Mary JahnkeHebrews 11:6 says “without faith it is impossible to please him.” Not unlikely. Not difficult. Impossible. Thomas a Kempis, author of The Imitation of Christ, wrote, “Faith is required of you, and a sincere life, not a lofty...
People have been asking, “Which Bible commentary is best?” for as long as anyone can remember. Learn what an exegetical commentary is—and seven exceptional selections.
Hope. It’s a word most of us overuse: “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” “I hope there’s a good parking spot open.” And, of course, “Hope you’re well!” as a pleasant (admittedly unoriginal) email intro. The Bible uses hope this way sometimes...
“Is this worship?” That’s not a thought I expected to have nearing the end of my first 15K race, but there it was. As I watched seagulls soaring overhead and one foot fell in front of the other, my reasoning went like this:...
“Repentance is a change of mind.” That was the first definition of repentance I heard early in my Christian life. It was important to me that I knew what it meant to repent because the Bible calls us to do it, as you’ll see in the Scriptures...
If Revelation were the first book of the Bible you read, you’d be very confused. Chronologically, it comes last. But what about the other books of the Bible? They’re not in order by date. (Most scholars believe Mark was written before Matthew, for...
Admitting this makes me cringe: too often, I gallop through my Bible reading as if it’s another thing to mark off my to-do list. It’s better than not reading the Bible at all, but I’m missing out on so much as I rush by. To help with that, I tried...
Christmas songs play nonstop on radio stations from Thanksgiving on (sometimes earlier!), but Christmas songs about Jesus are harder to come by. Here’s a list of Christian Christmas songs you can lead in worship at church or as you worship Jesus at...
Christmas hymns spring to mind as freely as coffee flows on a Sunday morning, but Thanksgiving worship songs can be harder to come by . . . Here are 24 to consider as you invite your congregation to “sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises...
Thanksgiving Day gets overshadowed by other holidays in store aisles, porch decorations, and people’s priorities—but preaching about thankfulness will always hold a place in the pulpit. Here are 14 sermon illustrations on Thanksgiving to help you...
Many of us read Luke 2 at Christmastime, but what Scriptures can we read at Thanksgiving? Here are 54 Bible verses about thanksgiving and gratitude to meditate on during the holiday season or take turns reading around the table on Thanksgiving Day...
Logos is built to help you dig deeper into the Word—but you can go about that in so many ways it can be overwhelming. I know. Even with the free version of Logos, I wasn’t sure where to go first. Then I got Logos Gold, and there...
According to Lifeway Research, “64% of churches either have nothing to assimilate new members, or no systemic plan to move people towards membership.” Imagine if that were true in the workplace . . . not a good start. Like onboarding and...
Every month, around 350 people search for “Bible reading plans PDF.” Nearly 12,000 people on average (and as many as 30,000!) search for “Bible reading plans” monthly. Here’s a great (free) option for every one of those people—and you too. Here’s...
Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” The same could be said for your church media. The right image can stop the...
What were 2021’s most popular worship songs? What about most popular sermon topics? Find out in the free 2021 Songs & Sermons Report for worship leaders, pastors, and anyone who’s just really curious. (Can’t blame you there.) Popular worship...
The definition of spiritual endurance (or “steadfast endurance”) is this: the power to withstand hardship or stress; especially the inward fortitude necessary. This definition from Logos Bible Software (Bible app and Basic package available free) is...
After 30 years, Logos still exists to equip the church to grow in the light of the Bible. Read about its creation and customer stories.
“Reading the Bible isn’t the same as studying the Bible.” I remember learning that as a kid, sitting in the far-left row of Mrs. Bucy’s Sunday school class. Back then, Bible study tools were printed Bibles, bulky concordances (and even bulkier...
New year’s resolutions are notoriously hard to keep, but two are absolutely worth the effort: reading the Bible more studying the Bible better Are those on your resolutions list? (Or, if you don’t make new year’s resolutions, two of your hopes for...
Many of us can remember sitting hunched over the kitchen table as a kid, toiling away at a stack of thank-you notes. We wanted to say thank you—but it seemed so hard to come up with an interesting way to express our gratitude. Years later, and that...
The number of atheists in the United States has doubled in the past 10 years (from 2% in 2009 to 4% in 2018–2019). The number of agnostics has nearly doubled, too—it’s now 5%. The world is becoming increasingly skeptical of Christianity. Are we...
“Spring forward, fall back.” That little ditty is how I’ve remembered the time change for more years than I’d care to admit. And even though I remember which way the time goes, I always need a reminder for when it’s happening. (This year, it’s...
“How is it this late already?” Finding a church staff member or volunteer who hasn’t asked that question is harder than finding strong opinions about pumpkin spice. Even deciding on one background photo for one announcement slide can take what feels...
Sometimes the easiest tricks are the best. You know, the ones that make you wonder “Where has this been all my life?” For example, did you know that keeping your ice cream box in a plastic bag keeps it soft and scoopable? Or that if you cut through...
First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing,” yet how many of us do? Prayer is so hard that unless circumstances demand it—tragic accidents, an illness, or saying grace at a meal—many Christians simply don’t. And without even...
My husband leads singing in our small church. Every now and then, he’ll ask me early on a Sunday morning, “What song is on your mind today?” Last Sunday, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” popped into my head. The first Sunday we couldn’t meet in person...
Faithlife sports quite a few remote-work pros from all over the United States (and other countries, too). But we’ve also got some remote-work newbies due to coronavirus social distancing. We’re all adjusting—trying to keep that community feeling and...
In times of crisis, people need community—especially their church community. But when a pandemic spreads or a hurricane hits, gathering together becomes more difficult (or impossible) for many churches. Here are some steps for taking what could push...
The start of a new year invites us to stop and reflect, doesn’t it? We think about the healthy habits we need more of . . . and the unhealthy ones we need less of. About balance and healthy rhythms. As I thought through how to achieve a healthier...