Life Bible Fellowship Church: Recent Episodes
Life Bible Fellowship Church
This episode covers 5 questions that women asked at our recent Women’s Ministry STAY event. We cover topics like crypto-currency, the Trinity, and models for biblical femininity.
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Link to episode on what happens to Christians when they die:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7vJVGnwgRo
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Link to episode about Israel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wkpeA7q_QQ&list=PLz9jSz5Lre4Zg9wmcvUiWeUhZHG50I8zK&index=54
The post Q&A: Five Questions and Answers appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In light of recent rapture predictions, in this episode we delve into how we respond to prophecies about Jesus’ return, and about how we can be watchful and ready.
The post Rapture Predictions and Watchfulness appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The post Talking AI: Education, Accuracy, and Concerns appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
How do we as believers respond to the Charlie Kirk assassination, and what keeps the Christians from responding with physical violence to evil ideas?
The post Reflection on the Charlie Kirk Assassination appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Most of us probably have clear ideas about what happens to Christians when they die. But are those ideas biblical? In this episode we delve into what the New Testament teaches on this subject, and we get the surprise of seeing that, for believers in Jesus, the best is always yet to come.
The post What Happens to Christians When They Die? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Garrett Gerhart, Pastor of College and Communications, to discuss how Christians can think and behave biblically when it comes to using A.I.
The post A Conversation about A.I. appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at biblical reasons to pray, even if we believe that God already knows everything.
The post Why Should We Pray If God Knows Everything? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
As Christians who believe that God is love, what are we to make of God’s wrath and judgment? In this episode we look at five statements that help us to respond to the biblical teaching of God’s wrath.
The post God’s Wrath appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we discuss what John Piper calls “The Debtor’s Ethic.” We ask the question of whether or not our obedience should be motivated by thinking of how much God has done for us.Link to Future Grace by John Piper.The post Should Christians Try to Pay God Back? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Can giving really be an act of joy? Dan and Loren VanWoudenberg (Chair of the LBF Church Elder Team) talk about how belonging to church involves financial giving.
The post When We Belong, We Give appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan and Tim Longo (Pastor of Outreach) talk about the joy that comes with serving the church to which you belong.
The post When We Belong We Serve appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we explore how Jordan Peterson’s view on faith squares with the description of faith that we find in the Bible.
The post Jordan Peterson on Faith appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In the second part of the “When We Belong” series, Dan is joined by Summer Brown (Women’s Ministry Pastor) and John Eltiste (Men’s Ministry Director) to talk about why it matters to be involved in church beyond Sundays.
The post When We Belong, We Connect appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In the first of four episodes on what it looks like to belong to a church, Dan and Andy Watson (Pastor of Worship) talk about how to approach Sunday worship with passion, joy, and preparation.
The post When We Belong, We Worship appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we explore the dangers of Christian celebrity culture, and we look at how best to avoid the pitfalls of this trend.
The post Idolizing Christian Leaders appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Too many people, both Christians and non-Christians, have a casual response to the resurrection of Jesus. In this episode we explore why we are desperate for the resurrection of Jesus, and why it is such good news.
The post Why We Need Easter appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Dr. Curt Bouma to talk about both the biblical and the scientific issues Christians should consider when approaching the issue of birth control.
The post Christians and Birth Control appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode Dan and Andy talk about how best to walk through the season of Lent.
The post How to Practice Lent appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode, we follow up on two sermons about marriage (check them out here and here) by digging into four big questions about how believers in Jesus live out God’s plan and purpose for marriage.The post Big Questions about Marriage appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan and Tim talk about the call of Jesus to make disciples of all nations, and talk specifically about Life Bible Fellowship Church GO Teams. If you want to inquire about GO Teams, click here: https://lbf.church/go-teams/.
The post Jesus’ Call to Reach the World appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at what we can do if we want to gain the greatest benefits and joy from the times of singing with our church family.The post What if I Don’t Like Singing in Church? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at how we can understand and respond to “natural” disasters in light of God’s power and sovereignty.
The post Why Do Disasters Happen? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
As we prepare for 2025, we look at five new habits that can help us grow in Christ.
The post 5 New Habits for 2025 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at the truths behind the practice of communion (the Lord’s Supper), and explore three ideas that we can focus on in order to maximize the impact of this practice.The post Celebrating Communion appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we walk through five books that are timely for Christians to read.Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria ButterfieldThe Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah BurroughsBad Therapy by Abigail ShrierGet Married by Brad WilcoxHannah’s Children by Catherine PakulakThe post Five Books You Should Read In 2025 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we explore the Bible’s positive words and negative words about drinking alcohol. Should Christians do it at all? If so, how?
The post Christians and Alcohol appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at the biblical picture of believers as exiles, and explore how this applies to how we live in the United States.
The post Living as American Exiles appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we explore how God, through his Word, provides us with guidance for how we approach voting.
The post Principles for Christian Voting appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Tim Longo, Pastor of Outreach, to talk about how serving Jesus and his church not only changes others, but also deepens us in our walk with Christ.
The post How God Changes Us Through Serving appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
A charge that is often lobbed at Christians is that they aren’t allowed to think for themselves. Instead they have to thoughtlessly accept the teachings of the faith. Is this true? And is this something that is unique to Christians, or is it true of everybody?
The post Do Christians Give Up Thinking for Themselves? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we give recommendations for 5 great podcasts if you want to keep God’s Word on your mind throughout the week.
The post Podcasts to Listen to appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we explore how we can deal with our doubts and questions about God without losing our minds or losing our faith.
The post Dealing with Questions and Doubts appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we ask whether it is (1) true and whether it is (2) helpful for Christians to say, “Everything works out for the best.”
The post Everything Works Out for the Best? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we explore whether it is biblical to say, “God wants us to be happy?”
The post Does God Want Us To Be Happy? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we examine whether or not it is true that God will not give us more than we can handle.
The post God won’t give you more than you can handle? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
This episode dives into the hot topic of whether or not a Christian can lose their salvation. And, if not, then what is going on when people abandon the faith?
The post Can a Christian Lose their Salvation? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at five questions that can help us better order our lives around God’s calling and priorities.
The post Bringing Order to Your Life appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Where are you tempted to find our identity apart from Jesus? In this episode we look at three competitors who tempt us to find our identity in them instead of in Christ
The post Finding Your Identity appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Are we really supposed to fear God? If so, does fearing God mean what it seems like it means? In this episode we delve into this really important–and life-giving–topic.
The post What is the Fear of the Lord? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
For our final installment of our Forming Faith at Home series, Dan is joined by Jeff Taylor (Pastor of Student Ministries) to talk about how we can set them up to have positive spiritual influences outside of their immediate family.
The post Forming Faith at Home: Developing Mentoring Relationships appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Many of us struggle with being people-pleasers. In this episode we look at the danger of being people-pleasers, and the unique way we as Christians can fight against this tendency.
The post The Danger of People Pleasing appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode Dan is joined by Phil Shahbaz, Pastor of Community Life, to talk about giving our kids spiritual responsibilities of their own.
The post Forming Faith at Home: Spiritual Responsibilities appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Should Christians pray for physical healing? Should we expect our sicknesses to go away? Do we get sick as a punishment for sin? We delve into all these questions in this episode.
The post When Christians Get Sick appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode Dan is joined by Laurie Baiz, Pastor of LIFE Kids ministry. They talk about how to cultivate opportunities for kids to have spiritual experiences in the home.
The post Forming Faith at Home: Spiritual Experience at Home appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode, we look into major questions about baptism. What is it? How should it be done? Who should be baptized? And when should people get baptized?
The post All Things Baptism appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Troy Spilman to talk about the habit of families serving together. This is the second of five episodes on habits that help families form faith at home.
The post Forming Faith at Home: Serving as a Family appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Many are waiting longer to have kids. And then they are having fewer kids. And then some are opting not to have kids at all. In this episode, we explore the main reasons why people aren’t having kids and give some responses to each of these reasons.
The post Responses to Reasons Not to Have Kids appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Andy Watson and Summer Brown join Dan to talk about the first of five habits to help us place Jesus at the center of our family life. They discuss the significance of eating meals together as a family.
The post Forming Faith at Home: Having Meals Together appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
This episode covers some great books to read in this new year.
The post Five Books You Should Read in 2024 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
As we reflect on the love God sent to us through Jesus at Christmas, we look at how we can keep ourselves in that experience of God’s love for us.
The post Do You Keep Yourself in God’s Love? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
What are the dangers and the benefits for Christians to be sports fans? In this episode, we explore sports fandom from the Christian perspective.
The post Jesus and Sports Fans appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode, as Thanksgiving approaches, we look at three ways to cultivate the kind of gratitude that can fulfill 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances.”
The post How to Be Thankful ALWAYS appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode, Dan talks about the controversy surrounding Andy Stanley, and how churches can appropriately welcome unbelievers.
The post Andy Stanley, Homosexuality, and Welcoming Unbelievers appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Is it better to get married or to stay single? Our culture is debating which one will make you happier. But what if that is the wrong question to ask when Christians consider their options for marriage (and children) or singleness?
In the past, it was pretty well assumed that most people would get married, and that most would get married relatively young. Today, this is not the case. Fewer people see marriage as important, and those who do marry seem to be in no hurry to do so. Many are focused on the question
The post Should Christians Get Married? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we reflect on the Hamas attack on Israel and on how Christians should think about how the nation of Israel factors into God’s unfolding plan for the world.
The post Reflecting on Israel appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Members of the LBF Church Pastoral team share practical thoughts about how they approach God in prayer.
The post More Practical Thoughts on Prayer with the LBF Church Pastors appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Members of the LBF Church Pastoral team share practical thoughts about how they approach God in prayer.
The post Practical Thoughts on Prayer with the LBF Church Pastors appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode, Dan walks through how we can use the Lord's Prayer as a model for our own personal times of prayer. It breaks down into five parts that can provide a structure to help us experience greater union with God.
