The Board of Deacons?
Thursday, July 02, 2009, 11:50:44 PM | Steve Hall
Note (added 7/7/09): I have been told that the following article sounds like a negative attack on deacons in general. That was certainly not my intention!  Some of my best friends and some of the strongest Christian men I know are deacons! I realize that the Biblical office of deacon goes all the way back […]

Mark Driscoll–Reaction to a Controversial Man
Friday, June 26, 2009, 8:42:20 PM | Steve Hall
Mark Driscoll has become a quite a lightning rod. If you don’t recognize the name, he is a very young pastor of a church in Seattle, Washington(!) of 8000 members. And many people are coming into the kingdom of God as a result of his ministry. He is not a Southern Baptist, and, as far as […]

Poetry from Buck Bald
Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 8:21:54 AM | Steve Hall
I haven’t been to Buck Bald in several years. But in previous years I used to drive up there alone, just to have some quiet time with the Lord. (If you have never been to Buck Bald, it’s worth the drive! At the top you have  an incredible 360-degree view of the quiet and peaceful mountains […]

Thoughts for Dads–From a Dad
Sunday, June 21, 2009, 12:01:42 AM | Steve Hall
Fathers Day, 2009 Here are a few Fathers Day thoughts, arranged in no particular order, that I am praying might help all of us dads do a little better job as we try to carry out our monumental assignment of being the kind of dad that makes a difference in the lives of our kids. Ditch the […]

Coming Up Soon! Just Ahead!–Eternity
Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:49:05 PM | Steve Hall
I want to encourage you to use your memory for a few moments. Can you remember a time when you were eagerly looking forward to an event that seemed it would never arrive? Time seemed to move so slowly! I’m thinking of molasses! Maybe, for students, it was an upcoming holiday…. or summer vacation. Maybe it was a […]

Have You Been Skipping Church?
Monday, June 15, 2009, 10:16:53 PM | Steve Hall
Attending church can be a challenge, can’t it? Sunday morning may be our only chance to sleep in. Worship services may take a big bite out of our free time. Going to church can take away precious recreation time. Maybe we are also just a bit concerned that if we go, someone will put pressure on us to […]

Can You Tell Me Why You Believe that?
Monday, June 15, 2009, 9:04:24 PM | Steve Hall
The world is full of people who have very stong opinions about current cultural, theological, philosophical, and world-view issues. The truth is that all of us (Yes, A-L-L of us!) have a world view! I was astonished the other day when Dr. Al Mohler quoted a liberal academic (Joyce Appleby, UCLA emerita professor and co-director of the […]

Are You Tweeting?
Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10:20:14 PM | Steve Hall
Twitter is turning out to be a great way for people who care about each other to stay in touch. A few months ago, most of our family signed up for twitter. Parts of our family are in California, Texas, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Everybody stays very busy. Yes we can make phone calls, and we […]

The Struggle to Keep the Good Habits
Friday, June 12, 2009, 10:12:34 PM | Steve Hall
Habits are strange things, aren’t they? It seems so easy to fall into bad habits! And so difficult to stop them! But it seems so difficult to keep the good ones going! And so easy to stop them! I have previously posted some thoughts about conquering bad habits and addictions. I won’t dwell on that here. (You can […]

Meditation? or Meditation?
Sunday, April 12, 2009, 9:49:26 PM | Steve Hall
We are often encouraged to spend less time talking with God and more time listening to God. But sometimes I wonder if people really understand what it means to listen.  Perhaps we give the impression that listening is sort of like  trying to turn off or empty our minds, while we wait for God to […]

Care for Some Turkish Delight?
Friday, April 03, 2009, 11:40:38 PM | Steve Hall
One of the many wonderful spiritual lessons embedded in The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) is found in the first encounter of Edmund with the White Witch (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). The witch magically produces some tasty candy (Turkish Delight) for a hungry Edmund. Later, Edmund finds that he cannot […]

How about a New Wide-Screen HDTV?
Saturday, March 28, 2009, 7:39:25 PM | Steve Hall
How would you feel if someone said to you, I have a surprise for you! I would like to give you a new wide-screen HDTV! How would you react? Most of us would be very excited! We might even jump up and down and shout “Oh, Wow! Oh, Wow! Oh, Wow!” a few times! We would respond […]

A Message from the Grape Hyacinths
Saturday, March 28, 2009, 6:44:07 PM | Steve Hall
Sometime in late September we begin to notice that the are days getting a bit shorter and some of them a bit chillier. In October, while we still enjoy many brilliant days, in the back of our minds we know that even shorter and colder days are not too far ahead. We carry our jackets […]

A Christian Consideration of the Second Amendment
Thursday, March 26, 2009, 6:05:37 PM | Steve Hall
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says… “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” As far as the constitution goes, it seems pretty clear… The right for the “people” (not just the military!) to not only […]

Marriage: Some Tips for Better Communication
Saturday, March 21, 2009, 9:44:02 PM | Steve Hall
Here are some ground rules that Vickie and I try to use to make sure we communicate well. We freely admit up front that, like most married couples, there are times when we don’t communicate very well at all! Usually it is because we are forgetting one or more of these tips. When our conversation […]

Same Mud Puddles–Less Stress
Thursday, March 19, 2009, 10:48:20 PM | Steve Hall
Yesterday Vickie and I walked about five miles along the Ocoee River. It was a nice easy trail that wound along the riverside at the place where they held the Canoe/Kayak Slalom for the 1996 Olympic Games. The trail ends at the base of one of the dams (#3) on the Ocoee River. We […]

Does God Still Care About Sin?
Thursday, March 12, 2009, 8:59:01 AM | Steve Hall
There are many preachers and churches (so-called, anyway) that have decided that people are pretty tired of hearing about sin. Instead of sin, messages are becoming more positive. Churches and pastors who talk about sin too much are becoming unpopular, their churches are getting smaller, and many seem to be just sort of dying out. […]

Is It OK to Kill Somebody Stupid to Save Somebody Smart?
Thursday, March 12, 2009, 8:55:21 AM | Steve Hall
Imagine someone important is dying. Maybe a leader of a nation. Maybe a great spiritual leader. Maybe the president of a company or of a university. A critical organ of his body is diseased and it’s terminal. Now picture a mentally challenged homeless derelict who happens to be relatively healthy. Do you think it would be OK […]

Irrational? Illogical? Absurd?… Yes, But True!
Sunday, March 08, 2009, 5:30:08 PM | Steve Hall
In 1919 The New York Globe began running a cartoon feature by Robert Ripley called “Believe it or not!” It specialized in publishing facts that seemed too strange to be true. It took off like wild-fire! In 1933 Ripley displayed his collection at the Chicago World’s Fair. Currently, there are 29 Believe It or Not! […]

Grace… Don’t Minimize It! (And Don’t Redefine It!)
Friday, March 06, 2009, 9:44:24 PM | Steve Hall
Saul ravaged the church. “But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.” (Acts 8:3) David committed adultery and murder. “David sent messengers and took her [Bathsheba], and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified […]

Brilliant… but Foolish
Wednesday, March 04, 2009, 10:10:01 PM | Steve Hall
Some of the most academically brilliant people of the world have made themselves very foolish by deciding in advance to ignore God. Sometimes they do it simply because they cannot bear rejection by those whom they consider to be the philosophically elite (who have, of course, also foolishly chosen in advance to ignore God). Twice the […]

A Painful Lesson from Wasps
Saturday, February 21, 2009, 3:32:05 PM | Steve Hall
I received an encouraging email from a church planter in New Jersey the other day. He told me how he and his six-year-old son were using my Youtube Devotionals as part of their evening devotions. (I uploaded the devotionals last summer for my grandchildren.) He said his son’s favorite was the “one about the wasps.” […]

Holier-Than-Thou
Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 10:36:07 PM | Steve Hall
The Corinthians had a problem with spiritual arrogance. Paul had rebuked them for abusing their freedom in Christ (1 Corinthians 8). He warned them that “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.” (1 Corinthians 8:1) Later, in chapter 9, Paul wrote these important words concerning his own ministry: “To the weak I became weak, that I […]

They’re All Dead
Friday, February 13, 2009, 9:49:56 PM | Steve Hall
My Mom died last May. My Dad died in 1984. My sister died in 1970. My Grandpa and Grandma, who were very dear to me and made such a huge difference in my childhood are dead. He died in 1987. She died in 1983. I have four uncles who are dead. Vickie’s Mom and Dad […]

Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, and Kinzer!
Friday, February 13, 2009, 6:09:36 PM | Steve Hall
Thursday, February 12, was Kinzer’s first birthday. (Kinzer is our 7th grandchild!) It also happened to be the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln AND of Charles Darwin! (They were both born on the very same day.) Later, when Kinzer has  grown old enough to understand such things, I would like for him to think about […]

Not Talking about Cancer
Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 11:00:50 PM | Steve Hall
I have a friend who has a cancer problem. He is very aware of it. He seems to realize that it’s not good, but doesn’t seem to believe that it is really quite as bad as the doctor says it is. The doctor is telling him that it’s really bad and that it must be […]

Signs of Increasing Apostasy
Monday, February 09, 2009, 8:49:25 PM | Steve Hall
Scripture warns that as we near the end, apostasy will increase. Christians have an obligation to shine a bright light on darkness and provide a sharp demarcation between true Biblical Christianity and any false substitutes. We must do what we can to provide opportunity to those who have accepted a “substitute” for genuine Biblical Christianity […]

Freedom in Christ? or Hmmmmm… Maybe Not?
Saturday, February 07, 2009, 5:20:50 PM | Steve Hall
One of the treasures we have in Christ is freedom! The freedom we have in Christ should fill the Christian life with great joy and excitement! “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) “Come to Me, all […]

The Christian and Sin
Thursday, February 05, 2009, 8:58:20 PM | Steve Hall
One of the great frustrations experienced by Christians has to do with how badly we have blown it. I’m not talking about how badly we have blown it before we became Christians. I’m talking about how badly we have blown it as Christians. There are things in our lives which we want to hide. They embarrass us! […]

Tuning in to God–Can You Hear Him?
Tuesday, February 03, 2009, 11:07:20 PM | Steve Hall
Most of you are too young to remember the old radios with vacuum tubes and old-fashioned tuners and dials. Sometimes it was very difficult to put just the right touch on the dial to tune in a station. It seemed that there was simply too much static. The airwaves seemed to be filled with meaningless […]

Killing Pre-K Kids–A Balanced Approach
Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 12:13:32 AM | Steve Hall
(When I first posted this brief satire, I did not include this opening paragraph or the closing paragraph. But Vickie suggested, and upon reflection I agreed, that many today who read satire may not recognize it for what it is really saying. I believe that abortion is America’s holocaust. What was once unthinkable has become […]

I Need Some Joy! Where’s the Joy?
Saturday, January 03, 2009, 12:25:31 PM | Steve Hall
Most of you will remember the encouragement from Nehemiah, “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) Or maybe you remember the Proverb, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22) Or you might recall the words of Paul to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, […]

Is the Great Tribulation Near?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 7:23:49 AM | Steve Hall
As I write these words, in the waning hours of 2008, many are filled with fear and apprehension about the future of America and of the world. Around the world, stock markets have fallen precipitously. National governments are furiously trying to “rebuild confidence” in the world economic systems. Businesses have failed. Industries are at risk. […]

Savior… But Not Lord?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 10:56:02 PM | Steve Hall
I have occasionally run into people who have actually said to me, “I received Christ as my Savior when I was young, but did not accept Him as Lord until later in my life.” I think I know what they are trying to communicate. There was a time when they realized that they needed a Savior, […]

Wow! This is Controversial! Where Am I Going to Stand?
Saturday, December 27, 2008, 3:58:07 PM | Steve Hall
The world is full of controversial subjects! Jesus and His followers were nothing if not controversial! If we do our best to follow Him closely, we can expect to be somewhat controversial as well! We need to have a personal plan for dealing with controversy when it arises. Let’s give that some thought. First let’s consider […]

Condemning Sin–Are We All Hypocrites?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 8:32:55 AM | Steve Hall
One of the most common accusations launched at Christians is that of “hypocrisy.” Why is that? Well, partly, it is because all of us have sinned. And to many people, if we commit sin, then turn around and point out the fact that others are committing that sin, it sounds like hypocrisy. Of course, everything depends on […]

No Other Gods
Sunday, December 14, 2008, 5:03:31 PM | Steve Hall
Are the “Gods” of Islam, Mormonism, and Freemasonry, etc. the same as the God of the Bible? It really isn’t all that difficult to check it out! President Bush has notoriously said that he believes that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Richard Land retorted, “That’s why President Bush is our Commander in Chief and […]

