At Flat Run Church, we encourage people to write out and read their Christian testimony before they are baptized. A Christian testimony is your description of God’s work in your life as you recount how you became a Christian. This accomplishes two things. First, it allows you to put into words how you became a Christian on the basis of the Gospel. Understanding this and describing the work of God in your life can be an effective tool in sharing Christ with others for the rest of your life. Second, our church wants to hear how you became a Christian. As you are baptized, you are professing your faith in Jesus. Rest assured it will be of utmost encouragement to them....
Prayer is one of the most beneficial and difficult disciplines to start and maintain in the Christian life. There are many reasons for this, but one reason is our fundamental understanding of prayer. Prayer is about worship and spending time in the presence of our God. Once we understand that, it should calibrate our time spent in prayer....
Every Christian follows some form of “Christian tradition.” Growing up, most Baptists I learned from disliked the T-word, but I have come to find comfort in it. Scripture itself distinguishes between bad tradition—which Jesus rebuked in Mark 7—and good tradition, which Paul commands believers to hold fast to in 2 Thessalonians 2:15. Since the first century, the church has continually received and practiced tradition. In many ways, Protestantism is uniquely positioned to shed unhealthy traditions while retaining those that are biblically faithful....
Some of my earliest memories in life were spent in church. My parents made it a strong priority in our home to be in church every time we had a worship service, which meant we attended each Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. As a busy parent at this stage in my life, I know what a commitment that is, and I will forever be grateful to my mom and dad for raising me in church....
The reality of having many churches in a community has led to church shopping and church hopping. Membership sometimes feels like a revolving door. Unfortunately, pastors contribute to this by failing to set clear expectations for membership and discipleship. While there are legitimate reasons to leave a church—such as doctrinal error or unaddressed sin—most people leave for lesser reasons, like a lack of programs or unresolved interpersonal conflicts. ...
When you go through Bible college or seminary to train for ministry, there are many things you cannot be taught and must learn through experience. One of the most painful lessons in church life—rarely discussed but often felt—is the pain of people leaving the church you pastor....
My son and I have been worked for a friend, delivering bounce houses to make some extra money. This has provided a great opportunity for us to talk, allowing me to teach him about work ethic, communication with a boss, and how Christians should conduct themselves....
When our kids are small, we emphasize the importance of choosing good friends. As they grow older, we redouble our efforts, reminding them, “Birds of a feather flock together.” But what about adult friendships? Even as we grow in discernment and wisdom, we still need friends who can see the blind spots we miss. True friends, especially as Christians, are vital in helping us walk with God and avoid pitfalls in our lives....
As our children grow, their sin nature becomes more evident. For this reason—perhaps more than any other—they need us even more as they get older. While it’s easy to think that children need us the most when they are small because they rely on us for physical survival, I would argue that our engagement with them as they grow is just as crucial....
When you hear the word "journaling," what comes to mind? For many, the idea feels impractical or intimidating. “This isn’t for me,” you might think. “I could never—or would never—do that.” But what if I told you that journaling could deepen your walk with Christ and give you a richer appreciation for the gospel? Would you take it seriously then?...
At Flat Run Church, we encourage people to write out and read their Christian testimony before they are baptized. A Christian testimony is your description of God’s work in your life as you recount how you became a Christian. This accomplishes two things. First, it allows you to put into words how you became a Christian on the basis of the Gospel. Understanding this and ...
Keep Reading Prayer is one of the most beneficial and difficult disciplines to start and maintain in the Christian life. There are many reasons for this, but one reason is our fundamental understanding of prayer. Prayer is about worship and spending time in the presence of our God. Once we understand that, it should calibrate our time spent in prayer....
Keep Reading Every Christian follows some form of “Christian tradition.” Growing up, most Baptists I learned from disliked the T-word, but I have come to find comfort in it. Scripture itself distinguishes between bad tradition—which Jesus rebuked in Mark 7—and good tradition, which Paul commands believers to hold fast to in 2 Thessalonians 2:15. Since the first century, the chu...
Keep Reading Some of my earliest memories in life were spent in church. My parents made it a strong priority in our home to be in church every time we had a worship service, which meant we attended each Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. As a busy parent at this stage in my life, I know what a commitment that is, and I will forever be grateful to my mom and dad for rais...
Keep Reading The reality of having many churches in a community has led to church shopping and church hopping. Membership sometimes feels like a revolving door. Unfortunately, pastors contribute to this by failing to set clear expectations for membership and discipleship. While there are legitimate reasons to leave a church—such as doctrinal error or unaddressed sin—most people le...
Keep Reading When you go through Bible college or seminary to train for ministry, there are many things you cannot be taught and must learn through experience. One of the most painful lessons in church life—rarely discussed but often felt—is the pain of people leaving the church you pastor....
Keep Reading My son and I have been worked for a friend, delivering bounce houses to make some extra money. This has provided a great opportunity for us to talk, allowing me to teach him about work ethic, communication with a boss, and how Christians should conduct themselves....
Keep Reading When our kids are small, we emphasize the importance of choosing good friends. As they grow older, we redouble our efforts, reminding them, “Birds of a feather flock together.” But what about adult friendships? Even as we grow in discernment and wisdom, we still need friends who can see the blind spots we miss. True friends, especially as Christians, are vital in helpi...
Keep Reading As our children grow, their sin nature becomes more evident. For this reason—perhaps more than any other—they need us even more as they get older. While it’s easy to think that children need us the most when they are small because they rely on us for physical survival, I would argue that our engagement with them as they grow is just as crucial....
Keep Reading When you hear the word "journaling," what comes to mind? For many, the idea feels impractical or intimidating. “This isn’t for me,” you might think. “I could never—or would never—do that.” But what if I told you that journaling could deepen your walk with Christ and give you a richer appreciation for the gospel? Would you take it seriously then?...
Keep Reading