The post Praying the Lord’s Prayer appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Jeff Taylor, Student Ministries Pastor, to talk about the burdens that we choose to take on, and how they can keep us away from Jesus. the conversation also addresses how to let those obligations go and to draw near to Jesus.
The post The Yoke of Jesus vs. The Burdens of the World appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Most of us see work as a necessary evil, and as something that we want to avoid. This episode explores a Christian perspective toward work.
The post Why We Need Work appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we delve into the manosphere, asking whether it is good or bad, who the major players are, and how it relates to God's calling for men.
The post What is the Manosphere? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
We all know that Christians are called to share the message of Jesus with others. Instead of this being impersonal proclamation, for many of us this will be through personal relationships and friendships. In this episode Dan is joined by Hunter Gray to talk about the why and the how of relational evangelism. [Read More]
The post Sharing Jesus with Your Friends appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Most of us don't know what to say or do when we are trying to help someone who is dealing with grief. In this episode we look at three principles for helping people through grief--and also for walking through grief ourselves.
The post Helping People through Grief appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Christians required to boycott companies that support sinful activities? Are boycotts simply a way of picking a fight that cannot be won? In this episode, we explore how Christians should engage when boycotts become an option.
The post Should Christians Participate in Boycotts? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Pastor and author Tim Keller died and went home to be with the Lord on May 19th. In this episode, Dan reflects on Tim Keller's impact both on a personal level and his impact on the wider body of Christ.
The post The Impact of Tim Keller appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan shares some words from Proverbs 3:1-12 on God’s wisdom for high school and college graduates–or really for anyone (especially young people) wanting to grow in godly wisdom.
The post God’s Wisdom for Graduates appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Gender is a huge topic in our culture. Manhood and Womanhood are confusing topics for us. In this episode we explore the reasons behind the complementarian position, which champions the idea that God created men and women with equal value, but with different–and complementary–callings.
The post Why I Am Complementarian appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Christians oppose racism and sexism. What about transgenderism? While Christians are called to bring grace and hope to all people, what about the idea and the worldview behind transgenderism? In this episode Dan makes the case that Christians can–and should–oppose transgenderism out of faithfulness to the gospel and out of love for our neighbors.
The post Why Christians Should Oppose Transgenderism appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
When is it more loving and more Christ-like to risk rudeness in our interactions with others?
The post When You Should Be Rude appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Have you given thought to what you would want to happen at your funeral? Have you ever found yourself helping to plan a funeral for a loved one who has died? In this episode Dan talks about how we as believers in Jesus can plan funerals and memorial services that exalt Christ, that honor our loved ones who have died, and that bring hope to grieving people.
The post Planning a Christian Funeral appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
For Christians, Sunday mornings can be joyful and helpful, but they can also be stressful and frustrating. On top of this, we often forget what we experienced on Sunday soon afterward. God has something better in mind for us. In this episode, Dan shares five ways that we can approach Sunday church gatherings in order to maximize what God does in us and through us.
The post How To Make Sunday Mornings the Best Part of Your Week appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
We all come to resemble the people we spend time with. So, if we want to be wise and godly, we need to spend time with the wise and the godly. One powerful way to do this is to read great Christian books by those who have gone before us and studied God’s Word. Also, check out our new LBF Church Resource Page! https://lbf.church/resources/
LBF Church ResourcesThe post Why You Should Read More and Read Better appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The second half of a discussion between Dan, Summer Brown (Women’s Ministry Pastor), and Loren VanWoudenberg (Elder), as they respond to practical questions about how believers in Jesus can live out a vision of biblical marriage.
The post Q&A on Biblical Marriage, Part 3 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Summer Brown (Women’s Ministry Pastor) and Loren VanWoudenberg (Elder) to give answers to practical questions about how believers in Jesus can live out a vision of biblical marriage.
The post Q&A on Biblical Marriage, Part 2 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
As a follow-up to a recent sermon on the biblical vision for marriage (https://youtu.be/HskmzztJfGg), Dan walks through some frequently asked questions about the Bible’s teaching on marriage and about how this teaching can be lived out.
The post Q&A on Biblical Marriage, Part 1 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
As we start 2023, this episode explores how we can order our lives in a way that places Jesus as the center.
The post Setting Up Spiritual Grooves appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Knowing what your spiritual gifts are is not as important as you may think. This episode explores the dangers of placing too much emphasis on the discovery of spiritual gifts.
The post A Myth about Spiritual Gifts appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dear LBF Church Family,
I just want to say a big Thank You for being a part of this church family. There is no blessing like having brothers and sisters lock arms together as we passionately pursue life in Jesus and lead our neighbors to do the same. I thank God that I get to be a part of this church community.
As we get ready to head into 2023, I wanted to take a moment to help us remember how we have been able to see God at work in our midst during this past year. Here are some of the highlights that we have been able to experience:
- We celebrated Pastor Gary as he moved into retirement and I had the joy of stepping into my new role as Lead Pastor.
- We hosted over 250 kids for a Summer VBS where they got to hear the Gospel and connect with our church community.
- We saw over 70 gather at Forest Home for our Men’s Retreat, building each other up in healthy and biblical masculinity.
