Tag: Bible
New Survey Proves People (Christians) Have No Clue What They’re Talking About
Posted on October 26, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Recently, LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries surveyed 3000 adults concerning the state of theology in America. The results are a glaring red flag that proves how uninformed and uneducated Americans are concerning theological issues. The researchers only identified about 20% of those they surveyed as evangelicals; many other respondents identified themselves as evangelical. That in itself is a problem.
(See the chart below to view the top 12 questions and answers from the survey.)
Resources for Christian Parents Seeking to Raise Kids in a Sinful World
Posted on October 25, 2016 in Family, Theology by Nathan Cherry
As a parent that is deeply committee to imparting my faith to my children, I am always looking for resources to help. I am often overwhelmed by the task of sharing my faith with my kids, teaching them, and training them. I fail daily and need the wise counsel of those who have gone before me.
With that in mind, the following list is some helpful resources for everything from praying for your kids to taking them to church. There’s insight on answering kids’ biblical questions and tips for raising Godly kids. And, at the end is a list of books and other resources that can provide further support in your task as a parent of bringing the Gospel to your children. I hope this is a helpful list of resources that provide encouragement and support for you, mom and dad.
Why Require Unregenerate Children to Act Like They’re Good?
“Here are at least three reasons why Christian parents should require their small children (regenerate or unregenerate) to behave in ways that conform externally to God’s revealed will. I say “small children” because as a child gets older, there are certain external conformities to God’s revealed will that should be required and others that should not. It seems to me, for example, while parents should require drug-free, respectful decency from a 15-year-old, it would do little good to require an unbelieving and indifferent 15-year-old to read his Bible every day. But it would be wise to require that of a 6-year-old, while doing all we can to help him enjoy it and see the benefit in it.”
VIDEO: The Bible Project is Helping People Read and Learn the Bible Through Media
Posted on October 18, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
The Bible Project video series is teaching people the essential truths of biblical doctrine in a simple format that is easy to learn and understand.
I’m always looking for resources that can be used to better teach the truth of Scripture. I like things that can be used to help kids or adults better internalize the doctrines that are foundational to our faith.
To that end, I came across a video series being produced that is helping to accomplish the goal of teaching the essential doctrines of Scripture in a visual format.
The Bible Project is a non-profit ministry dedicated to helping people read and understand the Bible. Their website describes the ministry this way:
My Facebook Conversation About Christians and Alcohol Was Helpful
Posted on August 10, 2016 in Religious Freedom, Theology by Nathan Cherry
When I recently posted an article about whether or not Christians should drink alcohol I got a Facebook message from a pastor-friend that had some thoughts for me. Now, you might be thinking that a “Facebook friend” sent me a harassing message telling me how wrong I was for my views and “encouraging” me to repent.
A Helpful Resource for Developing Character in Your Kids
Posted on July 12, 2016 in Family, Home School by Nathan Cherry
Looking around our culture it is apparent that character is not high on the list of priorities. The selfie generation that is all too willing to trade naked pictures for fame has forgotten the pricelessness of strong character. The effects on our world are more than obvious.
I came across an audio series on teaching character to children. As a father I am always looking for resources to aid my efforts to teach and train my kids. I am keenly aware of the need to teach them morals, respect, and character; so anytime I come across a resource that can help with that task I want to share it.
Let’s face it; we live in a society that does not value character. One look at the political landscape, or at the state of Hollywood and it’s quick to conclude that character and morals are not nearly as valuable as the lack thereof. The self-absorbed, entitled mentality that pervades our culture is a by-product of society that rewards laziness, dishonesty, and corruption. As a parent the task of imparting character and training our kids to think independently and be willing to stand in opposition to “the crowd” is even more critical than ever.
The series includes lessons on cultivating self-control and modesty in our kids, certainly traits that are sorely needed in today’s word of excess and indecency. As more kids become desensitized to sending nude pictures of themselves via text message, self-control and decency are clearly much-needed lessons. It also contains lessons on correction, and how to pray for our children which, I think, are valuable to any parent.
This Graph Will Tell You All You Need to Know About Religion in America
Posted on June 9, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
The above graph is made from data compiled from 2001-2016 by Gallup Research. The information sheds a very bright light on the state of religion in America and why solid biblical teaching is desperately needed inside our churches.
