July 2017

The Habitat of Scripture

As someone raised in the Church of the Nazarene by committed Nazarene parents and grandparents, the Bible has always been central to my life and my faith. Growing up, I studied the Bible in my daily devotions, in Sunday school, in Bible quizzing, and in Vacation Bible School, just to name a few. Family game nights often were spent playing Bible trivia. The Bible was always something to be studied and learned.

Ask the Right Questions

“How is your church doing?”

We get this question a lot. In many seasons of life it’s a welcome opportunity to testify to the goodness of God. Unfortunately, there are also seasons where this question evokes nothing but dread. We think of families leaving our church, finances dwindling, or arguments over music style or carpet color—and we feel small, inconsequential, a failure.

That’s why we suggest thinking through this situation by talking about . . . golf.

Why HOW Doesn't Matter Much

The Christian faith is founded upon the faithfulness of God. On page after page of the Old Testament, God demonstrates His faithfulness. He is the God who can be trusted. He is holy love. He will always to be true to Himself. “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9 NRSV).

Consequently, ancient Israel knew God would be faithful, though fulfillment often came in surprising forms.

Not An Escape

The Church of the Nazarene has always avoided adopting a particular position concerning end-time events. It has consistently affirmed the basic belief in the second coming of Christ as the consummation of history. Like the Apostles’ Creed, which is the classically accepted summation of the essential elements of the Christian faith, it simply affirms the belief that Jesus Christ “ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”