- We sent nearly 80 Exit 83 student to Rock the Boat, where they grew in worshiping and following Jesus.
- We celebrated the 2-year anniversary of the Upland Community Resource Center serving as a light in our community.
- We sent out 5 Global Outreach Teams, spreading the light of Jesus around the world.
- We culminated our Justice and Mercy series by praying over our Local Outreach Partners, with many church members committing to use their gifts to serve the community.
- We saw over 300 women attend Adore Him, hearing the Gospel and celebrating Jesus during the Christmas season.
- We continued to see hundreds grow through LIFE Groups, personal discipleship, and worship services, keeping our eyes always focused on Jesus.
As we head into the new year, I pray that you will draw near to Jesus and participate in his mission as we continue to move forward as a church family. Pray about how you will use your spiritual gifts to serve, and pray about how you will use your money and resources to further the mission of spreading the light of Jesus near and far.
Thank you for being a blessing to our community, to your brothers and sisters in Christ, to our staff, and to me personally. I so look forward to seeing how God will be at work among us during this next year.
In Christ,
Dan Franklin, Lead Pastor
The post 2022 Ministry Recap appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The Respect for Marriage Act just passed with a bipartisan vote in the Senate. It is a bill relating to how states affirm same-sex marriage. In this episode Dan delves into what exactly is in the bill, while also looking at how its content impacts churches, Christians, and our overall culture.
The post Responding to The Respect for Marriage Act appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan is joined by Kami Grosvenor and Dain Pankratz from Inland Valley Hope Partners to talk about Jesus’ call to care for the needy. They break down truths and myths about those who are homeless, while also talking about how caring for the needy has impacted their personal walk with Jesus.
The post Title: Justice and Mercy, Part 5: Inland Valley Hope Partners appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
How can believers in Jesus live out justice and mercy to pregnant teens and to single moms? Dan is joined by Holly Bettge, Executive Director of Growing Pains, and Natalie Stidham, LBF Church member and volunteer with Growing Pains. They discuss stories of how God has been at work, the great need to [Read More]
The post Justice and Mercy, Part 4: Growing Pains appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode, Dan is joined by Anne Thorward and Karen Althaus from Newcomers Access Center. The discussion focuses on immigrants and refugees, the challenges they face, and ways that each of us can be involved in justice and mercy for them.
The post Justice and Mercy, Part 3: Newcomers Access Center appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
This November Californians will be voting on Prop 1, which relates to abortion rights in the state. What is Prop 1, and how should believe in Jesus respond to this? This episode offers some guidance by explaining the proposition, while also exploring more broadly how believers approach the issue of abortion. [Read More]
The post Christians and Prop 1 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The post Justice and Mercy, Part 2: FrontSight Military Outreach appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Dan talks with Jenn Corbett, Executive Director of Warrior for Children. Jenn talks about helping kids who've experienced trauma, ways that we all can be involved, and her own personal journey in shining the light of Jesus through acts of justice and mercy.
The post Justice and Mercy, Part 1: Warrior for Children appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Recently President Biden announced his intention to enact a sweeping student loan forgiveness initiative. Is this a great example of benevolent kindness and generosity? Is this instead an example of unfair treatment and favoritism? And what guidance can we get from Scripture on how God would lead us to respond in our [Read More]
The post Does God Want to Forgive Student Loans? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In this episode we look at 1 Peter 3:1-7. Why are there six verses for wives and only one verse for husbands? What does a quiet and gentle spirit mean? And why might God not listen to a husband’s prayers? More importantly, what is the kind of beauty that God values in [Read More]
The post Marriage, Part 4: True Beauty, True Strength appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
No one gets married expecting to get a divorce. But we know that many marriages end in this very way. What does the Bible say about this? When is divorce okay? And why is it sometimes not okay? And what does Scripture’s teaching on divorce tell us about how we should understand marriage? [Read More]
The post Marriage and Divorce appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In the second of four episodes about what Bible teaches on marriage, we look at 1 Corinthians 7:25-35. Paul warns about marriage, saying that it marriage brings trouble to those who choose it. What trouble is he talking about? And how do we properly respond to the trouble that comes along with marriage? [Read More]
The post Marriage, Part 2: Marriage Brings Trouble appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Marriage, Part 1: It’s Not About You In the first of four episodes about what the Bible teaches on marriage, we look at Ephesians 5:22-33. We look at husbands and wives, love and respect, submission and headship. And we also look at the idea that marriage is not something we created, but something that [Read More]
The post Marriage, Part 1: It’s Not About You appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
On June 24th the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the idea that there is a constitutional right to abortion. Many pro-life Christians celebrated this decision, while others—including some Christians—mourned it. How should we respond to a world divided on the subject of abortion? In this episode we explore five objections to [Read More]
The post A Response to Common Objections to the Pro-Life Stance appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
June is Pride Month in the United States. Pride Month is specifically focused on LGBTQ+ people. So, how do Christians respond to Pride Month? First of all, what should we think of the very idea of pride? And second of all, how should we think about what we should be proud of and what [Read More]
The post Thinking about Pride Month appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Each year the LBF Church pastors and elders, through prayer and discussion, identify 2-3 all-church goals to help guide us through the year. The all-church goals we choose are not meant to exclude activities or goals that fall outside of the all-church goals. They are simply meant to be a way of highlighting areas [Read More]
The post All Church Goals for the Year appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Biblical Masculinity What does it mean to be a man? On the one hand, we could answer simply that it means you are an adult male with an X-chromosome and a Y-chromosome (despite recent challenges to this idea). On the other hand, we can see manhood as something that is aspirational. It is appropriate [Read More]