The quick conclusion I came to after looking over the data is that Mormons have the most biblical views of any religious group represented by the data. In each category Mormons scored lowest when needed (on issues like abortion and homosexual relationships) and highest when needed (on the death penalty). That sad reality is disturbing.
Do You Have Trouble Memorizing the Bible? Try This.
Posted on March 31, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Can I share a little secret with you?
The truth is, I’m not very good at memorizing Scripture.
I’m not talking about memorizing the “essence” f a verse. I can paraphrase Bible verses all day. But when it comes to knowing the reference and the word-for-word text of the verse, I have trouble.
Maybe that’s a surprise since I spent so many years studying the Bible and teaching the Bible. Maybe it’s disappointing to some who have known me in a pastoral role. Whatever the case may be, the truth is that it is a battle to memorize God’s Word.
But I’m trying. I have a number of verses that I have worked on and continue to memorize. And I read Scripture daily in order to keep it filtering through my mind. I need the wisdom and pruning of God’s Word in my mind, heart, and daily life. We all do. And to help with that I am looking for creative ways to study and memorize Scripture. And, since I thought someone else out there might struggle with memorizing the Bible like I do, I wanted to share this practical, and helpful article I found.
Have You Ever Considered the Miracle Before Easter? Think About This…
Posted on March 24, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Easter has all sort of controversies.
Some think the name “Easter” has pagan origins and refuse to use.
Some think having anything to do with bunnies and eggs filled with candy is a perversion of a sacred day.
Some don’t think the resurrection occurred in the Spring and want to change the date.
For me and my family those things are mostly peripheral issues that take a back seat to the celebration of the resurrection. But before we get to the celebration we have to consider all of the divine miracles that led to the glorious culmination of God’s redemptive plan.
So I want to ask, have you ever stopped to think about the incredible miracles that took place prior to the resurrection?
Let’s start with the fact that Jesus was born of a virgin. Not the part where a virgin gives birth. Don’t get me wrong, that’s amazing all by itself. I’m talking about the part where the Creator of all that exists comes to earth wrapped in the flesh and bones of a tiny baby.
What If You Showed Up At Church Sunday Morning and Heard This?
Posted on January 14, 2016 in Life, Theology by Nathan Cherry
uppose you went to church on Sunday morning to hear God’s Word and listen to a sermon or lesson intended to help grow you spiritually. You’re eager to know how God’s Word applies to your life today and how you can look through a biblical lens at the issues that permeate our culture. You sit eagerly waiting to hear the message God has given your pastor when the pastor begins by say he/she wants to discuss the biblical support for abortion!
That may seem far-fetched; as if there is no way any pastor would express support for something so obviously wrong. Right?
Unfortunately the reality that there exists members of the clergy that regularly teach God’s Word to those gathered in their congregation while also supporting abortion is true. Even sadder is that it is not one or two “rogue” or isolated pastors adhering to this lamentable position. In fact, according to a recent article, 53 pastors in the state of Texas alone support abortion:
These 9 Statements Used by Christians Need to Stop
Posted on January 13, 2016 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
One of the most striking features of this decade is the slow but certain death of cultural Christianity. By that I mean there was a time when you could say you were a Christian, spout off a few cliché “biblical” phrases, and people shook your hand and said “God bless you, brother.” But that time is coming to an end as we realize that many people have mistakenly believed they were Christians for one wrong reason or another.
Cultural Christians are becoming easier to spot due to their use of clichéd statements that have no foundation in Scripture. We’ve all heard these statements come out of the mouth of church-goers at one time or another. We’ve probably even said one or two ourselves.
Statements like “cleanliness is next to godliness” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle” have been used so often that many people believe they are biblical and can be found somewhere in the Bible. When you mention that such phrases are man-made and have no root in Scripture you will be met with confused looks and questions. But, like many things that came out of cultural Christianity, these, and other statements are simply…wrong.
A recent article listed “9 Unbiblical Statements Christians Believe.” As I read through the article I couldn’t help but recall conversations with friends that have used each statement. And, as one might expect, these phrases appear often on social media either as a post or as a response to a friend.
So what are some of the statements used often by Christians despite the fact that they are not biblical? The list includes: