Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Dallas Willard’s new book, The Great Omission, opens with this observation: “The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples.” Part of Willard’s point in this book is to rejoin two concepts that are often pulled apart. To be a Christian is to be a disciple.
Discipleship is not reserved for the super spiritual. In fact, the act of being a follower of Christ is the first and most fundamental request made of believers in the New Testament. As far as the early church was concerned being a disciple was not optional if you wanted to become a Christian. They believed their entire lives belonged to Christ.
Ultimately, following Christ is about learning to live my life as if he were living it. If you haven’t been to church recently, we at Quail Lake encourage you to reingage and make your way back toward Christ and a life in him—and, obviously, we would love to see you there.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Paying Attention to God-QLCC
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
The things I pay attention to have a bearing on the shape of my soul. Paul tells us as much in Philippians 4:8 when he says we should think about the things that are true, honorable, just, excellent, and so on.Contrast Paul’s list with your typical night on TV. The kinds of images and ideas presented there sell to a broad and bored audience-very little of it is honorable, praiseworthy, or even true. Dwelling on these things does not do much good for our souls. But Paul’s list does. When I focus myself on Paul’s list I shape my soul to the kinds of things that come from God.
Church is a chance to turn your attention toward the One who can give life and health to your soul. If you haven’t been to church in a while, we at Quail Lake encourage you to make your way to church and encounter Christ, and, obviously, we would love to see you.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
New Year and QLCC
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
A recent Barna study showed some alarming trends in the commitment levels of many who consider themselves Christian. About one out of five considered church attendance to be important to their spiritual maturity, and of those who held a biblical worldview, only 25% thought a community of faith was important to their spiritual development. Don’t think of it in terms of the church needs your attendance, but in terms of other believers need your presence, support, input and help. Your presence at church this weekend can be encouraging to fellow believers, and can help them and you in your walk with Christ.
At Quail Lake, we are a new church and may not have all the bells and whistles of other congregations, but we do want to be a living community that takes God’s work and word seriously. We encourage you to make the New Year a good reason to rededicate yourself to church, and we would love to see you.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
A recent Barna study showed some alarming trends in the commitment levels of many who consider themselves Christian. About one out of five considered church attendance to be important to their spiritual maturity, and of those who held a biblical worldview, only 25% thought a community of faith was important to their spiritual development. Don’t think of it in terms of the church needs your attendance, but in terms of other believers need your presence, support, input and help. Your presence at church this weekend can be encouraging to fellow believers, and can help them and you in your walk with Christ.
At Quail Lake, we are a new church and may not have all the bells and whistles of other congregations, but we do want to be a living community that takes God’s work and word seriously. We encourage you to make the New Year a good reason to rededicate yourself to church, and we would love to see you.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
Advent: His People
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor of Quail Lake Community Church.
Scripture tells us that when Christ came into the world, he came to his own people. He entered history at a particular time and place and lived his life among God’s people. The Gospel of Matthew helps us understand exactly what it means for Christ to come to his own people in his genealogy.
When you take a close look at who is listed in the first few verses of Matthew, you will see that Matthew included some pretty unsavory characters as descendants of Jesus. There is a king who killed a man for his wife; a king who sacrificed his own son; a man who deceived his brother and took everything he had, and the list goes on.
But then an angel tells Joseph that the baby’s name is Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. Jesus entered a family tree that desperately needed saving, and a human race that still needs his hand of grace.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Scripture tells us that when Christ came into the world, he came to his own people. He entered history at a particular time and place and lived his life among God’s people. The Gospel of Matthew helps us understand exactly what it means for Christ to come to his own people in his genealogy.
When you take a close look at who is listed in the first few verses of Matthew, you will see that Matthew included some pretty unsavory characters as descendants of Jesus. There is a king who killed a man for his wife; a king who sacrificed his own son; a man who deceived his brother and took everything he had, and the list goes on.
But then an angel tells Joseph that the baby’s name is Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. Jesus entered a family tree that desperately needed saving, and a human race that still needs his hand of grace.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Advent: Church
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor of Quail Lake Community Church.
I think we all know it is very easy during this season of the year to get caught up in our work, trips, and lists of things to do. During this “happiest season of the year” we seem to be more busy and preoccupied than ever as we hop from work to shopping to home to even more shopping.
It may seem a little clichéd, but it is true—it is very easy to take our eyes and minds off of Christ during Christmas. Some of us will go to church for our one Christmas service, but not find time during most of the rest of the year to be with the body of Christ. I would encourage you to find your way into a good church this season to help put some perspective on Christmas, and I would also encourage you to consider making church a regular part of your life. I know we would love to see you this Christmas season.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
I think we all know it is very easy during this season of the year to get caught up in our work, trips, and lists of things to do. During this “happiest season of the year” we seem to be more busy and preoccupied than ever as we hop from work to shopping to home to even more shopping.