The post Biblical Masculinity appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Christ-Centered Family Culture Ephesians 6:4 calls parents to bring children up “in the training and instruction of the Lord.” This verse articulates the high calling for Christian parents to raise children not simply to help them be successful financially, socially, and physically, but to facilitate their spiritual growth. To bring children up in the [Read More]
The post Christ-Centered Family Culture appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
What Jesus' Resurrection Did On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a familiar idea, whether you are a Christian or not. But what are the implications of the resurrection? In other words, what did the resurrection of Jesus do? In this post we will look at four things that [Read More]
The post What Jesus’ Resurrection Did appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The post Christian Retirement and Calling appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Why is this an important topic? Christians regularly debate the relationship between faith and works in the Christian life. Sometimes the discussion pits Catholics against Protestants. Other times it is simply an internal struggle as believers look to walk a tightrope without falling off on either side. If we fall off the [Read More]
The post Let’s Talk about Faith and Works appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Let’s Talk about the Trinity Right at the very foundation of the Christian faith is a word that does not appear in the Bible: Trinity. The idea that the one and only God is three-in-one is not peripheral to Christian faith; it is at the core of Christian faith. To say that God is [Read More]
The post Let’s Talk about the Trinity appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Let's Talk about Election When the doctrine of election comes up you can be certain that strong emotions and opinions will soon follow. There will be questions about fairness, questions about free will, and questions about the exact mechanism of how salvation works. The purpose of this post is not to give an exhaustive [Read More]
The post Let’s Talk about Election appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Pro-Life Battlefronts There is no debating the fact that abortion is a hot topic in our culture. And there is also no debate that there is a worldview clash when it comes to conversations about abortion. For anyone who wants to advocate and care for unborn babies, it is wise to know the central [Read More]
The post Pro-Life Battlefronts appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
When Is It Time to Speak Up? We all need to know when it is time to speak up and when it is time to shut up. Knowing this is near the heart of wisdom because Proverbs tells us on the one hand that we should be cautious in speaking up: “Even fools are [Read More]
The post When Is It Time to Speak Up? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Family Comes First? It goes largely unchallenged when someone says, “Family comes first.” For believers in Jesus, however, this is not a true phrase. Family does not come first. Jesus comes first in all things. Jesus himself said in Matthew 10:37, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy [Read More]
The post Honoring Family while Avoiding Idolatry appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Hey everybody, The year 2020 had a title all its own. I can’t count the number of times I heard the word “unprecedented.” I think that was a good word for 2020. But what about 2021? What words come to your mind? For me, it was “rebuilding.” The impact that living during the [Read More]
The post Reflections on 2021 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Hello LBF Church, The State of California instituted a mask mandate to become effective on December 15, 2021. Their mandate requires people to wear masks while indoors in all public buildings. It was further reported that this mandate will be reviewed in one month on January 15, 2022. We will continue to function as we [Read More]
The post Addressing the Mask Mandate December 2021 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
We Need to Talk Talking about manhood and womanhood can feel daunting in our current culture of outrage. Why tackle this controversial subject when it is certain to bring angst and hurt feelings? Why not instead focus on more central or less explosive topics? While it is true that the subject of biblical manhood [Read More]
The post Biblical Manhood and Womanhood appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
One of our members, Patti Townley-Covert, recently published a book that I’d like to recommend to you. The book is titled “The Windblown Girl” and tells the story of Patti’s life as she tried to find her identity and meaning in things apart from Jesus. I have read the book and I had a difficult [Read More]
The post The Windblown Girl appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
For those of us who are Christians, we often find ourselves wanting answers. We want answers on how we should deal with vaccine mandates, answers on how we should respond to Critical Race Theory, answers on what the Bible says about homosexuality, and answers on the proper place for American patriotism. There’s nothing wrong [Read More]
The post Walking with Jesus Day by Day appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Due to the close timing of LBF’s 50th-anniversary celebration in October, we are taking a year off from hosting this fall’s harvest party, usually held on the 31st. We want to refocus our efforts in being a blessing to our community by being involved in Adonai’s Halloween Party for families that have a child with [Read More]
The post Harvest Party 2021? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The post What is Biblical Justice? with Monique Duson appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The post Why You Shouldn’t Go to Church appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
New Sunday Vision for Exit83 As we prepare to move back indoors as a church, we want to share with you a new vision that we have been thinking about and praying about for quite a while now. For the past year, our students have been part of the Sunday morning gatherings under the tent, [Read More]
The post New Sunday Vision for Exit83 appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The post Christians and the Equality Act appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
The Equality Act Dear Church Family, A piece of legislation known as the Equality Act will soon be introduced into the Senate by House Democrats. While it may seem strange to oppose something called "The Equality Act," we as a church leadership are troubled by this piece of legislation and we believe that those [Read More]
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Dan and Garrett are joined by Worship Pastor Andy Watson to talk about what it looks like to walk in humility instead of pride. The three walk through Scripture, give personal examples and share practical advice on how to put pride to death by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Dan and Garrett are joined by County Supervisor Curt Hagman to talk about how churches can prepare to re-open and also how churches can partner with the county in serving those in need.
