The Workman

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 2:14-19

After comparing the mature believer to a farmer, soldier, and athlete, Paul finishes his description with a 4th metaphor: the common laborer who skillfully uses God's Word. Jim Leffel describes how we can be approved workmen today.

Working With Suspicious People

Dennis McCallum

2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11

Working with people can be difficult. Sometimes people can be very suspicious of leaders. This is true in the case of Paul and the church in Corinth. Paul often has to defend himself and his actions to the church. The same if often true today. People are still suspicious. How to work with people who are often suspicious is covered.

God's Wisdom and Tough Love

Scott Risley

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

In Chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians Paul begins to get into the issues of this group and at the heart of it is the wisdom of the world versus the backward wisdom of God. Specifically, the wisdom of God applied to the area of "tough love".

Setting Boundaries in Spiritual Community

Conrad Hilario

2 Corinthians 2:5-7

Paul addresses a case of serious immorality within the Corinthian church and challenges the group to take a firm stand against it, for the good of both the community and those involved in the sin. Although it runs against the grain of our culture, the church today must set similar boundaries, and not shy away from loving discipline in order to maintain an authentic, vibrant community of God's people. Various levels of discipline are discussed.

Love in Community: Setting Limits

Dennis McCallum

2 Corinthians 2:5

Biblical love is usually more accepting, forgiving and loyal than secular love. There are times when it can be tougher. This teaching covers what God describes when people in a Christian community are living in unrepentant sin.

Discipline with Grace

Bev DeLashmutt

2 Corinthians 2:5

The goal of biblical discipline when raising children is instruction that trains the child to reach his or her full development. Our children will not fully develop without discipline. Unfortunately, discipline often involves some form of pain. Pain itself is not the problem; the problem is pain without hope. We should not shy away from discipline because we have hope it will produce proven character. Children do not feel loved if not disciplined. The goal of discipline is to teach our children to be obedient, God-dependent, grateful givers.

A New Beginning

Scott Risley

Genesis 12:2-3

After the flood Noah was disgraced by his son Ham, so Noah cursed the descendents of Ham's son Canaan. Noah's family started to multiply, and God told them to spread out across the Earth. When the people decide to stick together, God divided them by giving them different languages at the tower of Babel.

The Second Journey

Dennis McCallum

Acts 15:36-16:11

During Paul's second missionary journey, the following principles are highlighted: 1) ministry is the most important activity in the world, and 2) ministry should be: immediate; contextualized; disciple-based; and led by the Holy Spirit.

A Leavening Agent

Conrad Hilario

Luke 18:9-14

The story of Ananias and Sapphira and the choice they made to try and deceive their fellow Christian workers. God prevented the corruption of the early church by hypocrisy. Satan still uses this "leavening" to try to discredit God and Christianity.