It may seem a little clichéd, but it is true—it is very easy to take our eyes and minds off of Christ during Christmas. Some of us will go to church for our one Christmas service, but not find time during most of the rest of the year to be with the body of Christ. I would encourage you to find your way into a good church this season to help put some perspective on Christmas, and I would also encourage you to consider making church a regular part of your life. I know we would love to see you this Christmas season.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Advent and Hope
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor of Quail Lake Community Church.
Hope is a neglected virtue. We often hear a lot about faith and love, but we don’t often think about hope and what it means for the believer. In fact, the Christmas season is a wonderful time to remind ourselves of what hope means.
We do not hope in hope, we hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Hope for the Christian is not a vague desire that things will get better against all appearances, but that the life and light of Christ will be manifest in this world and in our lives. When Christ entered this world, hope came. Matthew 12 says that, “in his name the nations will put their hope.” We now look forward to lives of meaning and fulfillment because of what happened on the first Christmas morning. Christ came into this world to give us a glimpse of the Father and to give me a good reason to hope.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Hope is a neglected virtue. We often hear a lot about faith and love, but we don’t often think about hope and what it means for the believer. In fact, the Christmas season is a wonderful time to remind ourselves of what hope means.
We do not hope in hope, we hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Hope for the Christian is not a vague desire that things will get better against all appearances, but that the life and light of Christ will be manifest in this world and in our lives. When Christ entered this world, hope came. Matthew 12 says that, “in his name the nations will put their hope.” We now look forward to lives of meaning and fulfillment because of what happened on the first Christmas morning. Christ came into this world to give us a glimpse of the Father and to give me a good reason to hope.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Advent: The Wise Men Come
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In the advent story there are probably no more mysterious characters than the wise men. We don’t know exactly who they were or where they came from. About the only thing we do know is what they came to do—they came to worship a child as King. As enigmatic as these characters are, they have a lot to tell us about faith and spiritual endurance.
They displayed faith in that they had the evidence of the star to guide them, but no teachings or special signs from Jesus himself, yet they worshiped him. Their endurance was great in that they traveled a long way taking a long time and overcoming many hardships to reach the child. It was not easy to travel across the desert and national borders in their day. Yet none of that turned them away. I have far more evidence for faith than the wise men—what am I willing to endure to worship my King?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
In the advent story there are probably no more mysterious characters than the wise men. We don’t know exactly who they were or where they came from. About the only thing we do know is what they came to do—they came to worship a child as King. As enigmatic as these characters are, they have a lot to tell us about faith and spiritual endurance.
They displayed faith in that they had the evidence of the star to guide them, but no teachings or special signs from Jesus himself, yet they worshiped him. Their endurance was great in that they traveled a long way taking a long time and overcoming many hardships to reach the child. It was not easy to travel across the desert and national borders in their day. Yet none of that turned them away. I have far more evidence for faith than the wise men—what am I willing to endure to worship my King?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Advent: Herod Reacts
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
As we approach another Christmas, one very helpful way of interacting with the biblical story is to watch the different reactions to the birth of Jesus. The local ruler, Herod, is a fascinating person for several reasons, not the least of which is how he reacts to Jesus. When he hears the wise men are looking for the Messiah, he sends them to Bethlehem and concocts a scheme to find the child himself. And when that fails he orders all the babies in the region to be killed.
Herod knows what it means for the Messiah to be born—in fact, he knows it better than many Christians do. When Jesus was born, it meant the Lord himself had entered our time and space. And if Jesus is Lord, Herod no longer can be. Knowing Jesus means we encounter our Savior and a friend who sticks closer than a brother, but it also means we encounter our Lord.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
As we approach another Christmas, one very helpful way of interacting with the biblical story is to watch the different reactions to the birth of Jesus. The local ruler, Herod, is a fascinating person for several reasons, not the least of which is how he reacts to Jesus. When he hears the wise men are looking for the Messiah, he sends them to Bethlehem and concocts a scheme to find the child himself. And when that fails he orders all the babies in the region to be killed.
