RENEW.org Daily

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/bob-russell-on-being-a-disciple-making-grandparent/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ At our 2025 RENEW.org National Gathering in Indianapolis, longtime minister Bob Russell spoke on the joy and importance of being a disciple making grandparent: If you want to learn more about being a disciple making grandparent, here are some resources you’ll find helpful: The book The Disciple Making Grandparent, by David Upchurch and Daniel McCoy (with one chapter centering on an interview with Bob and Judy Russell) A free preview of The Disciple Making Grandparent, by David Upchurch and Daniel McCoy To access more 2025 Gathering recordings, click here. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/10-reasons-i-go-to-church/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ I’ve heard it said, “We aren’t called to go to church. We are called to be the church.” Halfway true. Here’s the problem with that statement. Being and going strengthen each other. I can’t imagine how the being part of my walk with the Lord would strengthen if the going part of my walk with the Lord were fading. Going and being are not opposed to each other. They help each other. Furthermore, gathering is part of what the word “ekklesia” means. (Strange to argue against it.) Here are ten simple reasons why I go to church weekly. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/can-a-growing-church-still-feel-like-family/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ In 2012, I had back surgery that left me sidelined for months. I secretly looked forward to the rest—books to read, movies to watch, naps to take. But what I didn’t expect was how isolating it would be. Ministry had always been full and busy, but in recovery, the silence was deafening. That season of unexpected loneliness opened my eyes to a deeper need that runs through our churches: People are aching for family, not just activity—connection, not just attendance. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/what-is-biblical-manhood-part-2/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Editor’s Note: We live in an era of confusion and hurt when it comes to the question of what it means to be a real man. Should we see manhood as a fluid social construct? Should we define it according to societal ideals such as power and machismo? Should we see traditional masculinity as toxic? Does the Bible give guys guidance on these questions beyond just being nice and going to church regularly? In this 2-part series, Mike Ackerman, professor of New Testament and church planting at Ozark Christian College, delves into what the Bible teaches about manhood, showing its answers to be both nuanced and deeply helpful (for Part 1, click HERE). These articles are adapted from a sermon Mike preached on the topic at Ozark Christian College. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/what-is-biblical-manhood/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Editor’s Note: We live in an era of confusion and hurt when it comes to the question of what it means to be a real man. Should we see manhood as a fluid social construct? Should we define it according to societal ideals such as power and machismo? Should we see traditional masculinity as toxic? Does the Bible give guys guidance on these questions beyond just being nice and going to church regularly? In this 2-part series, Mike Ackerman, professor of New Testament and church planting at Ozark Christian College, delves into what the Bible teaches about manhood, showing its answers to be both nuanced and deeply helpful. These articles are adapted from a sermon Mike preached on the topic at Ozark Christian College. When God created humankind to be his image bearers, he decided to create them male and female. In his wisdom, he felt that the best way to represent himself in the world was for there to be two genders. If God says that what he made is good, then we should celebrate what he made as good. In Genesis 1:31 after he made everything, he looked at it and said “very good,” and so it’s good for us to do this. In this particular sermon, I’ve been asked to talk about biblical manhood. Let’s just acknowledge this is a difficult topic. This is challenging for a variety of reasons. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/our-summer-sun-and-winter-fire/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter are seasons that we walk through, both literally and figuratively. The most evident seasons are winter and summer. The summer season of life is easy and feels refreshing. The winter season can be a time that may include family drama, hard work, and other life challenges. Add in the snow, ice, and gloomy days that can bring the winter blues. The seasons can be hard to get through with everything in life, and it can be hard to remember to put the hope we have in Jesus Christ to the forefront of our minds. Author G. K. Chesterton said that “Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate.” Jesus isn’t just with us on the good days, he is with us through the bad days and darkest valleys, too (Psalm 23:4). We are never alone in any season. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/household-gods-on-our-tendency-to-worship-family/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Have you noticed that parents have been acting a bit crazy? The parents getting ejected at youth baseball games for harassing the umpires; The parents losing their minds at school board meetings. The parents schlepping their kids around suburban hotels that exchange uniformed weekday business travelers with briefcases for weekend uniformed children with soccer balls. The parents who insist money is tight while throwing birthday parties that look like Circus Circus vomited in the front yard. Child-focused anxiety plagues every region, every social group, and affects both sides of the political aisle. It’s all a bit much. There is a temptation to create lives where we don’t just love our children; we worship them. We arrange our lives around their calendars; we pack social media timelines with their accomplishments; we cancel plans because of their bottles, bedtimes, pickups, and playdates. Nobody will argue with us. Few would have the audacity to call us out for loving our kids too much. But that doesn’t mean we are right. In fact, if our purpose in life is centered around our kids, we might be missing God’s true purpose for us. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/theology-has-consequences/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Theology has consequences. What we believe about Jesus will always show up in how we live. Our theology shapes our anxiety, our purpose, our priorities, our relationships, and our mission. That is why studying Scripture is never just an intellectual exercise. After we study a passage and understand what it meant to the original audience, we ask a simple question: So what? Because theology has consequences. Years ago, Build-A-Bear was a big deal. You could customize everything about the bear—its fur color, voice, clothes, softness, accessories, even the heart inside it. You built the version you wanted. Left on our own, that is exactly what we do with Jesus. As authors Kyle Idleman and Mark Moore put it, we create a “Build-A-Jesus.”[1] We customize him into someone who looks like us, thinks like us, votes like us, approves of what we approve of, and never says anything uncomfortable. We put the voice box in him so he only speaks the words we want to hear that make us feel good. And then we wonder why we feel spiritually weak, anxious, purposeless, and exhausted. Good theology has good consequences. Bad theology has bad consequences. The reason we so easily drift toward a false Jesus is because of sin. Ever since Eden, humanity drifts toward remaking God in its own image (maybe that’s why it’s at the top of the Ten Commandments). That is why we desperately need Scripture. The Bible—and especially Paul’s letter to the Colossians—exposes the Jesus we want and confronts us with the Jesus we need. