Have you ever seen those maps of the stars of the universe? The ones taken from space where there is no man-made light, so you can actually see the billions of stars? First, these photos impress you with the vastness of the universe and the number of stars is beyond counting. Then they label one […]
Archives for 2015
04 1 Peter 2:1-10 Living Stones
Peter draws on the sweep of redemptive history to encourage his readers to stand strong in the faith.
03 1 Peter 1:14-25 Living our Hope
As Peter transitions into the body of his letter, he encourages his readers to live out their hope in fear, holiness and brotherly love.
Flying through impostor syndrome
Three “random” events this week converged into one life lesson. 1) I listened to my pastor’s last sermon. We met when I was a college freshman and he was an intern at our church. Now he’s retiring after 43 years as its pastor. I don’t think I was present for his first ever sermon, but […]
Epistles: How to understand NT letters
Every genre found in the Bible presents unique challenges for understanding. Here are guidelines for studying epistles.
1 Peter Bible Study Resources
Maps, outlines and resources to expand your study of the Epistle of 1 Peter
Peter 1: Living as aliens and strangers
Peter wrote his first letter give his readers perspective on the big picture. The gospel (the big picture) has implications for each of those relationships and that is what this letter is about: how we respond to God and view ourselves in this world; how we respond to other believers who are walking this journey with us and how we respond to those who persecute and hate us.
Elzinga’s 4 Keys to Success in College
Headed to college? Wondering how to survive the experience? Here is advice from an expert.
Books & Bagels Fall 2015
Books and Bagels is a book study for women of Charlottesville Community Church and their friends. Books & Bagels is a time of fellowship, and an opportunity to meet and make new friends. Coffee and bagels will be served by rotating volunteers from the group. Each month we read and discuss the assigned book in […]
James Bible Study Resources
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study
How NOT to interpret the Bible
One of the most common mistakes in interpreting the Bible is riffing on a particular word or phrase at the expense of context. No one thinks they fall into this trap and yet, if you listen for it, you’ll hear it everywhere.
Hebrew Calendar explained
When studying the Old Testament, dates can be a source of confusion, especially when they switch between the Jewish name and the Babylonian name in the same story. Here are my reference tables.