Logos StaffIn this article, you'll learn how to write a topical sermon, including picking the topic, using the right tools, polishing your message, and more.
The new year always brings with it the anticipation of hope—whatever defined last year can change in this one. New Year’s resolutions usually involve aspirations of self-improvement, like exercising, losing weight, or saving money. But what if...
Guest AuthorI’m going to lay all of my cards on the table right here at the beginning: I wholeheartedly, unreservedly, and unashamedly believe that every church should have a plan in place to care for its guests.
Ryan Nelson“What you say and how you say it aren’t disconnected ideas,” says Micah Ellis, the design director at Faithlife. “They aren’t separable.” Communication is more than the words you choose. Tone, body language...
Our team scoured all books from acclaimed Christian publishers released in 2021 and picked our favorites—everything from commentaries to biblical languages to practical ministry and more. Best new Lexham titles Wonderfully Made: A Protestant...
Each year, Christianity Today announces their “picks for the books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture.” And for 2022, two Lexham Press titles—each focusing on a unique topic—were honored as finalists. First, in the Biblical...
Spiritual gifts can either seem like something for the early Church in ages long past . . . or like something so hard to pin down, they’re more to be accepted than understood. But after exploring which spiritual gifts are listed in the Bible (an...
Mark WardDoes the Christmas Bible story have anything left to tell us? Biblical scholarship is essentially a lot of very careful reading of very old, very familiar stories—with the goal of discovering something new in them. The well has not run dry. After...
Lexham PressThough the Gospels do not tell us exactly when Jesus was born, could the Star of Bethlehem—and when it first appeared—give us insight into what year it could be?
Like lighting Advent candles, Advent readings (for church services or personal devotions) provoke a pause from the everyday. There’s nothing quite like navigating the special weeks of Advent: preparation, anticipation, joy, and incarnation. ...
The star of Bethlehem is one of the most recognizable elements of the Christmas story, and yet its true nature and meaning are shrouded in mystery.
By James P. Chaisson, Ed.D. Introduction After his resurrection, as he was preparing to leave this earth and ascend to the right hand of the Father, Jesus told his followers, and by extension the church universal, to go into all...
Every year, Sunday school teachers spend time teaching the virgin birth. But pastors and small group leaders teach it too—and as a small group leader or pastor, you can dive deeper into Mary’s story and its applications. For one, faithfulness to God...
The annunciation is Gabriel’s prophetic announcement to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. However, in the past, some critics believed the idea of the Messiah as Son of God was a Graeco-Roman concept that Christians picked up after...
Bible Study MagazineIn this excerpt adapted from the November/December issue of Bible Study Magazine, Stephen G. Dempster, author of Dominion and Dynasty: A Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible, provides a big-picture overview of the story of the Old Testament.
Often when reading the birth narrative of the Christmas story, we filter what the Bible says through our twenty-first-century Western mindset. Combined with images from church nativity plays, holiday cards, and Christmas movies, we’re left with a...
The Christmas season provides a unique opportunity for your church to connect with people in the community. And social media is one of the greatest tools we have to promote what’s happening in the life of our church.
Ryan RotzIn this article, Ryan Rotz reflects on the unexpected Advent lessons he’s learned from the notorious historical figure, King Herod. Explore advent and Christmas resources in the Logos Christmas sale. King Herod the Great is known by most...
Peter KrolSadly, the daily news plods forward with report after report of some Christian leader’s downfall. Some such cases arise from sexual impropriety. Others center on the abuse of power. Yet others involve financial mismanagement, unresolved conflict, or...
Christians understand the meaning of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem . . . but there’s so much that’s hazy in our imagination and understanding of the details. Popular Christmas songs, Christmas movies, and Christmas media have given us the wrong idea...
Matthew BoffeyWith all the preparation you’re putting into your Christmas services, don’t forget one of the most important elements: presentation slides. What should you keep in mind as you build your service slides for Christmas and Christmas Eve? Here are five...
Happy Thanksgiving! As the smells of turkey and stuffing waft through homes across the United States, it’s the perfect time to thank God for his kindness and faithfulness to us. “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful...
A while back I was working on a project, and I needed help. I was looking for insights Bible readers have gained into Scripture by comparing English Bible translations. The lone rule was that you couldn’t know Greek or Hebrew. I mentioned this...
Christmas! It’s one of the best times of the year—especially for church outreach. And this year, that outreach may be even more important than ever. Many churches are shrinking. Carey Nieuwhof reports that “anecdotally, most churches find themselves...
Peter SantucciSoulcraft. It’s a word Eugene Peterson thought he’d coined. It was the intended title for the book which became Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ. Little did he know Soulcraft would become the name of a Colorado...
Lindsay John KennedyGiven that only two angels are explicitly named in Scripture (Michael and Gabriel), it is unsurprising that they have garnered a lot of attention, speculation, and reverence throughout the centuries—in both religious tradition and popular media.
Bible commentaries are one of the best ways to dive into the details of Scripture. But maybe you’ve been intimidated by the sheer number of sizes of commentaries (some are over a thousand pages). We’ve broken down the different kinds of commentaries...
Lots of people want their Bible translations to be “literal.” But what does “literal” even mean? The NASB has called itself “the most literal” English Bible. The CSB calls itself “highly literal.” My own church’s ESV is “essentially literal.” The...
Jesus’ own townspeople in Nazareth mistook who he was, as did Herod, Mary Magdalene, and even Peter. But did John the Baptist misunderstand Jesus? In this excerpt adapted from the September/October 2021 issue of Bible Study Magazine, Joseph R...
Peter J. Leithart opens Reflecting on the Word: Video Devotionals (Year C) by exploring the Church calendar and why it’s valuable for believers. Video excerpt and transcript below. Human beings are temporal creatures, but this doesn’t simply mean...