Leader Extras
I am so excited for the joy you will capture as you make your way through 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. I have often taught that it’s not the truth we know, but the truth we obey that really makes the difference. As we study together we will learn how to live out what […]
In Mark 10, we find the disciples learning a lesson the hard way. James and John approached Jesus with a simple request. They wanted to know if Jesus would allow them to sit by His side, one on the left and the other on the right. Their request revealed a selfish and personal ambition, to […]
As a Bible teacher, the hardest lessons for me to teach are the Christmas and Easter lessons. These are especially challenging because my group members are so familiar with them. What new thing can I possibly say? As teachers, we often feel the pressure to teach our group members something new—to tell them something they […]
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan and three of his aides were shot and wounded by a mentally disturbed man trying to impress a popular American actress. The assassination attempt set off waves of fear and uncertainty throughout the nation—indeed, throughout the world—as other government leaders scrambled to learn about the president’s condition and […]
Mark features several Gentiles in his Gospel account, emphasizing that Jesus came for all people. In chapter 7, we find two encounters that illustrate this point. We are told about a mother who sought out Jesus and fell at His feet. She asked that Jesus cast out a demon that controlled her daughter. Jesus explained […]
One thing is certain: the week before Easter Sunday is one of the biggest times of the year for a Christian. After all, many of the elements of the gospel are seen during that week: the curse of sin, Jesus’ death on the cross, His burial, His resurrection, and the response in faith. With all […]
“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.” These were the words of Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia in early 1800s. There’s some deep truth packed into that statement. First, it suggests missions is rooted in God’s mission. Second, if […]
Faith is not a single event. It’s a process, a journey. While the old saying is true that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, the journey doesn’t end after the first step. My wife and I learned this lesson when we hiked one of the popular trails in the Smoky Mountains […]
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus addresses what we call the “Unpardonable sin.” In Mark 3:28 Jesus defines it as blaspheming the Holy Spirit. To understand the context we need to go to Mark 3:11 which says that “Wherever the unclean spirits saw Him, those possessed fell down before Him and cried out, ‘You are […]
The lowering of the paralytic through a roof may be one of the more recognized events in Jesus’ life. We celebrate the four friends who brought their friend to Jesus, refused to let a crowd get in their way, and found a way to overcome. We praise the once paralyzed man who demonstrates faith in […]