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Garrett and Dan welcome Randy Alcorn (author, speaker, and Dan's father-in-law) to talk about how Christians ought to think about choices between safety and courage.
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Dan, Andy, and Phil talk about ways that we can maximize this season of experiencing church services online. The conversation ranges from preparation during the week, engagement with the video, and how to lead our families into worship during this season.
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Life and church are going to look a little different for a while. Garrett, Andy, and Phil sit down to talk about how we can make the most of this strange and isolated time.
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Why do we vow to stop gossiping, but then fall back into old habits? Why do we vow to start reading our Bibles, but then abandon this quest? Dan and Garrett talk about why change and growth is so difficult. But there’s hope! Jesus leads us into change that lasts.
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Its that time of year when we are already quitting the New Year's Resolutions we set a few weeks ago. Dan and Garrett take a look at goal setting and the Chrisitan perspective. Does being a Christian make keeping resolutions easier? How can we make 2020 different and see the changes in ourselves that we [Read More]
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https://youtu.be/iqg2DJN18zk On this episode, Laurie Baiz joins Garrett and Dan to talk about the unique role that shame plays in our conversations about sex, and how the church can lead people to a true solution for our shame.
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https://youtu.be/J_3oK_pqM60 Student Ministries Pastor, Jeff Taylor, joins Dan and Garrett to talk about the key issues at stake in creating an atmosphere for biblical teaching and relational shepherding in the area of sexuality.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h8z1c7wHNs Dan and Garrett discuss the “purity culture” that was prevalent in churches in the 1990s and early 2000s, and talk about how churches today can have healthy teaching and discussions about sex.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtAJgqV3pmY In this episode Dan is joined by Curt Bouma to discuss how discipleship has played out in his life. Curt shares about some of the men that God brought into his life at key times in his faith journey. Curt and Dan also talk about what it takes to step out in faith and [Read More]
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clxsjiYNyy0
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJfp9cccuus
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrcoMFTW2VY What keeps Christians on the surface instead of digging deeper into their faith? What keeps us from sharing the truth about what is going on in our lives so that we can experience more freedom and growth in Christ? In this episode Dan is joined by Marnie Grigsby, Women’s Pastor at Life Bible Fellowship [Read More]
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ4gNXAYIKs&feature=youtu.be In this episode Dan is joined by Ally Sweaney to discuss how discipleship has played out in her life. Ally shares about some of the key people who partnered with her in her discipleship, and also about how she has seen God work through her as she has come alongside others. Dan and Ally [Read More]
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHkQwz0HxGw&feature=youtu.be
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https://youtu.be/tv6XYGDcfmE
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The Question God wants me happy, doesn’t he? The answer to this question is not as simple as many of us would want to think. In fact, we often find ourselves face to face with the difficult question of where our personal happiness falls on God’s list of priorities. This is because we often believe [Read More]
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In our journey through the book of Genesis at LBF Church, I found myself especially struck with the story of Cain and Abel. In many ways, it is not right to call it the story of Cain and Abel because it is really just the story of Cain. Abel never speaks, and we never [Read More]
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When it comes to the abortion debate, the two sides are typically labeled as pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life people believe that unborn babies should be protected. Pro-choice people believe that women should have the choice to end the pregnancy through abortion. While the exact issues in the debate change from time to time, the pro-life [Read More]
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At LBF Church, we have recently begun a series through the book of Genesis. The first chapter of Genesis brings up all kinds of questions about creation when it comes to timelines, order, and interpretation. Are these six 24-hour days? Is Genesis 1 literal at all? What beliefs about creation are within the realm of [Read More]
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In this third post about justice in Christian beliefs, I want to explore the topic of justice and privilege. I realize that by using the word “privilege” I may invite some skepticism from some people. The term “White Privilege” has become a lightning rod and a divisive concept. If you are skeptical of the idea [Read More]
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In recent months one of the key questions that has been discussed in the United States relates to who we should believe. As Christine Blasey Ford testified before the eyes of the entire nation to accuse Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, a large group of people demanded that she be believed? Then, [Read More]
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What is the role of the church when it comes to issues of justice in society? This question is at the center of debate in Christian communities all over the country. In my view there are two separate questions that need to be explored: Is it part of the church’s calling to speak out and [Read More]
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The subject of religious liberty has become a hot point topic in the United States. Whether it relates to baking cakes for same-sex weddings or California Bill 2943, which deals with whether or not organizations can practice “conversion therapy,” many are concerned about the future of religious freedom in the country. This post will [Read More]
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The term “virtue-signaling” has emerged in the public vernacular over the course of the last several years. The term refers to the idea of saying or doing something in order to let other people know that I am on the “right” side of an issue. In other words, I signal my virtue to others. I [Read More]
