Category Archives: Peter

Happy Pi Day (3/14)

For Pi (3.14) Day (3/14), here’s Ephesians 3:14: “I bow my knees before the Father.” Like pi, true Christianity never ends: 3.14159265359…forever. Here are a few more pi Bible verses: Matthew 3:14 — “Just as Moses lifted up the snake … Continue reading

Posted in Bible verses, Colossians, Ephesians, Galatians, Gospel of Matthew, Hebrews, James, John, Peter, Philippians, revelation, revelations, Scripture, Thessalonians, Titus, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

John Doe Ministries (Is that biblical?)

Why do some ministers (even some God-anointed preacher’s and teachers) name “ministries” for themselves? That common practice in modern-day independent ministry doesn’t appear to be biblical. I can’t find an “Apostle Paul Ministries” or a “Philip the Evangelist Ministries” or even a … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, call to ministry, deny yourself, focus of ministry, fund raising, giving, Jesus' name, Just give me Jesus, ministry, ministry showcase, one man ministry, outreach ministry, Paul, Paul of Tarsus, Peter, preaching, religion, religious TV, seed faith, self-promotion, sowing and reaping, sowing into ministry, state of religion, Uncategorized, work of the ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Award For The Best Leading Actor Goes To . . .”

The leading actor plays the largest role in a film, TV show, or play. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is the Leading Actor. He gets the Oscar! So why do we confine such an amazing Leading Actor as the … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Corinthians 2:4, actors, Acts 10:19, Acts 11:12, Acts 13:2, Acts 8:29, Barnabas, Bible, demonstration of the Spirit, dramatic production, Galatians 5:25, Go to that chariot, Holy Ghost movie, in step with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, New Testament, Paul, Peter, Philip, Romans 8:14, Set apart for me, the Spirit said | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facilitating Group Surrender 2 The Risen Christ

Should church present programs about the religious Christ? Or surrender to the real presence of the risen Christ? What would happen if church leaders shifted from being public speakers under the spotlight, to being spiritual facilitators creating an environment where … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christian support group, Holy Spirit teacher, I will build my church, improv, Mark Batterson, On this rock, Peter, support groups | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Did Sermon-Free Church Begin At Pentecost?

Sermon-Free Church — Did It Begin At Pentecost?  Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013 On Pentecost Sunday (May 19) the church in the Western world celebrates the beginning of sermon-free church. The events are recorded in Acts, chapter 2 … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 2013, Acts, Apostle Peter, bishops, Christ followers, church, church history, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, coming of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, New Testament, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, one anothers, open church, open mike, openairs, organic church, origin of the church, overseers, participatory church, Peter, Peter preaching on Pentecost, praise, praising God, pray for one another, prayer, praying, preaching, preaching the Word, Roman, Roman Empire, sermon, sermon-free, sermons, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, the Western church, This was that., Western world | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

If I Could Pick The Pope, I’d Pick . . .

If I could pick the Pope, I ‘d pick someone who is a passionate and obedient follower of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ — who puts intimacy with and obedience to the Holy Spirit, above every other consideration. If I … Continue reading

Posted in Bishop of Rome, Catholic, Catholic Church, Catholic mystics, Catholicism, Chinese, Christ, Christian leadership, church, church leader, church meetings, church roles, church services, denominations, God, Holy Father, Holy see, Holy Spirit, Hong Kong, innovation, invisible church, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leaders, leadership, new pope, Peter, Roman Catholic, Rome, Sistine Chapel, Son of God, spirit, Spirit-led, spiritual, Steve Jobs, the Vatican, Vatican City | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Movement

When people in America talk about “The Movement,” they usually mean the Civil Rights Movement, led by Martin Luther King, Jr.  This movement changed America for the better by breaking the terrible hold that 200+ years of blatant, legalized racism … Continue reading

Posted in Christ followers, Christian, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, Matthew 16, move of God, movement, Peter, Roman Empire, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual movement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Following The Holy Spirit To Where You Don’t Want To Go

Who wants to go where you don’t want to go?  Jesus told His disciple Peter, that Peter would be led “where you do not want to go.” (John 21:18)  Are you willing to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, brokenness, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, comfort, comfort zone, conviction of sin, crucified with Christ, deny yourself, devotion, disapproval, discomfort, faith, faith-based, followers of Christ, friendship, gifts of the Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, house church, humility, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 21:18, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, loneliness, move of God, movement, non-church, Peter, preference, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, Protestant, rejection, religion, religious ceremonies, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, self-denial, selfish desires, simple church, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual warfare, surrender to God, testimony, uncomfortable, where you do not want to go | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Drunk Christians?

Some observers of the early Christians made fun of them and said:  “They have had too much wine.”  (Would you use the word “drunk” to describe a gathering of Christians, nowadays?) Here’s the response to that accusation, given by Jesus’ … Continue reading

Posted in Acts 2, acts of God, alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous, alternative lifestyle, Apostle Peter, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, booze it up, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, church, church history, church meetings, drinking, DUI, Ephesus, filled with the Spirit, free spirit, good sermon, guilt, hangover, inner peace, inner rivers, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus' mother Mary, life, lifestyle Christianity, makes change, miracles, missional, morality, morals, move of God, movement, Music City, mysticism, Nashville, New Testament, new wine, Oh my God, on the web, Paul of Tarsus, peace, persecution, Peter, preaching, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, prophesy, prophet, prophet Joel, quench the Spirit, quote, Quotes, reformation, salvation, sober up, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, testimony, This is that spoken by the prophet Joel, Why be a Christian? | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Can The Contempory Church Say “This Is That”?

Can the contemporary church say, like Peter did in the Book of Acts, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel,” as we point, like Peter did, to something supernatural that God is doing in our midst? It … Continue reading

Posted in 21st Century, Acts, acts of God, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Biblical concept, church, church structure, denominations, discipling, early church, evidence for God, eyewitness, gifts of the Spirit, house church, Jerusalem, lifestyles, missional, movement, Music City, mystery, mysticism, New Testament, non-traditional church, order of worship, organic church, Paul of Tarsus, Peter, popular culture, priesthood of the believer, proof of God, prophesy, prophet, prophet Joel, relational church, religion, show and tell, speaking in tongues, spiritual growth, supernatural, testimonies, the way we do church, this is that, tradition, which was spoken by the prophet Joel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments