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Acts by the Numbers : Acts 19
Continuing through the book of Acts, here is our handout for Acts 19. We hope you are finding these useful! Acts by the Numbers Chapter 19 —————————– To receive our blog posts via rss, click here. To subscribe via email (and get a free e-book), click here. To sign up for our free monthly enewsletter (and get a free e-book), click here. Click the banner to visit our publishing website
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Hymn Reflection : “I Gave My Life for Thee”
Published in 1860, and inspired by Jesus’ crown of thorns, this simple poem has touched many lives by reminding them of just what our Lord went through during His earthly ministry. Each of the verses ends with a haunting question, asking if we have given as He did. But the poem was originally burned by its own writer! Frances Ridley Havergal wrote many poems and hymn texts. She was raised in a religious and educated family. She was reading by the age of four and writing poems by seven. She remained interested in learning throughout her life, and it was a trip to a museum that led to the writing…
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Why We Retooled One Podcast Before It Even Got Off the Ground … and Started Another One
When we relaunched our blog in early June, one of the big parts of the launch was a family podcast. A ton of work went into getting some things lined up for the launch of The Faughn Family Podcast, which was scheduled to begin on August 1. Well, “the best laid plans of mice and men…” The Faughn Family Podcast is still going to launch on August 1, but we have done a lot of thinking in the last couple of weeks, and have decided to retool the show a bit, even before it starts. Originally, we were going to produce a weekly program, and had already recorded four of…
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The Atmosphere of Church Camp All Year Long
After a week away, I am back to blogging. Last week, I had the joy and privilege of spending the week at Valley View Camp with our great young people from Lebanon Road. While I am still exhausted (it takes me a little longer to recover than it used to), I am reflecting on a great week of spiritual growth. As I was leaving camp last Friday evening, I got in my car and had an interesting experience. It reminded me of one of the major reasons why I love church camp. One of my strange character traits is that, when I have been around a lot of noise, I…
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Acts by the Numbers : Acts 18
In case you thought we had forgotten these posts, it has been a month since I preached on Sunday night (we had our VBS, I had a guest speaking opportunity, then we had camp). So, it has been awhile since we had a handout. But we are back in a more normal routine now, so we should have sheets for several Sundays in a row now. Enjoy the handout for Acts 18. Acts by the Numbers Chapter 18 To receive our blog posts via rss, click here. To subscribe via email (and get a free e-book), click here. To sign up for our free monthly enewsletter (and get a free e-book), click here.…
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Hymn Reflection : “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”
Stuart Townend has written several modern worship songs including the very well-known “In Christ Alone.” However, the song “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” holds a special place in his heart. Townend, a who lives in Brighton, England, states himself that he is concerned about the modern movement that is always seeking an “experience” at worship. He clearly states that he believes emotion is an important part of worship, but that when that becomes our focus, we struggle. In an online interview, he stated concerning “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us,” The danger now is that we are so focused on the experience our worship can become self-seeking…
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When I Learned How Much a Daughter Needs Her Daddy
She is 7 years old, and will be in the 2nd grade in just over a month. I have held her since just minutes after she was born, and now I watch her ride her bike all over our street. It won’t seem like but a few blinks and she’ll be driving a car down the street. There is something special about that connection between a daughter and her daddy. Of course, Mary Carol has the greatest model of “lady-hood” that any little girl could ever hope to have, but she is maturing in her own way, too. She loves her mommy, but it is already obvious that Mary Carol…
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Paul’s Whole Life in One Phrase
Sometimes, it just hits you. It is the realization that these people in Scripture were actually people. We can read the Bible (and even think about it) as if it were filled with fictional characters who never really lived. Of course, we know they were real people, but sometimes that realization just hits you so strongly. Last night, I was preaching on Paul’s conversion. In my preparation for the sermon, I had a thought that hit me like a ton of bricks, and I want to share it with you. This may be something you’ve thought about hundreds of times, but it had never touched me the way it did in…
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Hymn Reflection : Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Sometimes on our hymn reflections, we write about old songs. Sometimes, we write about new songs. And sometimes, in one post, we can write about both. There is probably no more well-known hymn on earth that John Newton‘s “Amazing Grace.” It would be impossible to calculate how many times that hymn has been sung, and it continues to be a favorite of so many throughout the world. In 2006, however, Chris Tomlin and Louis Giglio released “Amazing Grace” with a twist. What is remarkable is that their addition, “(My Chains are Gone,)” changes the music of “Amazing Grace” so much that both songs remain popular. The parenthesis are intentional, by…
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The One Thing You Can Believe In
There are certain concepts of the Christian faith that are much easier to say that to live out. One of those is real trust; real faith. We place our trust in all sorts of things, then we are surprised when they let us down. While few let us down intentionally, we will be let down from time-to-time. It’s the husband who let his eyes wander while on a date with you. It’s the wife who overspends and overdrafts the checking account. It’s the government who no longer even gives lip service to Biblical standards. It’s the “good” musician who suddenly comes out with a racy music video. It’s the Christian…