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“Cancel Culture” is a term used to describe the recent movement that has led people to lose their jobs or their influence because of troubling things that they have said, especially on social media. The highest profile was perhaps Roseanne Barr losing her show over an ugly (and almost certainly racist) tweet about Valerie Jarrett. [Read More]
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What do we do when something taught in the Bible comes into direct conflict with a deeply-held cultural value? This is a question that Christians have always had to wrestle with, and it is certainly a challenging question for Christians today. For example, what do we do with the teaching of the Bible is that [Read More]
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“Speak your truth.” That’s a phrase that has become common in popular culture over the past year. It was perhaps most popularized by Oprah Winfrey at the 2018 Golden Globes when she said, “Speaking your truth is the most powerful weapon we all have.” I’ll let the cat out of the bag early on in [Read More]
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On May 20th at LBF Church, we raised over $15,000 in order to support the translation of the New Testament for an unreached people group in Kenya called the Ilchamus. From June 7th to June 15th, Troy Spilman and I were privileged to get to go on a trip to Kenya. Our primary purposes were [Read More]
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The most frequent command in the Bible is some form of, “Do not be afraid.” Over and over again, God’s people are told not to fear kings or armies or rumors. In fact, the only thing they are told to fear is God himself. The fear of God is said to be the beginning of [Read More]
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Same-sex marriage was perhaps the most contentious issue of the past ten years in the United States. Many Christians stood opposed to recognizing same-sex marriage, claiming that marriage is between a man and a woman. I believe that this is true. I also believe, however, that the case for “traditional” marriage was undercut by the [Read More]
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By Pastor Gary Keith Our church recently invited a nationally known speaker to come and share a message to the men at a breakfast. He did a great job. He was funny and inspiring and challenging. He shared from his life experience in ways that men could easily relate to. It was a great morning. [Read More]
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When I was a young man, I always looked forward to getting married. When I talked to older people about marriage, their basic advice was always the same: “Marriage is wonderful, but it is also hard work.” Now, seventeen years into marriage, I believe that those people were telling the truth, but that it was [Read More]
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by Pastor Troy Spilman There are seasons in our Christian experience where we can go through the motions of the faith but not be walking in true obedience. Excuses In the book of 1 Samuel, King Saul comes back victoriously from the battle of fighting the dreaded Amalekites. He was given the command to utterly [Read More]
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Anger can play a significant role in all of our lives. With men in particular, though, anger tends to be a major battlefront. And for men who have families, anger is too often directed toward the very people that men are called to protect. Wives and children end up caught in the crossfire. Whether this [Read More]
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Each Easter, we have a special celebration for the resurrection of Jesus. But the truth is that the resurrection is not simply the focus on the Easter holiday, but the focus of the entire Christian faith. In fact, according to the Apostle Paul, the whole faith hinges on the resurrection. If Jesus wasn’t raised, we [Read More]
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As we now stand about a year and a half into the presidency of Donald Trump, I think it is valuable to think of his presidency not only from a perspective of civics, but from a perspective of how the American church is being impacted. The reason I think this is valuable is that evangelical [Read More]
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Whether it is rampant sexual abuse or horrific school shootings, there are events that happen that drive us to search for the deeper reasons behind why problems arise in our culture. As Christians, we believe that our core problem is when we reject God and follow our own “wisdom” and impulses. That said, there are [Read More]
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I recently cleaned my BBQ (exciting, I know). I took the whole thing apart, cleaning out the burners of all the grease and grime that had dripped over the years, scrubbing off the grates that I had been cooking on for forever with nothing more than a quick surface scraping before cooking again. It was [Read More]
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By Dan Franklin Many of us have responded with a heavy heart to the news of yet another mass shooting in our country. This time it took place at a Florida high school, and it claimed the lives of at least 17 people. Inevitably, fallout from the incident has brought political waves. Discussions of guns [Read More]
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Psalm 46:10 famously says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Many of us might read this invitation as a nice idea, but an unlikely reality. I mean, can we really experience serenity and rest and peace in the midst of the noise and uncertainty of our world? In this post, I want to [Read More]
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Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Kerry Jepson, the CEO of Assure Pregnancy Clinic. We had a discussion about the pro-life movement, current legislation, and also about practical ways that men and women can participate in bringing support and help and advocacy to unborn babies. Many of us who are pro-life want to [Read More]
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by Shauntel Raymond Have you heard of mom guilt? We all know what guilt feels like but I didn’t feel real guilt until I became a mom. Ending each day thinking of all the things that I did or didn’t do right! It was so intense when my kids were toddlers. Social media has made [Read More]
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by Andy Watson, Worship Pastor at Life Bible Fellowship Church My wife Laura and I got married just over 13 years ago. During our engagement Laura let me know that there was no way under any circumstances that she would ever let me get a dog. I counted it a small cost to marrying the love of [Read More]
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There is a new vision of courage that is being celebrated in our culture. About four years ago, a woman named Brittany Maynard became a public figure. This happened because she tragically had terminal cancer and she made public her decision to eventually end her own life on her own terms. There was a lot of [Read More]