Herod knows what it means for the Messiah to be born—in fact, he knows it better than many Christians do. When Jesus was born, it meant the Lord himself had entered our time and space. And if Jesus is Lord, Herod no longer can be. Knowing Jesus means we encounter our Savior and a friend who sticks closer than a brother, but it also means we encounter our Lord.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Advent: Priests and Scribes React
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
As we enter another advent season and make our way to Christmas, it is good for us to remind ourselves of the characters surrounding the birth of Jesus. One particular reaction to the birth of Jesus typically goes unnoticed in large part because it comes and goes so quickly. When Herod hears of the birth of Jesus, he consults the chief priests and scribes of his day. What is fascinating to me is that they know exactly where to send the wise men to find the Messiah.
Then what do they do? Well, they do nothing. Their response to the birth of the Messiah might be classified as distracted apathy. They know what is happening but do not take the time out of their busy religious schedules to make their way to Bethlehem to worship their king. Often I find myself in the same position. Am I too busy or distracted to stop and worship my king?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
As we enter another advent season and make our way to Christmas, it is good for us to remind ourselves of the characters surrounding the birth of Jesus. One particular reaction to the birth of Jesus typically goes unnoticed in large part because it comes and goes so quickly. When Herod hears of the birth of Jesus, he consults the chief priests and scribes of his day. What is fascinating to me is that they know exactly where to send the wise men to find the Messiah.
Then what do they do? Well, they do nothing. Their response to the birth of the Messiah might be classified as distracted apathy. They know what is happening but do not take the time out of their busy religious schedules to make their way to Bethlehem to worship their king. Often I find myself in the same position. Am I too busy or distracted to stop and worship my king?
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Is The Bible Intolerant? 3
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
I think we have all heard people attack the Christian faith by saying we can’t trust the Bible because it has been changed so often over the centuries. This slogan finds a great deal of popular support in books and movies like “The Da Vinci Code.” The only problem with it is that there is no evidence for these alleged changes.
In her very readable book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing details the history of the Bible and what archeology knows about the ancient manuscripts. As it turns out, we have a large number of ancient texts of the Bible, and this means we can scrutinize the historical development of Scripture. There are changes through time, but they are almost all spelling and grammar changes. The truth about the Bible is that there is literally no evidence of any real change over time. The Bible you buy and read today is the same book that was read by Paul and Peter.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
I think we have all heard people attack the Christian faith by saying we can’t trust the Bible because it has been changed so often over the centuries. This slogan finds a great deal of popular support in books and movies like “The Da Vinci Code.” The only problem with it is that there is no evidence for these alleged changes.
In her very readable book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing details the history of the Bible and what archeology knows about the ancient manuscripts. As it turns out, we have a large number of ancient texts of the Bible, and this means we can scrutinize the historical development of Scripture. There are changes through time, but they are almost all spelling and grammar changes. The truth about the Bible is that there is literally no evidence of any real change over time. The Bible you buy and read today is the same book that was read by Paul and Peter.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Is The Bible Intolerant? 2
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Oftentimes people will argue against the truth of Christianity or Scripture by using well-worn slogans. These slogans are designed to dismiss an argument even before something important is said and give the skeptic a way out of believing. One such slogan is that more people have been killed as a result of religious wars than anything else. And of course, this means that religion is evil.
As one philosopher noted, people who say this need a history lesson. It is true, and very sad, that many people have died because of religious wars, but more people have died in the twentieth century alone because of Nazism and atheistic communism than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. It is simply false that Christianity has killed more people throughout history than any other ideology. In her great little book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing debunks this and many other slogans used by people as an excuse to not believe.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Oftentimes people will argue against the truth of Christianity or Scripture by using well-worn slogans. These slogans are designed to dismiss an argument even before something important is said and give the skeptic a way out of believing. One such slogan is that more people have been killed as a result of religious wars than anything else. And of course, this means that religion is evil.
As one philosopher noted, people who say this need a history lesson. It is true, and very sad, that many people have died because of religious wars, but more people have died in the twentieth century alone because of Nazism and atheistic communism than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. It is simply false that Christianity has killed more people throughout history than any other ideology. In her great little book, “Is the Bible Intolerant?” Amy Orr-Ewing debunks this and many other slogans used by people as an excuse to not believe.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org
Is The Bible Intolerant? 1
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Have you ever heard a skeptic dismiss Christianity or the Bible with a slogan like, “the Bible has been changed thousands of times over the years,” or, “more people have been killed in wars over religion than anything else”? If you have, then join the club. I have actually encountered these kinds of slogans in just the last few weeks from people who are desperate to dismiss the truth claims of Christianity.
