Solus Christus, In Christ Alone
Solus Christus, “Christ Alone” for salvation is Christianity’s central scandal. How could anyone make such an exclusive claim and still be considered the foundation of love and justice? Well, let’s agree for argument’s sake that Jesus did make, or at least could have made, the claim that he is the only way to God. Does it still seem unfair to a world of multiplicity of religions? One way to approach this seemingly intolerant attitude is to ask what the logical alternatives would
Faith Alone?
This Sunday, we’ll be looking at the issue of faith and considering these and other questions: What role does human effort play in the life of faith? What is the place of “good works”? The New Testament often repeats that good works (deeds) are a necessary part of the Christian’s life, but different answers have been given in various branches of the Church as to what that means. The answer will determine all of earthly life for us because there
A Reformation Quiz
This Friday, if trains run on schedule, our family hopes to be attending the Ligonier Regional Conference in Lutherstadt Wittenberg (www.ligonier.org/events/2017-regional-conference-wittenberg). This year celebrates the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. Since we had fun with the last quiz, I have one on the Reformation. We’ll check our answers together again on Sunday. This Sunday, we’ll be focusing on Acts 17 and considering: -What are the world’s misperceptions of Christian faith? -Can the Gospel be rationally defended? -How did the early church preach the Gospel
How God Guides Us and a Quiz on the Book of Acts
This Sunday’s Bible study will be on Chapter 16 of Acts. The three points we’ll be focusing on are: 1. How God guides us and “God-incidences.” 2. How he cares for the unbeliever. How he draws them to himself. 3. How the first church in the history of Europe was founded. Not every coincidence in life comes from heaven, but it’s true that God loves coincidences, or "God-incidences." He seems to thrive on creating circumstances that cause people to say, “That was
Faith and Grace
It’s summer—children, youth, and parents are excited to begin a relaxing holiday time! Many of our church families are away, either returning to be with family and friends in their home countries or enjoying the beauty of God’s creation here in Europe. Our summer worship schedule begins this Sunday, 30 July and will run until Sunday, 3 September. There will be Bible study and prayer for adults. We’ll be considering chapters from the books of John, Acts, and Romans and how
Fears and Phobias
They have it all together. How many times have you thought that or heard someone else say it? People around us would probably be surprised to discover the kinds of fears we keep deeply buried away inside us. And no doubt we would be equally surprised to know theirs. I decided to do some research and made a short list of some serious and some funny ones that I found on the web: Ablutophobia—Fear of washing or bathing. Agoraphobia—Fear of open spaces or of
Dwelling in the Shelter of God
The idea that we can call out to God and he’ll hear us is so much a part of our Christian culture. We cling to this promise, and the Bible affirms this truth. It is our understanding of God's nearness that transforms our lives. When Jesus began his teaching ministry, one of the first things he wanted his followers to know was that God desired to be understood as the heavenly Father, who was accessible to his creatures. Through Jesus, God
Should a Christian Even Go to Church at All?
This might sound like an odd question, particularly from a pastor who’s trying to grow a new church, but it was one I was asked: Where does a Christian go to worship and serve God in Starnberg, or even Munich? It’s not easy to find a church that fits with what we were raised with, our style, or our schedule. This is true. If we were to choose a church of a mainline denomination, we might not understand the language or we
Ascension: Not Just Another Holiday!
Dear Friends, This Sunday, the sermon title will be “Ascension: Not Just Another Holiday!” Using Scripture verses from Psalm 121:5-8 and Acts 1:1-11, we’ll be discussing God’s Providence and what it means for us in the here and now. The word “Providence” isn’t self-explanatory—it sounds a little technical, and maybe even be a bit too ponderous to draw our attention. So the best way to answer the question is to start with real-life examples of it: An elderly man in his car
Resurrection? I’ll Believe That When Caterpillars Fly: Ten Reasons to Believe in Resurrection
“That’s just impossible! Since it flies in the face of everything we know, you’d have to be an idiot to believe in the resurrection.” I hear this sort of thing all the time, and it’s often spoken as though it’s the very essence of bear-trap logic. The only sensible response I can think of is something like this: “You’re right, you’d have to be an idiot to believe in the resurrection or any of miracles of the Bible, but only if
