by Colin McFarland | May 1, 2023 | Blog, Books of the Bible, Guest Author, Reflection, Thoughts
The Bible is God’s Word, his testimony, revealing to us who he is, what he cares about, and his story of redemption for humanity. Reading through the Bible in a year may feel intimidating, but there’s no better way to grow in your faith and understanding of God than...
by Colin McFarland | Feb 21, 2023 | Blog, Care & Counseling, Reflection
Mental health is a popular and growing societal focus. The human brain, the most complex of organs, influences all that we experience, both good and bad. As the stigma around mental health continues to (thankfully) decline, more and more people openly share their...
by Colin McFarland | Feb 8, 2023 | Blog, Care & Counseling, Reflection, Values
We’re a Bible-driven church, but what does that mean? While Christians could safely assume that God’s Word was considered a reliable source of truth for most of the last 2,000 years, that’s not the case anymore. Since the dawn of postmodernism in the 19th century,...
by Colin McFarland | Jan 5, 2023 | Blog, Care & Counseling, Reflection, Values
Ever struggled to change your thoughts? It can be tough to change unhealthy thought patterns if you’re just trying to remove unhealthy, unholy thoughts. A better strategy is to replace them with better, God-centered thoughts. And the best source of good replacement...
by Colin McFarland | Jul 11, 2022 | Blog, Care & Counseling, Reflection, Values
Research has determined that our thoughts are a driving force behind how we feel. As an authority on the subject, author and psychiatrist Dr. David Burns writes: “Your feelings result from the messages you give yourself. In fact, your thoughts often have much more to...
by Jeff Baxter | Jun 30, 2022 | Blog, Community, Prayer, Reflection
The last few blogs have discussed how to surround the LGBTQ+ conversation and community with truth and grace based on what the Bible teaches. I talked about the unique impact on adolescents (11-26 years) and how we can respond. In this blog, I want to get to the heart...
by Jeff Baxter | Jun 30, 2022 | Blog, Community, Prayer, Reflection
How would you answer this question: What is your identity? As a follower of Jesus, our identity is in Jesus. However, sometimes adults might mention things like our jobs, family, hobbies, or athletic teams being connected to our identity. These things might be fun and...
by Jeff Baxter | Jun 30, 2022 | Blog, Community, Prayer, Reflection
The next four blogs will be addressing the LGBTQ+ conversation. This is a difficult topic for many, but I believe it is important to approach the topic with openness in truth and grace. I encourage you to join the conversation with love. Please read and study the...
by Jeff Baxter | Jun 29, 2022 | Blog, Community, Prayer, Reflection
The next four blogs will be addressing the LGBTQ+ conversation. This is a difficult topic for many, but I believe it is important to approach the topic with openness in truth and grace. I encourage you to join the conversation with love. Please read and study the...
by Colin McFarland | Jan 11, 2022 | Blog, Care & Counseling, Guest Author, Reflection
Research has indicated that many find the middle of January to be the most depressing time of the year. The holiday cheer has faded and the bills accumulated for it are arriving. The cold and dark of winter persists and there doesn’t seem to be much on the calendar to...