In the events leading up the “Great Confession,” Jesus had done amazing things. He had cast out demons, healed diseases, fed five thousand, and literally walked on the water.

To us today, it would seem clear that Jesus was doing things that only God could do. But for many, there was a confusion or blindness as to Jesus’ true nature. In fact, throughout Mark’s…

Continue

Wow. So each week, I and others in our seekers group commit to trying to bless three people each week (for both Christians and…

Continue

Some of you know that I encourage our seeker groups as they are going through the Story of Redemption (www.StoryofRedemption.com - an evangelistic Bible study for postmodern culture) to start living out the life of Jesus. Introduced in part 5 of the series, we use a set of missional lifestyles or practices called…

Continue

This article was originally posted at faith on campus blog. You can join the conversation…

Continue

ChurchLeaders.com reported a new national poll out that says that Jesus is the 2nd Most Popular Person in the US. Jesus had a 90% popularity rating, topped only by Abraham Lincoln at 91%.

 

At first it would be tempting…

Continue

Missiologist Eckhard J. Schnabel, author of Early Christian Mission, says, “Jesus had worked as prophetic preacher and teacher, but contrary to the rabbinic model, he did not wait for people to come to him (although that happened as well); instead, he traveled through the towns, villages, and hamlets of Galilee (Mk. 6:56), encountering people where they lived and…

Continue

All of us enjoy a good story, but what is it that makes a story good? I suppose that's an entirely subjective question, one that if I knew the answer to I'd be writing screenplays or books instead of this blog!

But I don't think I'd be too far off the mark if I were to say that most

people are drawn to a couple of specific things. Most people love

hero's. They inspire us with their courage and their "never say die"

attitude. It's their charisma, confidence, leadership and…

Continue

When asked about his taste in music, Ray Charles was once quoted as saying,

"There's only two kinds of music, those kinds being good and bad"

and that's a statement to which I wholeheartedly agree!

I'm not a big fan of most Christian music,…

Continue

It's quite amazing to me how much insight the seemingly insignificant objects and circumstances of our lives have to offer us if we'll just stop for a moment to look and listen. Like word pictures on a life size

screen they patiently wait for us to pull focus on them to impart to us

their message.

Last week I…

Continue

If ever I were to write my life story, this would probably end up being the title.

What does "that" really mean?

That my life has been characterized by my feeling that I'm a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

That as a square peg in a land full of round holes you will do…

Continue

In some ways this is the most difficult part for me to write because it tells the story of how I went from being a regular three time a week church attendee to striking out and "accidentally" establishing a ministry of my own. It's difficult because what I've got to say is critical of certain aspects of not just my church at the time but mainstream churches as a whole.… Continue

It was in May of '08 that they re-possessed my car, a 2003 Subaru Brat, and within a week or so I was given a car to use that had been given to my pastor at the time by one of his congregation. Losing that car was hard, but it was…

Continue

Note to readers: This blog is a narrative of an as of yet still unfolding story which is my life. I've included numerous links to blogs I wrote over the last four years on Yahoo 360 before it's demise which

serve as the "storyline" or Back story. I've never done a three part

piece but due to the complexity and length of the story I felt it was

necessary. I do hope that you enjoy it...

Do you see the working of the Holy Spirit in your life on a…

Continue

Hello! My name is Jeff Brown and I'm with the Vineyard Ministry fellowship and Outreach Center in Doniphan,Mo. We've rented the old Ben Franklin building on Washington St. and we're in the process of

establishing an ongoing ministry there centered around supporting people

with drug and alcohol addictions in their efforts to find deliverance

by establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ. As God allows we'd

also like to expand into other areas including couples…

Continue

Tomorrow I'm speaking on Jesus, the Center of Our Faith. It may seem strange to say that Christ is the center of Christianity. But this needs to be said, for far too often Christ has been forgotten in Christianity.





There can be no doubt that Jesus was at the center of the early Christian movement. Nothing else could generated the fiery zeal, compassion, love, and martyrdom of the first followers of Jesus. Nothing else could have caused a movement to begin with. Passion for… Continue

Jesus has many names. Here are a few of them listed below.

God - Jesus is the almighty God who became human for us (John 20:28). Immanuel - Immanuel means "God with us." In Jesus, God came to be with us as he became human, and he is still with us today (Mt. 1:23; 28:20)

Lord/Master - Jesus is Lord, master, the one to whom we owe our obedience--not Caesar or any other earthly power (John 1:1, 14). Messiah/Christ - Messiah means anointed one. In biblical times, prophets,…

Continue

There has been much talk about those who have shown up to "tea parties" and town halls to protest government spending and the current health care bills. Principally, the question has been, is this a genuine grass roots movement? Or are these merely events manufactured by political groups.



I'm sure that there are elements of both. But for my part, I see people who have never gone to political functions going to them. I don't condone… Continue

Ok. The title of this post is a bit strange, but have you ever considered this question? What traits do you find attractive in another person, male or female? Other than looks and good personal hygiene, what do we look for in a friend? As Christians, we are to have a reason for the hope we have and we are not to be ashamed of the gospel. We are Christ's representatives and the way in which we face each day and the choices we make signal to non-Christians what we "really" believe. Do we really… Continue

Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost, authors of The Shaping of Things to Come, have a new book out called ReJEsus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church. Here is an excerpt from amazon.com's editorial review:



"ReJesus asks the following questions:

* What ongoing role does Jesus the Messiah play in shaping the ethos and self understanding of the movement that originated in him?

* How is the Christian religion informed and shaped by… Continue