So what is a good way to counter these kinds of slogans? A new book titled, “Is The Bible Intolerant?” is a wonderful and very readable new tool for the Christian and for the skeptic. In 130 easy to understand pages, the author, Amy Orr-Ewing, tackles these and many other popular slogans head-on. The reader will learn how the books of the Bible were compiled, how reliable they are, and much more. If you want to increase your ability to answer the skeptic, this is a great place to begin.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Have you ever heard a skeptic dismiss Christianity or the Bible with a slogan like, “the Bible has been changed thousands of times over the years,” or, “more people have been killed in wars over religion than anything else”? If you have, then join the club. I have actually encountered these kinds of slogans in just the last few weeks from people who are desperate to dismiss the truth claims of Christianity.
So what is a good way to counter these kinds of slogans? A new book titled, “Is The Bible Intolerant?” is a wonderful and very readable new tool for the Christian and for the skeptic. In 130 easy to understand pages, the author, Amy Orr-Ewing, tackles these and many other popular slogans head-on. The reader will learn how the books of the Bible were compiled, how reliable they are, and much more. If you want to increase your ability to answer the skeptic, this is a great place to begin.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Catholic Bishops and Sexuality
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In a recent conference, our nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops addressed concerns about receiving communion and sexuality. The immediate concern for them was that many believers think they can live sexually immoral lives and still believe they are in harmony with their church and their faith. The conclusion the Bishop’s drew is the biblical conclusion—a marriage between one man and one woman is the only appropriate place for sexual expression.
Their ultimate concern is that their people learn to live lives of holiness. One Bishop noted, “All of us are damaged by original sin, and all of us have desires disordered in various ways.” He is absolutely right. We are all tainted and twisted by original sin, but God calls us to lead holy lives and he provides the presence of his Spirit to help us. We should all follow the call of the Bishops and lead lives of holiness.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
In a recent conference, our nation’s Roman Catholic Bishops addressed concerns about receiving communion and sexuality. The immediate concern for them was that many believers think they can live sexually immoral lives and still believe they are in harmony with their church and their faith. The conclusion the Bishop’s drew is the biblical conclusion—a marriage between one man and one woman is the only appropriate place for sexual expression.
Their ultimate concern is that their people learn to live lives of holiness. One Bishop noted, “All of us are damaged by original sin, and all of us have desires disordered in various ways.” He is absolutely right. We are all tainted and twisted by original sin, but God calls us to lead holy lives and he provides the presence of his Spirit to help us. We should all follow the call of the Bishops and lead lives of holiness.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Missouri and Cloning
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
A ballot measure that recently passed in Missouri allows research to move forward on human embryos. The measure allows for the cloning and destruction of embryos for research, and, in an Orwellian twist of language, was supported by a group called the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. A writer at Slate.com notes that if these technologies are allowed to progress, “you’re seriously messing with the foundations of human life. You’re creating artificial human entities. You’re turning eggs and embryos into medical supplies.”
He is absolutely right. These kinds of technologies are not going away, and they are only going to expand in their power and potency. Christians cannot ignore the brave new world we live in. We should be the vanguard of ethical and spiritual reflection and stand up for the value and sanctity of human life in all of its forms. Embryonic research destroys human lives and should be opposed whenever possible.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
A ballot measure that recently passed in Missouri allows research to move forward on human embryos. The measure allows for the cloning and destruction of embryos for research, and, in an Orwellian twist of language, was supported by a group called the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. A writer at Slate.com notes that if these technologies are allowed to progress, “you’re seriously messing with the foundations of human life. You’re creating artificial human entities. You’re turning eggs and embryos into medical supplies.”
He is absolutely right. These kinds of technologies are not going away, and they are only going to expand in their power and potency. Christians cannot ignore the brave new world we live in. We should be the vanguard of ethical and spiritual reflection and stand up for the value and sanctity of human life in all of its forms. Embryonic research destroys human lives and should be opposed whenever possible.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Happiness-In a Biblical Sense: Redux
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In their wonderful book, The Lost Virtue of Happiness, J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler want to reengage Christians with a biblical and classical notion of happiness and provide practical ways of attaining it. Early in the book they clarify the difference between what we typically take for happiness from how Scripture views happiness.
It is typical today to see happiness as a sense of pleasurable satisfaction. In that case it is all about us and our own needs. In an ironic reality, the more turned inward we are, the more empty our lives become.
On the other hand, happiness as described in Scripture is more about a life well-lived; a full life of character and virtue, one that displays wisdom, kindness and goodness. Happiness in this sense is a life-long pursuit that fills us with the life and light of Christ, and as we pursue it and Him, our own lives will become filled with meaning and purpose.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
In their wonderful book, The Lost Virtue of Happiness, J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler want to reengage Christians with a biblical and classical notion of happiness and provide practical ways of attaining it. Early in the book they clarify the difference between what we typically take for happiness from how Scripture views happiness.
It is typical today to see happiness as a sense of pleasurable satisfaction. In that case it is all about us and our own needs. In an ironic reality, the more turned inward we are, the more empty our lives become.
On the other hand, happiness as described in Scripture is more about a life well-lived; a full life of character and virtue, one that displays wisdom, kindness and goodness. Happiness in this sense is a life-long pursuit that fills us with the life and light of Christ, and as we pursue it and Him, our own lives will become filled with meaning and purpose.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Peterson and Worship: Redux
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
In his book, Run With The Horses, Eugene Peterson says this about worship and life, “Worship defines life. If worship is corrupt, life will be corrupt.” This statement is based on example after example of the life of God’s people in the Old Testament. Every time they allowed corruption into their temple and their places of worship, their lives degraded and moved further away from God.
What is it I worship? Not just on the weekends when I sing songs and take communion, but what are the principles that guide my life? Those are the things I worship, and those are the things that have a place of reverence in my heart and mind. If I value leisure, my time, my work, my family will be all about my leisure. If I worship self or money they will all be about me or my money. If I worship God, everything fits into its proper place, and everything becomes about Him.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
In his book, Run With The Horses, Eugene Peterson says this about worship and life, “Worship defines life. If worship is corrupt, life will be corrupt.” This statement is based on example after example of the life of God’s people in the Old Testament. Every time they allowed corruption into their temple and their places of worship, their lives degraded and moved further away from God.
What is it I worship? Not just on the weekends when I sing songs and take communion, but what are the principles that guide my life? Those are the things I worship, and those are the things that have a place of reverence in my heart and mind. If I value leisure, my time, my work, my family will be all about my leisure. If I worship self or money they will all be about me or my money. If I worship God, everything fits into its proper place, and everything becomes about Him.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Christians and Biology
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Is Christianity incompatible with modern biology? The columnist John Derbyshire thinks so. In a recent column detailing why he lost his Christian faith, he notes, “Creationists are absolutely correct to hate and fear modern biology. Learning this stuff works against your faith.” In an ironic twist, Derbyshire cites an organization full of Christian biologists and scientists who would disagree.
These Christian biologists work with a basic assumption that has guided the Church for two centuries: all truth is God’s truth. This is the idea that wherever we find truth, we can be sure that it is compatible with the Christian faith. Christians who are biologists can then be assured that the truths in modern biology are a result of God’s creative power. It is sad that Derbyshire has lost his faith, but maybe a little more work on his part might have solved this problem.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Is Christianity incompatible with modern biology? The columnist John Derbyshire thinks so. In a recent column detailing why he lost his Christian faith, he notes, “Creationists are absolutely correct to hate and fear modern biology. Learning this stuff works against your faith.” In an ironic twist, Derbyshire cites an organization full of Christian biologists and scientists who would disagree.
These Christian biologists work with a basic assumption that has guided the Church for two centuries: all truth is God’s truth. This is the idea that wherever we find truth, we can be sure that it is compatible with the Christian faith. Christians who are biologists can then be assured that the truths in modern biology are a result of God’s creative power. It is sad that Derbyshire has lost his faith, but maybe a little more work on his part might have solved this problem.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Youth and Doctrine 2
Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger, Pastor at Quail Lake Community Church.
Should teenagers be taught doctrine and theology in church? According to Time magazine, the latest trend among youth pastors is to return to Bible-centered youth groups. In the light of a large number of teens that have left the faith in the last couple of decades, many youth leaders have reacted by educating their teens in the essentials of the faith. One researcher recently quoted in Time said, “The vast majority of teens who call themselves Christians haven't been well educated in religious doctrine and therefore don't really know what they believe.”
Knowing God intimately is the best way to secure a relationship with Him. Many young people have grown up without being taught the fundamental truths about Christ—who He is and why He is unique—and have faded from the faith as a result. It is not hard to give up something that you were never sure of in the first place.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
Should teenagers be taught doctrine and theology in church? According to Time magazine, the latest trend among youth pastors is to return to Bible-centered youth groups. In the light of a large number of teens that have left the faith in the last couple of decades, many youth leaders have reacted by educating their teens in the essentials of the faith. One researcher recently quoted in Time said, “The vast majority of teens who call themselves Christians haven't been well educated in religious doctrine and therefore don't really know what they believe.”
Knowing God intimately is the best way to secure a relationship with Him. Many young people have grown up without being taught the fundamental truths about Christ—who He is and why He is unique—and have faded from the faith as a result. It is not hard to give up something that you were never sure of in the first place.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit, quaillake.org.
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