If you go into your local "Christian" bookstore, you’ll find a plethora of self-help books with titles like, "Living Your Best Life Now," "The Secret to Success," and "The Fine Arts of Living." What these books all have in common is that they have little foundation in Scripture. So save your money and instead join Stephen as he shows us from Romans 12:12-13 the "Fine Arts of Godly Living."
It's easy to make a routine of church, isn't it? Every Sunday we might help in the nursery, lead a bible study, go to a service, and sing in the choir, and while these are good things, they sometimes cause us to view Church as a series of programs rather than an assembly of people. In Romans 12 the Apostle Paul interrupts our Christian routines to remind us what 'Church' is really all about.
The Apostle Paul gives us a simple challenge in Romans 12:9 that could change our homes, our churches, and our world if we would take it seriously. "Abhor what is evil ... and cling to what is good." Will you take that challenge to heart today?
The book of Romans has been considered by many scholars and theologians throughout the ages to be the magnum opus of all Paul's letters--as well as the pillar of Christian doctrine and practice. So in this message Stephen reveals to us why this book is not only essential for Christians . . . it is essential for Christianity.
When Paul says in Romans 1:16 that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe, did you know that the Greek word he uses for 'power' in that passage is translated 'dynamite' in English?! Paul is saying that the Gospel isn't just power . . . its explosive power! And he watched it explode in the lives of thousands of men and women throughout his ministry. So if you're feeling weak or ineffective today in your own outreach, this is a message you don't want to miss.
Have you ever witnessed a riot in the parking lot of your church or been threatened by an angry mob of civilians? For us, that would be extreme persecution. For Hudson Taylor, that was just another day at the office!
Hudson Taylor was a 19th century Protestant Christian missionary who is known for his work in China. He was born in England in 1832 and grew up in a devout Christian household. After a conversion experience at the age of 17, he felt called to serve as a missionary and spent much of his life working to spread the Gospel in China.
Taylor was the founder of the China Inland Mission, an organization that focused on sharing the Gospel with people in China. He faced numerous challenges and setbacks throughout his ministry, including persecution, illness, and financial difficulties, but he remained dedicated to his work and deeply loved by those he served.
Taylor is perhaps best known for his innovative approach to missionary work, which included living among the Chinese people, wearing traditional Chinese clothing, and learning the Chinese language and culture. He believed that by adopting these practices, he could more effectively share the Gospel with the Chinese people and demonstrate the love of Jesus to them.
Throughout his life, Taylor remained deeply committed to his faith and his calling to serve others. He is remembered as a courageous and selfless missionary who dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel and serving others. His legacy lives on through the many lives he touched and the ongoing work of missionaries in China and around the world.
The relationship between faith and works has proved a confusing issue for centuries. But it didn't just begin in the protestant reformation under Martin Luther. No. It began during the time of the Apostles. So let's listen in now as Stephen takes us back to Romans 1:5 to discover not only why True Faith Works . . . but how it works.