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/jesus-in-hebrews-3-and-in-islam/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Jesus Christ is one of the most talked-about—and argued over—figures in all of religious history. Both Christianity and Islam respect Him, but they tell very different stories about who He is and why He matters. When you put Hebrews 3:1–7 next to what the Quran says about Jesus (Isa), the differences don’t feel small—they feel sharp and unavoidable. These aren’t just two perspectives that slightly overlap. They’re moving in completely different directions. To really understand the tension, you have to look at how Hebrews describes Jesus, how Islam understands Him, and why Christians can’t accept that Islamic picture. In Hebrews 3:1–7, the writer tells believers to focus their attention on Jesus, calling Him both an apostle and a high priest. That already sets Him apart, because it shows He was sent by God and also stands between God and people as a mediator. Then the passage compares Him to Moses, which would have grabbed the attention of any Jewish audience. Moses was deeply respected, but the author makes it clear that Jesus is greater. He uses the image of a house—Moses is part of the house, but Jesus is the one who built it. And if God is the one behind everything, that puts Jesus in a very unique position. By the end, the point is unmistakable: Moses is a servant, but Jesus is the Son. That distinction is much bigger than a minor theological detail. It changes the entire way Jesus is understood. A servant can be faithful, honored, and entrusted with important responsibilities, but a servant still operates under another person’s authority. A son—especially an heir—occupies a completely different position. It’s the difference between someone who works within the household and someone who ultimately possesses it as his inheritance. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/peter-on-the-hot-seat/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ If you ever find yourself in Rome, wander about a half mile northeast from the Colosseum along the Via De Fori Imperiali, and you will find yourself about a stone’s throw from the Mammertine Prison. One of Rome’s most infamous dungeons, it was originally carved into the bedrock 700 years before Christ as a subterranean water cistern. It’s a cold, damp, circular room just over 20 feet in diameter and no more than 6-7 feet from floor to ceiling. Prisoners were lowered in by ropes through a hole in the ceiling and left there to shiver through the cold Roman winters. Some Christian traditions suggest that both Peter and Paul were eventually held here awaiting their executions. It is unlikely that Peter was in Mammertine when he wrote his first epistle, but he was in Rome, and he would have been well aware of the horror stories of those who had dared to stand against the Roman imperial machine. Against this backdrop, Peter writes his letter, knowing that every word could become evidence against him in Rome’s quest to stamp out the new “Christian” movement. We should not take Peter’s words lightly, “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:14b-15a, NIV) If you ever find yourself in Rome, wander about a half mile northeast from the Colosseum along the Via De Fori Imperiali, and you will find yourself about a stone’s throw from the Mammertine Prison. One of Rome’s most infamous dungeons, it was originally carved into the bedrock 700 years before Christ as a subterranean water cistern. It’s a cold, damp, circular room just over 20 feet in diameter and no more than 6-7 feet from floor to ceiling. Prisoners were lowered in by ropes through a hole in the ceiling and left there to shiver through the cold Roman winters. Some Christian traditions suggest that both Peter and Paul were eventually held here awaiting their executions. It is unlikely that Peter was in Mammertine when he wrote his first epistle, but he was in Rome, and he would have been well aware of the horror stories of those who had dared to stand against the Roman imperial machine. Against this backdrop, Peter writes his letter, knowing that every word could become evidence against him in Rome’s quest to stamp out the new “Christian” movement. We should not take Peter’s words lightly, “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:14b-15a, NIV) Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/the-sovereignty-of-god/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ The best way to frame up our discussion of God’s sovereignty is to ask this question: Are there things that happen in the world that are contrary to the will of God? Most of us would instinctively say yes. Jesus’ model prayer, what we call the Lord’s Prayer, seems to indicate that there are. Otherwise why would he teach us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10b)? But Calvinism answers the question of whether anything happens contrary to God’s will with an emphatic no. Everything that happens in the world is ordained by God and part of his sovereign will. Here’s the way the Westminster Confession puts it: “God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.”[1] In answer to question 7, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, says, “The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.” Notice that all things are ordained by God and are therefore according to his will. Everything that happens is what he planned and decided would happen. A. W. Pink explains that God “has determined in Himself from all eternity everything which will be.”[2] So, everything that happens in the world is according to God’s will, and there is nothing therefore that is not according to his will. This perspective is essential to how Calvinism understands God’s sovereignty. According to Calvinism, anything less than this would mean God is not sovereign. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/3-ways-to-support-a-missionary-well/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ “Hey, we’re supporting a missionary. How can we help? What are ways that we could support you?” I love that over the 18 years I’ve been living cross-culturally, so many people have wanted to support us and have asked how they could help. Anyone who has been on the mission field for any amount of time knows there are things people do that are really helpful—and some things that are not so helpful. Let me just give you three ways to support a missionary that I promise will be helpful no matter what. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/courage-in-a-secular-world/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ In a span of thirty-five years that Congress spent six trillion taxpayer dollars in a failed attempt to upgrade American economic life, an astonishing decline occurred in our social life. In the time U.S. population increased by 41 percent, violent crime leaped by 560 percent and welfare spending by 630 percent. While spending on education increased 225 percent, SAT scores dropped 76 points. And a generation of sex education, designed to prevent unwanted pregnancies, staggers in disgrace under a 419 percent increase in out-of-wedlock births![1] An unsettling anxiety besieges our future. For the record, Americans have often felt gloomy about the future. By 1736, settlers in Dedham, Massachusetts had hit the wall. What would become of them, the settlers worried? Kenneth Lockridge, in The First Hundred Years of a New England Town, noted that a limited amount of land in the town’s grant, communities breaking away from the original grant, and improvident farming methods were three of several more reasons for the negative feelings. John Quincy Adams also expressed doubt about America’s future in 1839, a mere fifty years after Washington’s inauguration. In 1901, his grandson Henry Adams gave America 50 years to live. Then, in 1914, he noted that “no one anywhere expects a future.” In 1963, with Camelot awhirl with the superficialities of the Kennedy years, 59 percent of Americans said they were “dissatisfied with the honesty and standards of behavior of our people.” That was before JFK’s amorous sexual appetite became widely known. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/get-em-in-the-river-but-how-do-they-stay-there/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ We say we want people to follow Jesus. But are our lives actually making them want Him? “You can guide a horse to a well, but you can’t force it to drink. However, you can add salt to its oats.” That line sits in my grandpa’s journal, and I keep coming back to one question: How salty is my life? Sometimes you don’t realize the weight of something until after the fact. I wrote the article “Get ‘Em in the River” before leading our current seniors on a mission trip back to Puerto Rico. But it was on that trip that I actually saw what happens when people step into the river. Before going into a tourist area to pray with people, we gathered in the van. We took time to be still and ask God for a name, an image—anything that might help us know whom He wanted us to approach. What came to my mind was Hebrews 11:6 (NLT): “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Not exactly inspiring…more like convicting. I knew it was a gentle rebuke. God was about to expose my lack of faith in His power at work in these students. We say we want people to follow Jesus. But are our lives actually making them want Him? “You can guide a horse to a well, but you can’t force it to drink. However, you can add salt to its oats.” That line sits in my grandpa’s journal, and I keep coming back to one question: How salty is my life? Sometimes you don’t realize the weight of something until after the fact. I wrote the article “Get ‘Em in the River” before leading our current seniors on a mission trip back to Puerto Rico. But it was on that trip that I actually saw what happens when people step into the river. Before going into a tourist area to pray with people, we gathered in the van. We took time to be still and ask God for a name, an image—anything that might help us know whom He wanted us to approach. What came to my mind was Hebrews 11:6 (NLT): “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Not exactly inspiring…more like convicting. I knew it was a gentle rebuke. God was about to expose my lack of faith in His power at work in these students. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/theres-no-such-thing-as-luck/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ On Good Friday in 2009, I went for a run on the local greenway in Murfreesboro, Tennessee—my hometown. There were tornado watches that day, but in Murfreesboro tornado watches are common. It’s easy to ignore them. As I did that day. The first two miles along the wooded greenway were uneventful. But when I turned around to head back to the car, it began to rain. No worries, I thought. I was wearing a new rain jacket. I’d be fine. Then, halfway back to the car, lightning began to strike around me. I knew it was serious, but I assumed I could wait it out. I crouched down the slope beside the trail, near the river. After a moment or two, I heard a rumble in the distance. At first, I didn’t recognize it. It sounded like a train—but something about it was different. The hairs on my arms began to stand up. My gut churned with a sudden sense of dread, even as my mind tried to make sense of the deep, rolling sound. Whatever it was, it was getting louder—and it was moving fast. There’s no way that’s a tornado, my head said. But it was. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/the-church-needs-revitalization-and-planting/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ For the past several decades, church planting has arguably been one of the great success stories of the North American church. Entire networks have been built, leaders trained, funding pipelines established, and faithful mission fueled through the planting of new congregations. We should thank God for that. Many of us have a place we call our home congregation today because someone had the courage to plant a church where there wasn’t one before. And yet, as grateful as I am for the planting movement, I’m increasingly convinced that the next season of faithfulness for the Church will require a renewed imagination for revitalization alongside planting—not in competition with it, and not as a replacement for it, but as a complementary expression of the same gospel mission. This conviction hasn’t come to me primarily through research or theory, but through lived experience. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/sons-in-search-of-answers/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ It’s almost Father’s Day 2026. What rises in your mind as you bite into that thought? What visions erupt in your imagination? Where in the spaces between the proverbial good, bad, and the ugly does your heart land? How do we make sense of these heroes and ghosts in our lineage? What are we to do, and what can we do? The questions are valid and, in some cases, essential. So, let me invite you to step up to the plate and take a swing at understanding who “father” might be, who we might be because of the one who has gone before us, and what, if anything, we can do about the journey we are on. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/if-god-is-good-where-is-he/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Have you ever been asked, “If God is good, where is He?” This is something I have been thinking through lately. I have family and friends who have recently gone through cancer diagnoses and treatments, the loss of loved ones, and other hardships that can be encountered as one navigates life. Two of my friends are reflecting on Psalm 3:5 as they are navigating their difficult circumstances. A natural reaction to unexpected hardship is to ask the question, “If God is good, where is He when life isn’t good?” At its core, I understand this struggle. Watching someone you care about hurt is hard to reconcile with a belief in a God who claims to love. Seeing violence and disasters on the news makes it difficult to believe that God is in complete control. Even just the simple struggle of wondering why God doesn’t just appear in the sky to remove any doubt, instead of wanting us to search Him out in the ways He has already revealed Himself. It can all seem overwhelmingly difficult. I have heard it put this way: “If there is a God, either He isn’t all-powerful or He isn’t perfectly good.” This is something that a lot of people wrestle with and will continue to do so on this side of heaven. David’s response to his hardship with the reminder that God sustains him in his sleeping and his waking, I think, gives us a clue about the answer to these questions. I think we can approach an answer from two directions: dealing with pain and remembering who is in charge. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-inspired/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Christians have faith that the Bible is inspired by God. With deep humility, we trust that God has revealed himself through Christ, and that the testimony of the early Christians is trustworthy and true. The Bible’s contents have been put to the test for two thousand years and still survive, indeed they thrive. No other piece of writing in all of history has endured the scrutiny applied to the Bible. But how do we know it’s inspired by God? Not every reason persuasive to Christians will be persuasive to everybody else. But here are some of the reasons that have convinced Christians throughout the centuries that the Bible is inspired by God: Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/disciple-making-tactics-can-and-should-vary/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Jesus’ tactics varied widely. He spoke to large crowds, spent much time with his disciples and confronted religious hypocrisy. He healed people and cast out demons. But his varied tactics all linked together in a continuum. Each part fit with all the other parts, pointing toward a common goal—the kingdom of God. In order to reach nations at “the ends of the earth,” Jesus first gathered a substantial crowd, then culled out all but a few people. Settling on 12 men and a few women, he singled out just three—Peter, James, and John—for His inner circle. From these few, He launched the greatest movement in human history. Unfortunately, we struggle to find evidence in the book of Acts that these three, who were closest to Jesus, engaged in disciple making the way He did. They must have made disciples, but if they did, their activity is not recorded in Acts. We do see a natural progression of growth in the deacons Stephen and Philip. However, there is nothing concrete to say that their growth was the result of one-on-one contact with any of the apostles. It looks as if the apostles were so busy running what had quickly become a mega-church that they had little time for disciple making. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/fasting-a-surprising-journey-into-joy/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Fasting: A Surprising Journey into Joy Desperation led to a new spiritual rhythm. In a season of overwhelming burden, the author turned to fasting and found unexpected peace and clarity through surrender. Weekly fasts reshaped her spiritual focus. As she practiced this discipline, moments of hunger became reminders to seek God’s presence with greater intentionality. Letting go made space for deeper love. Releasing emotional and spiritual weight empowered her to lead, disciple, and care for others with greater freedom and joy. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/review-of-daniel-darlings-in-defense-of-christian-patriotism/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ “America is living through a crisis. But it’s probably a crisis you haven’t noticed. It’s a crisis of ingratitude.” These are the first words of Daniel Darling’s book In Defense of Christian Patriotism. This line brought to my mind an embarrassing experience I had several years ago. My wife and I were on a Caribbean cruise. There was a loud karaoke bar located near the middle of the ship where every evening guests at various levels of intoxication would embarrass themselves and entertain everyone else with their personal rendition of their favorite songs. One evening, my wife and I were walking past the karaoke bar and heard someone croaking out the words to the Lee Greenwood hit “Proud to be an American.” If there were such a thing as Independence Day carols, this song would certainly be near the top of the list. I’ll admit that I don’t really like that song. It always struck me as overly sentimental and cheesy. So, when I heard this song coming from the bar, I cynically smirked, grabbed my wife’s hand, and led her quickly there. I did NOT want to miss it. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/advice-id-give-my-younger-self/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ I’ve only ever worn a purple robe once in my life—the day I graduated high school. I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, and attended Lathrop High School. Our colors were purple and gold. It didn’t exactly intimidate the other sports teams when we walked out wearing what looked like interpretive dance outfits. Anyway—go Malemutes! It’s been sixteen years since I walked across that stage and received my diploma. Looking back, I can’t help but notice how different my life looks now than I thought it would back then. My plans were significantly disrupted by God calling me into vocational ministry. I certainly had no idea I would spend my life serving as a pastor in Boise, Idaho (though at least we have famous potatoes). Since then, I’ve had the privilege of discipling many teenagers and young adults through mentorship and small groups. It often makes me wonder: what if I had the chance to speak into my own life at that age? If I somehow found a time machine—Marty McFly style—and could sit down for coffee with my younger self, what would I say? Here are a few things I’d tell him. Maybe they’ll resonate with you—or with a graduate you know. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/practices-of-top-disciple-making-groups/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Recently, I was shopping around for a new car (and by new, I mean used, but new to me). I am not much of a car guy, but it was pretty clear from the beginning that not every make and model of car is created equal, and the price often reflects that. As I began asking around, so many people pointed me towards Toyota vehicles because they last for so long. I finally stumbled across a 2010 Toyota Camry with only 110k miles and felt like I had hit the jackpot for what I needed (sorry, Ford fans). Listen for more! Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew.org/app-download/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/obedience-based-reproducible-models/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Imagine a disciple making model so simple a teenager could lead it in a school cafeteria, a new believer could start it in a living room, a prisoner could lead it in his prison unit, and a recovering addict could reproduce it in a halfway house—with no staff, no budget, and no special training. If your model can’t do that, it may be good ministry—but it’s not multiplication. If it isn’t reproducible by teenagers and new believers, it’s not disciple making; it’s a dependency factory. Jesus never asked his disciples to master theology before they could make disciples. He sent them out while they were still learning. He taught them through doing, not just hearing. And when he commanded them to make disciples of all nations, he expected them to pass on what they’d received—immediately, simply, and practically. The early church understood this. They didn’t require seminary degrees or a complex curriculum. New believers turned around and made disciples. Ordinary people—fishermen, tax collectors, former prostitutes—reproduced what they’d learned because the model was simple enough to pass on. Somewhere along the way, we made it complicated. We turned disciple making into programs requiring trained professionals. We created systems so complex that only the educated could navigate them. We made disciple making a class to attend instead of a life to imitate. And then we wondered why multiplication stopped. Level 5 churches have recovered something the early church never lost: the power of simplicity. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/5-sources-of-endurance/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ 5 Sources of Endurance – Building Strength in Faith 5 Sources of Endurance emphasize that God, Scripture, and prayer provide the foundation believers need to persevere through trials. Hope in Christ inspires endurance, allowing Christians to press forward even when challenges seem overwhelming. A heart grounded in joy and trust helps believers endure hardships with resilience and grace. Endurance is the ability to withstand difficulties. Endurance can be defined as the “continuing commitment in the face of difficulty” (Baker Evangelical Dictionary). Boy oh boy, do we ever have our share of difficulty! Have we seen “continuing commitment in the face of it”? Well, we’ve heard many inspiring, heroic stories of people enduring extreme situations on the historical world stage. And we also have the witness of those believers in the New Testament who endured spiritually. When I think of endurance, my mind often goes to the world of sports, because of the intense training athletes undergo in order to compete. How as Christians can our capacity to endure increase? Let’s allow Scripture to answer our probing questions. From Scripture, we learn 5 sources of endurance: Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/a-meditation-on-ephesians-429/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Before launching into this post, I need to acknowledge that I struggle with my words. In my writings, I wrestle publicly with ideas in the hopes of arriving at some clarity. That doesn’t mean that I have everything figured out. In the case of “taming the tongue” I have a long way to go. My favorite author is G. K. Chesterton, who possessed the unique ability to lay waste to a mountain of foolishness with one razor-sharp aphorism. For instance, he once said, “Tolerance is the virtue of people who do not believe in anything.” This is true, but it also bites. This is why Chesterton is revered by many but reviled by some. I will never be Chesterton, but in my juvenile attempts to emulate him, it is tempting for me to put the bite over and above the truth. I’ve always been drawn to those who are eloquent in the language of irony and sarcasm, to those who are skilled at fighting with their words. Venkman in Ghostbusters. Stark in Avengers. Solo in Star Wars. I know that doesn’t make me special. Those are most people’s favorite characters. I’m merely recognizing that to actually live like these characters will invite trouble. It is with that necessary preface, then, that I offer this brief meditation on Ephesians 4:29. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/10-tools-for-biblical-interpretation/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Biblical interpretation is a virtual science these days. Many PhDs are granted each year in this impressive academic discipline. Scholars study genre—looking at forms, styles, and particular audiences. They look at the context of texts. They examine authorship. They construct chronologies to determine the precise dating of texts. These are just at the tip of the iceberg of an enormous body of scholarship that is collectively known as biblical hermeneutics, also known as biblical interpretation. But you don’t need a PhD in order to use hermeneutical tools to understand the Bible better. Here’s a quick “top ten” list of hermeneutical tools we can all use: Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/addiction-understanding-the-brain-and-neuroplasticity/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ What is our answer as Christians to the problem of addiction? Before I even attempt to provide an answer, I find it very helpful to start with providing a solid understanding of what happens in the brain of an addicted person. As human beings, we experience pleasure from what keeps us alive: we eat a meal and feel good; we sleep and feel good; we work out and feel a rush of goodness. We are rewarded in our bodies, so we continue certain behaviors, which is how God designed our bodies to work. He understood that we needed rewards to complete behaviors and achieve goals. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/summary-of-romans/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Here is a short summary of Romans: Paul wrote Romans at the end of his third missionary journey to establish the church in Rome in apostolic teaching so they could be a launchpad for his ministry further west. He had also been made aware of the disunity among the churches in Rome, so he wrote to ground the Roman Christians in the gospel’s teaching that all people are justified by faith in Christ and thus there is one people of God composed of believing Jews and Gentiles who walk by the Spirit. Therefore they must welcome one another and glorify God together. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/church-elders-spiritual-warfare/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Spiritual warfare is real. As Resources Director for e2 effective elders, I get to help field questions from church elders. Besides “where do we find new elders” and “what’s elder governance,” an increasingly common question posed to us goes something like the following: Someone in the church has asked us to come pray over her new house and her kids as they start this new chapter in their lives. She’s fairly new to our church, but she also told us when she asked for prayer that she and her daughters are mediums—and not at all positively! She sounded defeated when she said it, like they don’t want to be mediums and see spirits, but they do. Scratches sometimes appeared on the walls of their previous home, they would find things out-of-place from where they’d been left, and lights would inexplicably flicker. How do we pray for her? Spiritual warfare is real and elders are front-line shock troops. Elder governance, one of e2’s primary coaching topics with churches literally around the world, is structured around “5 P’s.” Those 5 P’s are: Prayer, Preaching, Policies, Pastoral Care, and Protection. This article is all about protection (and in a broader sense, prayer and pastoral care). Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/making-disciples-in-my-circles-of-concern/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ If we plan on discipling people into a relationship with Christ, it is probably best that we look first at people nearby. I like to identify people in terms of circles of concern. These may be concentric circles in that you are closer to certain people than others. But they may be more sporadic than concentric in that you are probably quite close to a few people in widely varying areas of your life. These are multiple circles of concern. Here’s an idea for us to consider. Have you heard how lifesaving stations worked prior to the development of lighthouses? It’s an interesting history. Certain treacherous stretches of coastline took many lives until someone came up with the concept of a lifesaving station. A lifesaving station consisted of a few volunteers and a boat. These volunteers made it their business to rescue sailors whenever a storm would drive a ship onto the rocks near their homes. They operated somewhat like a volunteer fire department. They didn’t concern themselves with the whole ocean, only those struggling nearby. You might have called their territory a circle of concern. Though fire towers and, eventually, lighthouses replaced life-saving stations, I believe the concept still retains merit for the Church. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/review-of-andrew-rilleras-lamb-of-the-free/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ The aim of Lamb of the Free (Cascade Books, 2024) is to argue against penal substitutionary atonement (PSA). This shouldn’t surprise anyone. It has become in vogue to question or to dismiss PSA, even to the point of labeling it divine child abuse. It’s true, there have been poor formulations of PSA, but the basic idea is that in his death, Jesus bore the penalty for our sins. That’s a pretty basic and fundamental understanding of one of the atoning purposes of Jesus’ death. In fact, nothing is more central to the Christian faith than the atonement which is why evaluating this book is so important. What’s more, this book has attracted all sorts of attention, especially online among YouTubers and podcasters. In fact, just last year John Mark Comer created quite a stir when, to be provocative on his Instagram, he raised the question if this book was the final blow against penal substitutionary atonement. The reaction Comer received was so great that he had to issue a restatement and clarification on his Instagram. You can find a number of mostly positive reviews of Lamb of the Free on YouTube. Spoiler alert: I have been spending a lot of time in the books of Exodus and Leviticus for recording the latest episodes for The Listeners Commentary. As a result, I found the reading of this book combined with the number of glowing popular reviews of it online to be a frustrating and head-scratching experience. The book makes a number of errors that seem so obvious that I find it hard to understand how those errors can be missed or ignored. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-above-reproach/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Have you seen the movie Hoodwinked? It’s an animated movie in which the story of Little Red Riding Hood is told from four different-but-complementary perspectives. (If the hour is late and you need a quick illustration for how the Four Gospels tell the same basic story from different perspectives, it’ll do.) One interesting facet of Hoodwinked—that may or may not be significant by the end of the movie—is that a bunny rabbit keeps making random appearances throughout the movie. You wouldn’t think much of the quiet, unassuming rabbit except that he keeps popping up at important parts of the movie. And so it goes with the phrase “above reproach” in the New Testament (also translated “blameless” or having “nothing against them”). We might miss the phrase altogether—except that it keeps popping up in important parts of the New Testament. It’s the first qualification of an elder that he be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6). It’s a criterion for being a deacon (1 Timothy 3:10) as well as a charge from Paul to the evangelist Timothy (1 Timothy 6:14). Perhaps most importantly of all, it’s what we need to be true of us “on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8). Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/so-you-want-to-be-a-shepherd/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Be a Joiner, a Team Player, and a Collaborator This is a team; not a competition among individuals. Most of the best ideas won’t come from you, and that’s probably for the best. Excellent teams are not the ones with the great ideas; they are the ones with the most energy behind the good ones. Having an entire leadership team aligned around a B- initiative is more than enough to help a church flourish. Don’t let perfection get in the way. Just join. Encourage the Ones Who Currently Serve This is not like Congress, where the way to get a seat is by criticizing the incumbent. The current shepherds may not be smarter than everyone else, but they do know more about the role. Great shepherds are encouragers; aspiring leaders should start exercising that muscle. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/practical-postmodernists/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Many Christians today consciously or subconsciously let their personal experience determine their interpretation of the Bible. It’s easy to make that mistake. Any Bible study group accidentally encourages it when they proceed on the basis of, “What does this verse or text mean to you?” A Bible passage’s significance or application might vary from person to person—but the passage means what it means. It honestly shouldn’t matter what a Bible passage “means” to us until we determine what God meant by it in the original context. And only when we are syncing our understanding with what God meant in the original context should we apply it to ourselves. By skipping that crucial step—sincerely seeking what God meant to communicate—we too easily let our feelings and experience determine our interpretation. Perhaps I’m calling out something that isn’t a problem in many of our churches today—but I fear it is a very real problem. Do any of these sound familiar? I need to be baptized for the forgiveness of my sins? But I already feel saved without it. Sex only in marriage? But we’re in a committed relationship. In fact, we’re engaged. Evangelize? But this person already seems like they’re saved, even if they don’t technically believe in Jesus. Tithing? But I feel good giving $10 from each paycheck. Regular church attendance? But I feel I can’t say no to these other weekend obligations. We’ve heard that Christians can sometimes be “practical atheists,” but I’m seeing more and more “practical postmodernists” among us. “Postmodernism” is a philosophy that views truth claims suspiciously, favoring a personal or tribal experiential view of “truth.” We can see its influence wherever truth becomes whatever resonates with how people feel—validated or invalidated based on their personal experience. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/whats-sunday-really-for/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Back in the 1950s, the Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz discovered a fact of nature everyone should know: ducklings, it turns out, are gullible. Arriving in the world without any innate picture of what a mother duck should look like, they imprint on the first moving object they see after hatching. If it happens to be their mother, all goes swimmingly. But if it’s a red balloon drifting across the barnyard, they will fall in line just the same, and that first impression orients them for life—which is either a joke played by nature’s God or a parable waiting to be overheard. Now, granted, Christians are not ducks—Jesus likened us more often to sparrows, after all. But it is safe to say we are no less impressionable than sheep. And very often the traditions we first encounter ossify into a stubborn expectation of what Christianity is and must be—whether their origin is biblical, cultural, or merely idiosyncratic. Small wonder, then, that for many the “worship service”—their church’s pattern of hymns, prayers, offering, sermon, and communion—becomes something like a red balloon. Whether raised in pews or “born again” in a gleaming “worship center,” we take those first communal practices as definitive. Flyers advertise “worship times.” “Worship leaders” summon us with a “call to worship.” In some traditions, even the benediction before dismissal takes this form: “We pray our worship has been pleasing and acceptable to You.” And when the church reinforces—sometimes implicitly, sometimes explicitly by linguistic habit—that what we do in the assembly carries the special provenance of “worship,” set apart from the rest of life, the impression only deepens. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/should-a-christian-attend-a-same-sex-wedding/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ It is an honor to be invited to someone’s wedding. It speaks to trust, love, loyalty, and friendship. It means those who invited you value your relationship and want you to celebrate with them in their special life event. But if the invitation comes from a gay couple, should you, a Christian, accept it? The matter only becomes more confusing if the invitation comes from a family member. Some say yes. Some would argue that a Christian should attend. If our goal is to eventually bring these people to Jesus, how can we do that if our friends or family feel slighted and offended by our absence in one of their life’s biggest moments? Are we destroying the relationship we’ve worked so hard to build? Our absence would speak louder than our presence. Besides, refusing would mean not imitating Jesus, a friend of sinners who showed his love and acceptance by sharing life with them (see Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34; Matthew 9:10–17; Mark 2:15–22). Some say no. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/god-who-comes-near-hebrews-2-and-the-gospels-contrast-with-islam/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ The Hebrews author provides us in 2:14–18 with some remarkable Christology. The necessity of the Incarnation is discussed, along with Jesus’ death and the role of Jesus as High Priest. These are some of the most important and essential doctrines of Christianity. They speak to the atonement, the work of Christ, and the security of our salvation. Placing these truths from Hebrews over and against Islam makes them even more poignant. The question at the root of this consideration is: How does God relate to humans? Christianity teaches that God comes near to us, suffers for and with us, and saves us through His sacrifice. Islam teaches that God is near in knowledge, power, and mercy, but denies that God could draw near via Incarnation. This makes Hebrews 2:14–18 a text that is in direct opposition to Islam, and at the same time, a great encouragement to Christians. Hebrews 2:14 (ESV) reads, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things.…” The doctrine of the Incarnation, that Jesus became a human (John 1:14; Philippians 2:6–8), is fundamental to Christianity. The Greek word meteschēken (μετέσχεν), “partook,” means total participation. The Incarnation is necessary for three reasons. First, for revelation: Jesus in the exact imprint of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3); in Him we do not simply know about God, but we know God (John 14:9). Second, for redemption: Only by becoming a human could Jesus be a substitutionary atonement for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Third, for relational nearness: Jesus is Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23), not a God who only forgives as he wishes and does not provide a sacrifice. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/how-much-do-you-believe-the-gospel/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ “. . . We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations.” (Romans 1:5, ESV) From that verse, did you catch what counts as the end zone for Paul? What Paul is aiming his life (and his readers’ lives) toward? The goal is right there in the opening to Paul’s letter to the Romans: Jesus’ name among all the nations. The vision is nothing less than world gospelization. Paul says he’s an apostle of Jesus—through whom we receive grace and apostleship to call all nations to faith in him. To that end, the goal in this article is to call each disciple of Jesus reading this to leverage your life for world gospelization. I would compel each of you to leverage your skills, time, money, prayers, connections, students, congregants, children, and (for some of you) your place of residence for world gospelization. Why? It’s because that’s the resounding “therefore” we get when we read Paul’s letter to the Romans. Romans begins and ends with “all nations.” It begins and ends with people coming to faith in Jesus from all over the world. Through hearing the gospel, they come into a life of obedience to God—obedience that comes from faith: “. . . to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations.” (Romans 1:5b, ESV) “. . . the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith.” (Romans 16:25b-26, ESV) Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/we-need-a-better-conversation-about-ivf/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ In 2005, Lewis Black was headlining the Radio and Television Correspondent’s Association Dinner, when he decided to address the politically-oriented crowd with a bit of sardonic levity. “I’m sitting with distinguished Democrats, distinguished Republicans,” said Black, “a group of people who can’t even agree on what the facts are anymore.” It wasn’t just politicians, Black continued: “It’s difficult to figure out what the facts are now.” Take the case of Terri Schiavo, proffered Black. The tragic case of a woman living in a persistent vegetative state involved a widely-reported dispute between Terri’s parents and her husband about whether to remove her feeding tube. The case became a political football, with arguments—and evidence—presented from widely different perspectives. “I have never seen anything quite like [it],” bellowed Black. “One set of doctors that said, ‘Well, she’s brain dead,’ and the other set of doctors said, ‘Well, she could be dancing by Thursday.’” The dispute was about the most fundamental question in existence. “One said she was dead and the other said she was alive,” concluded Black. “If that’s where modern medicine is at…and if that’s where facts are at, we’re in trouble.” A recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court concerning the status of IVF-created embryos in a wrongful death suit lit a firestorm of emotionally-charged rhetoric highlighting a real dispute about the most basic elements of the case. IVF is a pro-life venture, said one side of the aisle; IVF inevitably leads to murder, said the other. The positions could not be more stark. In 2005, Lewis Black was headlining the Radio and Television Correspondent’s Association Dinner, when he decided to address the politically-oriented crowd with a bit of sardonic levity. “I’m sitting with distinguished Democrats, distinguished Republicans,” said Black, “a group of people who can’t even agree on what the facts are anymore.” It wasn’t just politicians, Black continued: “It’s difficult to figure out what the facts are now.” Take the case of Terri Schiavo, proffered Black. The tragic case of a woman living in a persistent vegetative state involved a widely-reported dispute between Terri’s parents and her husband about whether to remove her feeding tube. The case became a political football, with arguments—and evidence—presented from widely different perspectives. “I have never seen anything quite like [it],” bellowed Black. “One set of doctors that said, ‘Well, she’s brain dead,’ and the other set of doctors said, ‘Well, she could be dancing by Thursday.’” The dispute was about the most fundamental question in existence. “One said she was dead and the other said she was alive,” concluded Black. “If that’s where modern medicine is at…and if that’s where facts are at, we’re in trouble.” A recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court concerning the status of IVF-created embryos in a wrongful death suit lit a firestorm of emotionally-charged rhetoric highlighting a real dispute about the most basic elements of the case. IVF is a pro-life venture, said one side of the aisle; IVF inevitably leads to murder, said the other. The positions could not be more stark. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/convictional-leadership/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Church leaders have come to the same realization—your congregation is only as passionate about making disciples as you are. It’s a sobering thought. A clarifying one. And for many leaders, a moment that reshapes everything. Because here’s the reality: your church will never rise above your own personal commitment to making disciples. Sit with that for a moment. Read it again before moving on. Let it settle into the places where excuses tend to grow. If personally and relationally making disciples who make disciples isn’t showing up in your calendar, shaping your conversations, or directing your decisions, then it’s not truly a conviction. It’s merely a belief you mentally affirm, a line you agree with but don’t build around. And beliefs, however true, don’t transform churches. Convictions do. Somewhere along the way, many churches have drifted. We’ve learned to celebrate attendance more than obedience. We’ve prioritized relevance over reverence. We’ve built ministries that dazzle the eye but rarely multiply the heart. Some have substituted Jesus’ mission for their own ambitions. And all the while, the command Jesus gave us—to make disciples who make disciples—slides quietly out of view. The issue isn’t that churches don’t want to make disciples. The church doesn’t have a disciple making problem. The issue is: the church has a leadership conviction problem. Church leaders have come to the same realization—your congregation is only as passionate about making disciples as you are. It’s a sobering thought. A clarifying one. And for many leaders, a moment that reshapes everything. Because here’s the reality: your church will never rise above your own personal commitment to making disciples. Sit with that for a moment. Read it again before moving on. Let it settle into the places where excuses tend to grow. If personally and relationally making disciples who make disciples isn’t showing up in your calendar, shaping your conversations, or directing your decisions, then it’s not truly a conviction. It’s merely a belief you mentally affirm, a line you agree with but don’t build around. And beliefs, however true, don’t transform churches. Convictions do. Somewhere along the way, many churches have drifted. We’ve learned to celebrate attendance more than obedience. We’ve prioritized relevance over reverence. We’ve built ministries that dazzle the eye but rarely multiply the heart. Some have substituted Jesus’ mission for their own ambitions. And all the while, the command Jesus gave us—to make disciples who make disciples—slides quietly out of view. The issue isn’t that churches don’t want to make disciples. The church doesn’t have a disciple making problem. The issue is: the church has a leadership conviction problem. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/helping-our-students-navigate-doubt-deconstruction-and-faith/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ I’m not sure about you, but I sense a spark of revival taking place in our country right now. The name of Jesus is being proclaimed, and people are being saved. Our God is truly on the move. That said, our enemy is also at work. In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of what some have called a new wave of “fresh atheism,” often coming on the heels of something known as deconstructionism. For those unfamiliar with the term, here is a helpful definition: Deconstructing Christianity is the process of critically examining and dismantling traditional or deeply ingrained beliefs, doctrines, and practices in order to evaluate their truth and relevance. This process is often triggered by doubt, disillusionment with the church (such as racism, abuse, or hypocrisy), or personal experiences. The goal may range from rebuilding a healthier, more authentic faith to abandoning faith altogether. Unlike simply rejecting Christianity outright, deconstruction involves intentional questioning of core beliefs, authority, and cultural interpretations. People walking away from their faith is nothing new—it has been happening for centuries. What feels different today is how these ideas are being rebranded in ways that are appealing, trendy, and particularly influential among younger generations. Over the last few years, we’ve unfortunately seen students drift away after being shaped by clever social media videos that claim to “expose” the church as dishonest or out of touch with history and science. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/walking-through-a-psalm-of-resurrection/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Psalm of Resurrection and God’s Surprising Grace Psalm of Resurrection reveals dramatic reversals. David experienced God’s power turning near-death into life, sorrow into joy, and silence into singing. This psalm points to Jesus. As the resurrection and the life, He demonstrated God’s restoring power through Lazarus and at the empty tomb. Believers are called to sing. Our faith responds with worship because God transforms despair into celebration and mourning into dancing. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/how-does-jesus-death-save-me-from-my-sins/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ How would you answer the question, “How does Jesus’ death save me from my sins?” Here’s the answer we’ll explore: “Jesus became like us so that we can become like him. Though perfect, he became human, died in our place, and was raised from death to life. When we place our faith in Jesus, our old self dies and we are raised to a new life, in which we are saved from sin’s penalty, power, and, one day, even its presence.” Now, let’s walk through this answer. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/what-it-takes-to-call-out-unrighteousness/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ What does it take to correctly call a beloved cultural custom “unrighteous”? To call a lewd TV show everyone’s watching unrighteous. To call a dishonest yet winning style of leadership unrighteous. To call what everyone else calls “sexual liberation” unrighteous. What does it take? I would have answered that you need a couple things: an accurate moral compass and a lot of courage. That’s true and if you stop reading now, those aren’t bad takeaways. This week, I learned about a third thing that helps. If you have it, it can sharpen your compass and fuel your courage. This week, the Chicago Bulls let guard Jaden Ivey go from their team. The reason? According to the headlines, it was due to “anti-LGBTQ comments.” Like most headlines, the explanation was misleading. The reason was actually the word “unrighteousness.” In an Instagram video, Ivey used the word three times to describe having to celebrate LGBTQ+ in the Bulls’ Pride Night. Here was the offending clip: “They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA. They say come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. To celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness.” It’s ironic that as of 2025, the NBA had fined 9 players a total of $616,000 in the last 14 years for anti-gay slurs—no firings though. Ivey’s was no slur, just an ethical statement about Pride Month, but apparently it crossed a line beyond fines. He’d called a cultural custom “unrighteous.” Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/who-is-hannah-in-the-bible/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Hannah lived at the end of the period of the Judges (approximately 1100 B.C.) in Israel. The Bible records her story in 1 Samuel. Many women (and their husbands) will relate to Hannah’s story because she was barren. Even though their society had rejected God (“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” according to Judges 21:25, ESV), Elkanah and Hannah were faithful followers (1 Samuel 1:3). Elkanah was a Kohathite of the tribe of Levi (1 Chronicles 6:33-35) and lived in the hill country of Ephraim (which is why Elkanah is also called an Ephraimite; see 1 Samuel 1:1). As a Kohathite, Elkanah’s life revolved around the tabernacle, caring for the furniture, including the Ark of the Covenant. Various families in the clan would take turns fulfilling these duties (Numbers 3:30-31). The tabernacle was in Shiloh which was centrally located to enable the various Israelite tribes access to worship and sacrifice, especially during feast times. Elkanah lived in Ramah which was 15 miles south of Shiloh, and he and his wife made the yearly journey to “the house of the Lord” with their offerings. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/get-em-in-the-river/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ Ever since I sat in a river named Río Espíritu Santo in Puerto Rico last year, my approach to discipleship has shifted slightly. The river’s name in English literally means “The Holy Spirit River.” I mentioned this river briefly in another article, but throughout the past year I have found myself returning to that moment again and again. As I sat in the current, one simple phrase kept coming to mind: “Get ’em in the river.” Let me explain. As I sat there in the water, I could feel the current gently moving my body. It made me start thinking about the power of water. Water cuts through the ground over time. It smooths the rough stones along the riverbed. It brings life to the land along its banks. Animals gather around it to drink. Earlier that day our group had been working in the tropical heat with no running water. Sitting in that river revived us. There is something soothing about the sound of running water. There is a freshness in the air around it. As I sat there observing all of this, the name of the river seemed more and more fitting. A river is a powerful picture of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is always moving. He shapes and molds the lives of believers. He cuts through hearts of stone. He brings life, joy, and renewal. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/hearing-god-in-a-culture-of-instant-answers/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ We live in an instant answer culture. Google has trained us to expect answers now! However, the answers it gives are based more on algorithm than truth. AI is training us to search for answers through “dialogue” with a machine and to do so instantaneously. Over my years as a ministry leader in churches and non-profits, the question I have been asked most often has been some variation of, “How can I hear from God?” Rightly so, Christians want to hear from God for questions about their life, especially the big ones like marriage, career, and kids. The issue is that the instant accessibility of information today is training us to want clarity now. We want an answer from God like the one we get from AI. We don’t want to wrestle with a decision; we just want to be told what to do. And if we are honest, we would really like it to be what we already wanted anyway. Hearing God rarely happens on the timeline of instant results. It happens in a relationship. Scripture insists God is not silent. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27, ESV). Paul said, “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16a, ESV). If God speaks and Scripture is His breath, then hearing God starts with Scripture where we meet and hear a Person who loves us dearly. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW

Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/how-a-16-year-old-taught-me-most-of-what-i-know-about-disciple-making/  This is an audio version of a written Article from RENEW.org Check out other great articles on RENEW.org here: https://renew.org/articles/ The morning sun was already doing its thing as we sat on super-heated metal chairs in the church parking lot. I was a 19-year-old college freshman faced with the daunting task of keeping four junior high boys interested in a Bible story while sitting under the sizzling San Fernando Valley sun. My introduction to teaching Sunday School was no picnic. Without the benefit of a roof over our heads or even the shade of a tree, about all we managed to do was make friends. Their names were Dan, Jeff, Dudley, and Jimmy. More than 40 years later, I am still in relationship with three of the four. Dan Boyd is now the pastor of a large church. His brother, Dudley, is a successful businessman and Christ-follower. Jeff Miller is a church administrator. The only one I’ve lost track of is Jimmy. Listen for more... Join RENEW.org's Newsletter: https://renew.org/resources/newsletter-sign-up/ Join RENEW.org at one of our upcoming events: https://renew.org/resources/events/ Get the RENEW.org App -- https://renew-app-page.bolt.host/  Be sure to like, subscribe and follow on social media!  You can find us on: Instagram: @the.renew.network  Facebook: Renew.org  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RENEWnetwork Twitter: @therenewnetwork TikTok: the.renew.network  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/RENEW