“We Ought to Obey God Rather than Men”
Saturday, December 13, 2008, 2:17:13 PM | Steve Hall
There is a powerful and beautiful episode in the book of Acts. The city of Jerusalem was in an uproar because of the teaching of the apostles after the resurrection of Jesus. The religious leaders had already warned Peter and John to stop their teaching. Of course, they could not stop. They were under orders […]

Divisiveness
Saturday, December 13, 2008, 1:31:56 PM | Steve Hall
When someone takes a public stand for truth, especially “controversial” truth, it will inevitably irritate some people. The usual response from them is that the one standing for truth is being “divisive.” It would be worth giving some thought to this word, “divisiveness.” It’s fairly easy to toss it around when we disagree with someone, but […]

Engagement Rings and Christmas Presents
Sunday, December 07, 2008, 11:23:08 PM | Steve Hall
Does that title sound romantic? Sorry. This really isn’t a romantic post. But think about it–what do engagement rings and Christmas presents have in common, anyway? I suppose a lot of guys pop the question around Christmas time, but that’s not what I’ve got in mind at the moment. I am thinking about the enormous pressure that people […]

Seven Lessons from a Severe Head Cold
Sunday, November 23, 2008, 8:39:14 PM | Steve Hall
For three or four days now I have had a loathsome head cold. You’ve had them too–miserable, disgusting, abhorrent, vile head colds. In the midst of nose blowing and watery eyes and hoarsened voice, we pray, miserably, “Lord! Please take this stuff away!” Nothing wrong with that prayer. But since, in my case, He usually waits […]

What Would You Do?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 4:51:15 PM | Steve Hall
Let’s do a “thought experiment.” Suppose you are a teacher in a local church. As you teach, suppose someone brings up the subject of people who are living together, but who have not entered into a marriage covenant. And suppose that since that topic has arisen, you decide that God wants you to address it. You learn […]

As America Changes Watch for These Things
Saturday, November 08, 2008, 11:26:26 PM | Steve Hall
Please understand that by listing the following items I am not making prophecies or predictions of what will happen. But it seems that the probability is high that those who would like to see these kinds of changes will see the new political landscape as a wonderful opportunity to push for these changes. As Christians […]

The Morning after the Election of 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008, 8:21:56 AM | Steve Hall
Barack Obama is the new president-elect. Here are a few of my thoughts on the morning after the election. I’ll try to flesh them out later. America may change, but God does not. “For I am the LORD, I change not.” (Mal 3:6) Whoever our leaders are, Christians must respect and pray for them. “Every person is to be […]

Better Grades Through Memorizing Scripture!
Tuesday, November 04, 2008, 3:26:46 PM | Steve Hall
Today I attended a workshop for math teachers where I heard many teachers bemoaning the fact that they have so many students who seem to retain so little math that they presumably learned in previous grades. It is an almost universal teacher complaint. And it got me thinking. Perhaps you have been to a Bill Gothard […]

Why Has God Left Us Here? Learning from the Life of David Brainerd
Monday, November 03, 2008, 10:48:16 PM | Steve Hall
Not to sit and dream of heaven! Not to make ourselves as comfortable as we can! Not to have as much fun as possible! We are here to count for Him! to bring Him glory! To use our resources to cry out to a sleeping and ungodly world to turn back to God. Most of us who […]

What Am I Really Passionate About?
Friday, July 04, 2008, 11:09:38 PM | Steve Hall
This is a comment I uploaded to Myspace last year. I decided to add it to our weblog just to keep the posts together. Am I Passionate for Christ? If you look around a bit, you will find people who are PASSIONATE about some things. PASSIONATE about their favorite kinds of sports PASSIONATE about their music […]

On Being Cool
Friday, July 04, 2008, 10:45:40 PM | Steve Hall
Have you noticed that for a large segment of our population, the greatest virtue has become “coolness?” We base what we have to say on whether it sounds “cool” or not. We base what we wear on whether it looks “cool” or not. We hopefully drive a vehicle that we believe makes us appear to be “cool.” We go […]

Standing Alone
Thursday, July 03, 2008, 11:59:58 PM | Steve Hall
One of the most difficult tasks often assigned to a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ is that of identifying with Him in His willingness to stand alone. Jesus Stood Alone Immediately after Jesus was betrayed by Judas, the Bible records this short but poignant verse in reference to His closest friends… “And they all left Him […]

