.

In the grandkid phase is the opportunity to overindulge. Pile high the candy and then give them back to mom and dad just before the sugar hits.

These seven reflections on Halloween carry with it past memories and future anticipations.

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Tags holiday

Christian Living

Do You Love God or Fear Him?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date October 21, 2012

For the past two weeks, I’ve been sharing a progression of thought about God as it relates to love and fear.

Consider:

We are to fear God, which begins to produce understanding and wisdom. We grow to understand that God is love and ultimately that perfect love—as embodied by Jesus—removes our fear.

Though we may start with fear, God’s perfect love (Jesus) removes it.

It is the love of Jesus that supersedes our fear of God.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags fear God, God, Jesus, love

Christian Living

What is a Spiritual Community?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date October 14, 2012

As a writer, I write alone; it’s a solitary activity.

So it’s good for me to periodically emerge from my self-imposed cocoon and spend time with other people—and other writers are the people who understand me best, those with who I am most comfortable to be around.

I just returned from a Christian Writers conference. It was a great time, full of information, encouragement, and rejuvenation. While writing was the focus, God was the foundation; it was a spiritual time.

As my buddy, Gerald the Writer, and I headed home, we processed out loud what we had experienced. It was a community, a spiritual community. The only problem is that it only occurs once a year.

However, the writing critique group we started happens every month. It’s also a spiritual community. We’re with kindred spirits and God is in our midst.

Our group’s focus is writing and helping each other hone our craft. Sometimes what we write is about God and other times, not, but regardless, it is all done for God.

Though we may sometimes pray, it’s not an obligation to do so according to schedule.

Though we may sometimes talk about the Bible, it’s not a preplanned activity. And if the subject of theology comes up, we quickly push it aside—it is not our goal to critique that.

Those who advocate a formula for spiritual community would dismiss us as missing out because we break all their rules.

But for us it is our spiritual community and our most significant one.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

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Tags community, solitude, writing

Christian Living

Is There a Connection Between Church and Faith?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date October 7, 2012

I recently read an article where the author lamented, “Young people are leaving the church.” A bit later he wrote, “Young people don’t stick with their faith.”

His implication was that the two statements meant the same thing. They do not—and assuming they do is part of the problem.

I’ve had frequent, ongoing struggles with church as its commonly practiced and church attendance—so much so that I’m writing two books about it. However, my church issues have never challenged or confronted my faith.

In fact, questioning church has strengthened my spiritual convictions, clarifying what I believe and why, confirming what is important and what is distraction.

Yes, young people are leaving the modern church, but not because they’re giving up on God. Rather, they’re giving up on the way we do church.

They’re seeking more than what church is able to give. They want more of God and will do what they need to, even if it means leaving the church to find him.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags church, faith

Christian Living

What is True Church?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 30, 2012

On a blog I follow there was a drawing for a free book. I’m all about books and it’s even better when they’re free. To enter, I needed to share “what the theological vision for your church is in two sentences or less.”

Now the word “theological” repels me, even though theology is simply “the study of God”—and God captivates me.

Pushing that aside for a chance at a free book, here’s what I posted:

“Church isn’t about message or music; those are often distractions or settling for less than the best.

“True church is about community, where we are all priests, with each one giving and receiving, mutually edifying and encouraging one another on our faith journey.”

There was more, but I had to shorten it to two sentences. I like what I wrote; it resonates with me and communicates my deepest passion.

What I penned was a greater reward than the book I won.

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Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

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Tags church, God, theology

Christian Living

Four Ways to Worship God

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 23, 2012

When I think about worshiping God, I first think of singing songs to him and about him. Yes, that’s a part of worship, but there’s more.

Next, I think about worshiping God by giving money to him and his causes. That’s another aspect of worship, but there’s more.

Third, I think about worshiping God by performing acts of service. There’s a myriad of ways for this to happen and each can be another facet of worship, but there’s more.

Fourth, I think about worshiping God by creating art. Sometimes art is about him and sometimes it’s for him, creating for the creator. After all, he is the ultimate creator and we are made in his image; therefore, we are made to create.

The problem is I’ve never considered myself a creative person. I’m an analytical guy, logic and structure is how I’m wired, not to create.

God began to change this perspective in me when I attended the Breathe Christian Writers Conference last year. Through the people there, he showed me writing is another way to create art.

Not only is writing a spiritual act for me, but now it’s becoming a creative act, too; one I use to worship God.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

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Tags creative, give, good music, serve God, worship

Christian Living

Three Things to Know About Sin

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 18, 2012

The book of Genesis in the Bible gives a concise three-point teaching about sin. This was written about Cain, but equally applies to us.

1. Sin Is Crouching at Our Door

The word “crouch” reminds me of a cat getting ready to pounce on its prey. The situation is ominous.

2. Sin Desires to Have Us

Once the cat leaps for its quarry, there’s little doubt over the outcome. Sin is crouching for us; it is getting ready to leap and destroy us. There’s little we can do—or is there?

3. We Must Master It

Sin is much easier to master beforehand rather than in the midst of it. When it is crouching, the potential for sin is there, but it’s not actual sin; it’s temptation.

We know what to do with temptation and the devil who promotes it. We are to resist.

[Genesis 4:7, James 4:7]

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Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

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Tags Genesis, sin, temptation