https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XrfmDCdrLrZts7UXsbzKg?si=bjryfLFnTPC_LwwTLOQ6sA Today I want to try, in as succinct a way as I can, to explain a phrase Paul uses in Romans 5:17 that I think has caused a lot of confusion for folks. Paul talks there about how Christians will “reign in life.” Now, if we just pull that phrase up off the page, … Continue reading TJS Podcast – What It Means to “Reign in Life” in Rom. 5:17 (Episode 63)
Author: Ron Longwell
TJS Podcast – Growing in Intimacy with God: Prayer as Dialogue (Episode 12)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6r58pAQBITN3wcWIigxywN?si=Bp94gmk4T7GkBAp5-4JFvA It’s a little intimidating to talk about prayer. I mean, for 2,000 years, theologians, pastors and priests and monks have written a bazillion volumes on the topic of prayer: where to pray, when to pray, what to pray, how to pray, and what to pray for. What can I possibly say that hasn’t been … Continue reading TJS Podcast – Growing in Intimacy with God: Prayer as Dialogue (Episode 12)
TJS Podcast – Growing in Intimacy with God: Does God Talk to Us? (Episode 11)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xrOG4F66PVG1dACKx8bdQ?si=UXPW-m8gTCCNvzm8cm49IA If we’re going to be the people God wants us to be in the Kingdom of God and to function as agents of hope and blessing in the world, we’ve got to be different people. God needs to transform us. And we've talked a bit about the role of the Spirit in transformation, and … Continue reading TJS Podcast – Growing in Intimacy with God: Does God Talk to Us? (Episode 11)
TJS Podcast – The Story of the Bible, Part 3: Blessed to Be a Blessing (Episode 4)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/397LI6ILW1FAB2I6260wz7?si=touNwBnjSnaAp1JXvbzBqA On today's episode, we’re going to begin to trace the story of Israel. Understanding Israel's role in God's purposes in this world is foundational for understanding Jesus and the Kingdom of God. We can’t just jump from Genesis 3 to the Gospels and think that once we understand the sin problem we can move straight … Continue reading TJS Podcast – The Story of the Bible, Part 3: Blessed to Be a Blessing (Episode 4)
TJS Podcast – The Story of the Bible, Part 2: Creation & Chaos (Episode 3)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3t15TzYsIezlEkPuxtjGqv?si=6p7wl8oNTZKOrqf7s8BALQ On today's episode, we’re going to continue unpacking my understanding of the Story of the Bible and the Kingdom of God. Last week, we talked about how God created you you and me that he could love us. That is his purpose in creation. And as we said last week, as the story of the Bible … Continue reading TJS Podcast – The Story of the Bible, Part 2: Creation & Chaos (Episode 3)
TJS Podcast – The Story of the Bible Part 1: Why God Created Us (Episode 2)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3cokszP25dT3xgPPRvnEVB?si=C3IlZpz7RWm0xtefdNECYg Today, we're going start unpacking my understanding of the Story of the Bible and the Kingdom of God. Everything we’re going to talk about in this podcast flows out of an understanding of who God is and what he’s trying to do in the world, so we’ve got to start there. We'll be looking … Continue reading TJS Podcast – The Story of the Bible Part 1: Why God Created Us (Episode 2)
Reflections on Spiritual Maturity
Analysts and church growth experts say the North American church is in decline and “in a state of lethargy.” The signs are everywhere: a steady decline in church membership, especially among mainline denominations, a striking increase in the percentage of Americans who do not attend church, and a decrease in the numbers of young adults … Continue reading Reflections on Spiritual Maturity
God’s Spiritual Roadmap
God has two primary goals for us, and both of them start with the gospel. According to the apostle Paul, the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16). In practice, the power of God in the gospel accomplishes two things: 1) The gospel is the message of salvation from sin through Christ’s … Continue reading God’s Spiritual Roadmap
Ron’s Five Immutable Laws of the Christian Faith
There is an awful lot of thought and talk and hand-wringing today about what's wrong with our churches and why church attendance is in decline in America. In my view many of these discussions are focused on the wrong things. So in an attempt to bring something meaningful to the discussion, I've distilled much of … Continue reading Ron’s Five Immutable Laws of the Christian Faith
Christianity and Sound Doctrine
In Christianity, we are often fond of talking about the importance of adhering to “sound doctrine,” a biblical concept to be sure (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:3; Tit. 1:9; 2:1, NASB). Unfortunately, we often regard the word “sound” to be synonymous with the word “correct.” While I would certainly advocate correct doctrine over incorrect … Continue reading Christianity and Sound Doctrine