Conquering Addiction–Part 2 of 2
Friday, September 21, 2007, 9:02:18 PM | Steve Hall
Overcoming Addiction–Part Two Keys to Victory Virtually all addicts have a problem with denial. They are genuinely convinced that they can “handle it.” Accept that when loved ones believe that you have a problem, you have a problem–whether you believe it or not. Accept that you must deny yourself on the basis of their evaluation. God gives […]

Conquering Addiction–Part 1 of 2
Friday, September 21, 2007, 7:21:18 AM | Steve Hall
This is a brief paper that will give some general direction to people who are struggling with various kinds of addictions and who would like to obtain victory over those addictions. Some overall guidelines are offered. Specific details for dealing with specific addictions can be found by doing Internet searches or searches in Christian bookstores. […]

Interruptions Leading to Spiritual Setbacks
Tuesday, September 18, 2007, 7:21:18 AM | Steve Hall
It’s amazing how many times we make good starts on decisions that require discipline–only to have a disruption in our routine for a few days blow us out of the water! Off to a Good Start! A decision that leads to spiritual growth requires discipline. Usually it means creating time slots in our busy lives by getting rid […]

Husbands, Wives, and Mutual Interests
Saturday, September 15, 2007, 7:21:18 AM | Steve Hall
It is a great tragedy when husbands and wives claim to love each other and then live their lives almost totally separate from one another! He has his interests which consume his time and energy, and she has hers. But they are not the same interests! It destroys one of the primary purposes of marriage. […]

Helping Hurting Friends
Friday, July 27, 2007, 8:23:45 PM | Steve Hall
Do you know how to be a source of spiritual strength to a friend or loved one who is going through a crisis? None of us is exempt from the testing times of life! Unfortunately, too few Christians have disciplined themselves to become mentally, spiritually, and emotionally prepared for the tough times. They are a little too […]

What Is Your Project?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 10:00:24 PM | Steve Hall
Have you thought about the tremendous spiritual power of having personal spiritual projects? Let’s consider it! Sometimes Christians flounder in their spiritual growth not knowing exactly in what direction to go. They are doing devotions. They are going to church. They are involved in small Bible study groups. But somehow they seem to be “stuck.” They are […]

Past Years — Coming Years
Monday, July 23, 2007, 6:26:31 PM | Steve Hall
As you look back over the past couple of years, do you have any regrets? What do you plan to do about that? As you look back over the past couple of years, are you excited about what God has done through your life? Or are there lots of regrets? Hopefully, some “good stuff” comes to your […]

What Is Your God Like?
Friday, July 20, 2007, 8:07:12 PM | Steve Hall
When you are talking with someone else about God, are you sure you both are talking about the same God? We live in a day when there is a great deal of disagreement about the nature of God. It is easy to imagine talking with someone about “God.” Both of us may be using the word, “God” […]

How God-Conscious Are You, Anyway?
Friday, July 20, 2007, 7:54:12 AM | Steve Hall
How well do you acknowledge God’s presence through the day? We need to work on that! Here are some ideas. There’s an old hymn we sing. I’m sure you know it. It’s called, “Trust and Obey.” It starts with the words, “When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word…” The Bible says… “But I […]

Forgiveness–It’s Amazing!
Thursday, July 19, 2007, 11:35:19 PM | Steve Hall
Have you learned the incredible power of forgiving others? Have you been hurt badly and find forgiveness difficult? Do you understand the terribly high price of withholding forgiveness? Last Wednesday evening we watched an amazing video at church. It was produced by Voice of the Martyrs (http://www.persecution.com/). It reminded us of how horrific the treatment is […]

Memorizing Scripture–Which Verses?
Thursday, July 19, 2007, 12:15:25 AM | Steve Hall
The Bible is a big book! Memorizing is a slow process! Where do I start? You may have decided that you are going to do it. (Have you bought your cards yet?) The next question is, “Where do I start? Which verses do I memorize first?” It’s a great question and an important one! There are ready-made verse memory […]

Memorizing Scripture–How?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 11:45:25 PM | Steve Hall
If I decide that I need to be memorizing God’s Word, how do I get started? How do I do it? (Part 2 of 3.) Some Christians give assent to the need to memorize Scripture, but they are just not sure how to get started. I believe there is one major key to getting Scripture memorized. It […]

