Body of Christ

God Loves Gatherings

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:20 Yesterday, we talked about the amazing truth that Jesus chooses to make His home in us, His followers. Thus, when two or more of us gather together, we experience His presence and see new facets of His love through others. In fact, as I write this, I can’t help but remember the wonderful get-togethers at my Grandpa and Grandma Schuller’s house as I was growing up. Though ours was a big family and we didn’t all see each other often, when we gathered at Christmas and Easter, there was a wonderful sense of warmth and worship (my Grandma even had an organ built in the dining room so we could sing together at meals). I dealt with a lot coming from a divorced household and going back and forth between two parents, but

September 5, 2021 1 Comment

Perfection Not Required

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” – Mark 2:17 It’s probably unorthodox for a pastor to say this, but I want to have a church filled with sinners. There are plenty of congregations filled with saints and people pretending to be perfect, but I don’t believe that’s what the Body of Christ is supposed to look like. The church is not meant to be a country club of righteous friends who meet to pat each other on the back, but rather a gathering of thirsty, weary souls yearning for His Living Water. As disciples of Jesus, we’re broken people who want to be better, and we strive toward sanctification, righteousness, and Godliness. But most importantly, we receive the Lord’s love so we can love each other, especially

August 4, 2021 No Comments

God’s Greatest Blessings Are Beside You

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 When Hannah and I began to lead the college ministry at the Crystal Cathedral years ago, we did it as a team. However, as the months went by, she got busy pursuing a graphic design business, and our career paths drifted in different directions. In those days, I would attend conferences with various pastors and ministry leaders, and I would hear story after story from men whose wives — who were never there — were dealing with infertility, anxiety, or depression. I remember at the time thinking that this was strange, especially considering these men’s call to guide their families to God’s abundant life. Fortunately for me, a

June 28, 2021 No Comments

Forgiving Pharisees

“When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.” – Luke 7:36 For the past couple of days, we’ve looked at two of the four groups of “untouchables” whom Jesus willingingly touched — lepers and Samaritans, and today, I want to look at the third — Pharisees. Interestingly, when we read the gospels, the religious leaders and teachers of the law often appear more villainous than the most violent criminals. Perhaps this is because they were constantly trying to trap the Lord. Yet despite their general hostility toward Him and His teaching, He wanted them to understand the truth, so He welcomed them to learn of His heart. He responded to their accusations with bold words, yet He went out of His way to let them know that He cared about them. For instance, He met

May 23, 2021 No Comments

Belong Before You Believe

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” – Matthew 25:35 Yesterday, I shared that my family moved to Oklahoma when I was a teenager and how, even though the transition was tough, the Lord set me up for some great things in that season. In fact, one of the biggest blessings I found was a vital youth group. As a ministry of Church on the Move, it was one of the largest in the country and had well over 2,000 young people in attendance each week. They had their own building half a mile from the main church campus, and from the minute I walked in, I felt welcome. It was a high schooler’s paradise, and as I looked around, I saw industrial cages with guys playing

May 19, 2021 No Comments

Find Compassion in Community

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24,25 As we continue to grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, I think it’s more important than ever to become an active part of a church community. Thankfully, most congregations have adapted to the precautions demanded by this strange time in history, and many have online fellowship groups for those who don’t feel safe attending in person. Unfortunately, 2020 was a year of social isolation, and though it’s important to be prudent and cautious, it’s never good to be alone. In this age of technology, we’re blessed with numerous ways to connect with people, and while in-person interaction is always best, finding connection online

January 13, 2021 No Comments

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” – 1 Corinthians 12:27 When Paul called us the body of Christ, it wasn’t a metaphor, it was real. He literally meant that we are the body of Christ. Look at your hands. Whose hands are those? Those are your hands but those are also the hands of Christ because Christ is in you. Because of this, your hands are meant to bless, to hold, to embrace, to forgive, to be open, to be generous, to be life-giving. Even in our imperfections, Jesus can still shine through us and use us for ministry. Prayer Thank you, God, for allowing me to be part of your body. Shine through me and use me to affect the people around me with your glory. Reflection How can you be the body of Christ?

August 31, 2017 No Comments

Body of Christ

God Loves Gatherings

Perfection Not Required

God’s Greatest Blessings Are Beside You

Forgiving Pharisees

Belong Before You Believe

Find Compassion in Community

Body of Christ

Receive your daily eDevotional

Don't miss new updates in your email!

WATCH

CONNECT

SHOP

ABOUT

DONATE