Category

How do we know what to believe? Is all truth relative? Does God communicate truth to us, and if so, how? The Christian message is that we can know the truth, and, as Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” Read More →

It is contrary to our human nature to want to be foolish.  Therefore, it is a challenge when Paul writes about the message of the cross being foolish and being fools for Christ. Read More →

You have a glorious future! But what if the present is not so great? Our ultimate destiny can shed new light on today and can inspire us in our earthly journey. Read More →

How do we get to heaven? Can people who are not Christians go to heaven? The Bible gives a clear – and perhaps surprising – picture. Read More →

Will we see our loved ones in heaven? From the prophets to Jesus to the book of Revelation, the Biblical Word puts forth the vision of “the feast of heaven,” which tells us a great deal about the destiny that we have through Christ, and how we are to live with one another now. Read More →

Many people today, if they think of hell at all, take it lightly; or they think of hell in simplistic terms. The real Biblical picture pushes us to think more deeply—to take hell seriously and to see the real hope that we have through the grace of Jesus Christ. Read More →

You don’t hear much about hell nowadays. And yet there are many places where we have hell on earth! What does the Bible say about hell? There is in fact deep wisdom in Biblical teaching on this subject – and real hope. Read More →

Is there a hell? We don’t like the idea of hell. It makes us uncomfortable, and since we would rather avoid uncomfortable things, we avoid thinking about hell. It also bothers us that some preachers in years past have used hell as a motivator—with a “scare ‘em into heaven”... Read More →

How can you know for sure that there will be life beyond the grave in heaven? Many today would doubt the whole idea of an afterlife. But the Bible points to how we can have confidence in the promise of life eternal through Christ. Read More →

What is heaven like? The Bible gives us marvelous imagery, which points to the real nature and glory of heaven, with implications for our lives now. Read More →

Is heaven only future? Or can something of heaven take hold in our world now? Human beings seem far from heaven in many respects! But the Bible proclaims that as we trust in Christ we can begin to experience today something of heaven on earth. Read More →

Do people enter heaven at the moment of death? Or is there some kind of “resurrection at the last day” at the end of time? There is much confusion on this subject, but it all makes sense when we get the Biblical vision of eternity—a vision that can help us to comprehend events in... Read More →

The Bible rejects the two most common ideas that people have today about death—that death is simply annihilation, or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, that we have an “immortal soul” which by nature will never die. The Bible proclaims resurrection, which takes seriously both... Read More →

Human beings have speculated for ages about an afterlife, but is there anything to it? In the Bible, speculation is rejected. Biblical writers took a very skeptical view toward notions of life beyond death. Only a clear revelation and action of God could give reason to believe... Read More →

It’s one thing to talk about living a life of faith and love; it’s another to able to do it, especially when we are facing enormous challenges, and all sorts of temptations and distractions in life. God gives us the answer through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Read More →

In this special United Methodist Women Sunday message, Judith Nedel narrows down the expectations God has for His children. Read More →

Animals only talk in Disney movies, right? So what do we do with a Bible story in which a donkey speaks? Some of the most unusual Biblical stories carry a very important message for life today. Read More →

What is love? Our contemporary culture provides us with many shallow images of love; but we get the true and full picture in God’s Word, and especially in what Christ shows us on the cross. Read More →

Is the goal of life to be happy? If so, why is that goal so elusive, especially in a society as prosperous as ours? Perhaps we need to hear afresh the words of Jesus, “Those who lose their life . . . will find life.” The way of the cross points us on the path to a meaningful and... Read More →

How does God feel about worship, and what is the appropriate way to honor God? In “God and Solemn Assemblies,” Rev. Denton explores the prophets for answers to these questions. Read More →

Modern culture encourages us to ignore death and run from death, yet this results in all sorts of foolishness in life. Christ faces death squarely and opens the way through death so that real life – eternal life – can begin for us now. Read More →

Is Easter the simple declaration that you get to go to heaven when you die? In fact, Easter is the dramatic conclusion of a great spiritual battle which unfolds on the cross, as Christ confronts all the powers of sin, evil, and death. There would be no Easter if it were not for... Read More →

If Jesus is Savior, what can you expect of him? Jesus works in a way that is different—and far more powerful—than what many expect. Read More →

The best answer for those without housing is to help them to have a home! Habitat for Humanity has carried out this mission very effectively across our country, and the work of Habitat has recently been revived in our county. Rachel Kerns, who began as executive director in 2014,... Read More →

The cross is a bloody affair, and then Christians “drink Jesus’ blood” and “eat his body” in Communion. Yikes! What is this all about? The symbolism of the cross and Communion speaks profoundly about how Jesus brings us into new life. Read More →

God has a great concern for disadvantaged children! This led church leaders in years past in America to establish orphanages, which in recent decades have transitioned to an even tougher challenge of helping today’s troubled youth. Hear the story of how we are at work through... Read More →

As with Abraham when he journeyed through the middle east, our faith journey involves a divine impulse; some tentative testing; a leap of faith. Read More →

This seminar explores the historical and theological backstory of the current “Points of the Cross” sermon series. Dr. Palmer leads participants through the key ways in which the great theologians of church history have “explained” what is happening on the cross. We will see how... Read More →

How can the cross be construed as some sort of victory? Isn’t Jesus’ death a defeat? In fact, the cross brings real and lasting victory because of how Jesus meets the powers of evil. Through the cross, we can find victory as we confront the powers of evil in today’s world! Read More →

The exhibit “Led the Way” by Ann Schierhorn, KSU professor emeritus of journalism, recognizes the sacrifices and perseverance of eight African American students who desegregated the Tallahassee, Fla., public schools during the civil rights movement. The students, who... Read More →

This week, we celebrated Youth Sunday, a service where our teens have an opportunity to lead in music and worship for the full service. This year’s theme was Made, using Psalm 139 as an inspiration. Here are three messages from Emma Herman, Ryan Dean, and Zach Wight, followed by... Read More →

We know God’s concerns because God tells us! In a fast-moving Bible study, Dr. Palmer will take us from Moses through the Biblical prophets to Jesus to discover the “heart” of God. Please visit Soundfaith to view a video of the presentation slides with the audio.... Read More →

Jesus received a mixed reception as the messiah. What was expected, and what did the world actually get? Read More →

In this Ash Wednesday sermon, Dr. Palmer discusses Jesus’ final words on the cross and what they mean for us today. Read More →

Humanity is clearly off kilter—we are out of sync with the goodness of God! How can our lives be set aright? We find the complete answer in the cross. Read More →

Why can’t God just forgive us without the cross? Is the God of the Christian gospel a bloodthirsty deity, demanding human sacrifice? To the contrary, when the cross is rightly understood, it is the ultimate enactment of God’s love. On the cross, God acts, at one and the same... Read More →

Does the cross make any sense? How can the crucifixion of a man 2,000 years ago save us? Many people today are not quite sure what to make of the cross. But in fact, the cross connects with us in a powerful way. It is, as Paul said, “the wisdom of God and the power of God.” Read More →

The way into a positive future may appear blocked, as firmly as the way was blocked for the people of Israel as they hoped to go to the Promised Land. But God can open the way. Read More →

God’s healing power can restore us, and that power can be at work in unexpected ways! Read More →

There is a “river of life” that flows through the Scripture—a powerful image of God’s power to refresh, cleanse, and enliven our spirits. Read More →

The story of the visit of the wise men portrays Jesus as a direct challenge to political authority. The wise men come to honor “the king of the Jews,” and it is not Herod. Herod responds with violence, but the power of God is stronger. The story proclaims that above all political... Read More →

We live in frightening times. But at the center of the Christmas story is the proclamation: “Fear not!” Read More →

It is now traditional that the Christmas story and nativity scenes include shepherds. It can be easy to forget the role of shepherds in the society of the day, and exactly what it meant that God included them in the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Read More →

On our most difficult journey, God is with us. This message, declared early in the Old Testament, comes to its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who is Emmanuel – God with us. Read More →

Is the gospel absurd? The apostle Paul, in I Corinthians, said that the gospel message appeared as “foolishness” to the “wise” of his day. Indeed there is paradox—apparent absurdity—at the heart of the proclamation about Jesus. How can the power of God be evident in the birth of... Read More →

As the people of Israel faced apparent disaster, the prophet Jahaziel declared, “Fear not, be not dismayed, for the battle is not yours but God’s, and the Lord will be with you.” The people moved forward in faith, giving thanks to God even before a victory, and... Read More →

Even when it seems that our troubles are insurmountable and that God is absent, we are called to persist in faith, for God is at work and will provide. Read More →

These have been “stormy times” in American politics! Many people are unhappy with both major party presidential candidates. What are people of faith to do when the nation’s leaders are flawed? We receive helpful and sound guidance in the Biblical prophets. Read More →

If we feel overwhelmed by the world’s troubles and our own shortcomings, the answer is not despair but faith. As we look to God, we can find new direction and vision. Read More →

In the book of Genesis, God granted Jacob a new name. God’s name is then part of Jacob’s new name, “Isra-el”. For the rest of his life, he will be carrying that name with him. When we allow God into our lives, we too are challenged to remember what a great responsibility it is to... Read More →