Memorizing Scripture–Why?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 11:20:25 PM | Steve Hall
Is it really all that important that I memorize God’s Word? Most Christians aren’t doing this are they? (Part 1 of 3) “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11) You remember that one, don’t you? From VBS? The pledge to the Bible? If you have installed a Bible study […]

Why So Few become Strong in Christ
Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 2:54:53 PM | Steve Hall
Do you realize how many Christians live out their entire lives in a spiritually weakened condition? Christians who exercise the personal discipline required to become strong in Christ are becoming very rare! Would you dare to become one of the rare ones?  If I Intend to Grow Strong in Christ I Have to Develop Some Skills If I am […]

Bible Study Software–Powerful Stuff! (Part 2)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 9:54:12 PM | Steve Hall
Are you taking advantage of the very powerful Bible study tools that can be downloaded to your computer? Would you be interested in learning about some of the things they can do? (Part 2 of 2) In the previous post we considered a few of the capabilities of Bible study software, and in particular, of the Online Bible–the […]

Bible Study Software–Powerful Stuff!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 8:00:46 PM | Steve Hall
Are you taking advantage of the very powerful Bible study tools that can be downloaded to your computer? Would you be interested in learning about some of the things they can do? (Part 1 of 2) Hopefully, you have noticed that the by-line of this blog site is, “Encouraging you to grow strong in Christ!” There is […]

Church Discipline: How? Part 2 (7 of 7)
Monday, July 16, 2007, 9:30:33 PM | Steve Hall
If a church decides to obey God in the matter of church discipline, how does it go about doing it–from a practical standpoint? (Part 2 of 2) Set an example! Ask the church to hold YOU accountable! What a powerful example it would set for the church if the spiritual leaders of that church (official or unofficial) […]

Church Discipline: How? Part 1 (6 of 7)
Sunday, July 15, 2007, 8:50:13 AM | Steve Hall
If a church decides to obey God in the matter of church discipline, how does it go about doing it–from a practical standpoint? (Part 1 of 2) Count the Cost: But Remember God’s Priorities! First, we probably need to resign ourselves that anytime we make any change in the church, there will be some who get upset […]

Answering Objections to Church Discipline (5 of 7)
Saturday, July 14, 2007, 6:28:11 PM | Steve Hall
Do you know how to give an answer to church members who oppose the use of church discipline? Here are some possible objections you may encounter!   “It’s not really that big a deal. After all, we are all sinners, aren’t we?” God is very clear about the destructiveness of sin in His Word. It is a theme […]

Why Church Discipline (4 of 7)
Friday, July 13, 2007, 6:28:11 PM | Steve Hall
Do you understand why it is so important for churches to take seriously God’s instructions about discipline? Jesus commanded it and gave instructions for doing it. (Matthew 18:15-17) Couldn’t we stop here? Isn’t this reason enough?  Refusal to repent and be forgiven of sin brings reproach to the church and to our Lord Jesus Christ (Proverbs […]

The Bible on Church Discipline (3 of 7)
Thursday, July 12, 2007, 6:28:11 PM | Steve Hall
What does the Bible have to say about the importance of attempted restoration? Does God tell us how it is to be done? In His Word, God has given us important instructions regarding church discipline. Here are some significant passages. “15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between […]

Why Churches Don’t Discipline (2 of 7)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 6:28:11 PM | Steve Hall
How easy it is for us to make excuses! Instead of following God’s instructions about loving accountability! Here are some possible “reasons” why churches may choose to ignore Scriptures that teach church discipline. You may be able to think of more. We don’t believe the consequences of sin are that serious. We have convinced ourselves that since the […]

Love Means Discipline! (1 of 7)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 5:05:55 PM | Steve Hall
Exercising discipline seems so unpleasant! Why do we have to do it? Parents who love their children have to enforce discipline on them. Otherwise kids would engage in all kinds of self-destructive behavior. They would quickly become addicted to sweets, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, the Internet, pornography, etc. etc. They would play in the streets, stay up […]

Welcome!
Monday, July 09, 2007, 11:14:24 PM | Steve Hall
Welcome to Steve Hall’s Weblog!   This weblog is for the purpose of strengthening the body of Christ by encouraging individual Christians to become spiritually strong in our Lord Jesus Christ! You can locate specific posts by using the search window. But perhaps the easiest way find things is to click on the RSS feed logo (in […]