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by Phil Shahbaz Nearly every day, shortly after I step into my worn and weathered 2005, Chevy Tahoe, I begin to reflect. I can hear the constant ticking of the old engine. I know it needs to be serviced, but my mind wanders. It goes backward. I sometimes think about my parents. My dad grew [Read More]
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In formal debate, participants prepare themselves to be able to articulate and defend a certain side of an argument. But they often are not told until right before the debate which side they will need to argue. For example, they may know that the debate is about the death penalty, but they may not know [Read More]
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By Pastor Gary Keith One of the enjoyable parts of the Christmas season is seeing people willingly and generously giving to others. In addition to Christmas morning, it happens in a variety of ways. For example, I’ve seen our local TV station fill busses with toys, I’ve seen the Marines sponsor a drive called “Toys [Read More]
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As a New Year is about to begin the subject of making resolutions and new goals always seem to come front and center. Some people do not make New Year resolutions believing it’s unnecessary or a waste of time. But it is a good thing to make plans. In fact, according to Proverbs, the wise [Read More]
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Living in the United States means living in the context of consumerism and greed. It is part of the air that we breathe. Living in the U.S. opens each of us up to the temptation that money will solve our problems. While this is clear during the whole year, it is true especially during the [Read More]
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Options and Limitations We love to have options. We love Netflix because it gives us thousands of movies to choose from. We love our iPhones because they give us countless apps to use and songs to listen to. We love online shopping because we can choose between different brands, different colors, and used or new. [Read More]
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by Pastor Marnie Grigsby “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 NLT If God’s way of thinking is literally light years ahead of ours, we shouldn’t be so surprised when He interrupts our plans with the unexpected. These [Read More]
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Much has been said in the recent weeks as celebrity after celebrity faces accusations of sexual assault and sexual harassment. To have a Christian response to all of this might seem silly to some. After all, isn’t our response simply that we think this is wrong and terrible? Yes, that is an appropriate response. But [Read More]
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Violence is a major subject in current American culture. As we reflect back on another mass shooting this past week, the topics of guns and violence fill our minds and our conversations. Part of this discussion comes to the role of Christians in society. Specifically, I want to ask (and answer) the question, “Can Christians [Read More]
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Have you ever walked by a cubicle, park, or neighborhood and thought to yourself, “Those people really need Jesus. They are really lost. I wish someone would go and reach out to them”? I know that those thoughts have crossed my mind many times as I go about life. Then the Lord will gently remind [Read More]
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In our culture, we have a strange relationship with food and physical health. On the one hand, many people in the United States are overweight partly because we have an excess of food available to us. On the other hand, we seem to have a national obsession with health. We want to reform school lunches, [Read More]
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Author: Laurie Baiz, LIFEkids Director at LBF Church There was a time when the word “invest” was used mainly when discussing bonds, stocks, and retirement plans. Currently, we still talk about investing our money, but we also talk about investing our time, our thoughts, our energy, and investing in our future. I believe that as parents [Read More]
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Keep it simple When it comes to connecting kids with God, it can seem a bit overwhelming and you might not be sure where start. It may cause you to be paralyzed and not begin anything in fear that it won’t go well, or it will be one more structured thing that you are just [Read More]
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I want to speak to my fellow cautious people out there. I’m speaking to those of you who have trouble pulling the trigger on decisions. I’m speaking to those of you who want to make sure your plan is perfect before you take the first step to move on it. I’m speaking to those of [Read More]
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In the United States, freedom of speech is paramount. It literally comes first in the amendments to our nation’s constitution. The idea is that the government will not squelch any individual’s self-expression. Freedom of speech does not mean that a person cannot be fired, shunned, or despised by others for what they say. It simply [Read More]
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Seeing self-identified White Supremacists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia two weeks ago was a chilling sight for many of us. It brought up injustice and violence that has been a part of the history of our world and the history of our nation. It was also a reminder that while laws can be changed, there is [Read More]
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Prior to our time at LBF church, my wife Amy and I use to attend a wonderful church in the Los Angeles area. We loved this church. The worship was inspiring, the teaching was challenging, and Sunday mornings were filled with energy and joy. We attended for six years. In those six years, we never got [Read More]
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“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business…” 1 Thessalonians 4:11 NLT Enjoying a life that is peaceful and quiet, not engrossed in other people’s affairs, is harder today, than ever before. But in the verse mentioned above, Paul is telling us this is an important concept for us to understand. A [Read More]
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At LBF Church we are pro-life. This is not because we align ourselves with a specific political party, but because we believe that God is the author of life and that God calls His people to care for the most vulnerable and to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights [Read More]
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If you think you have a better idea than obedience, you’re wrong. There is a sentence that I use with my sons when they disobey. The sentence is, “If you think you have a better idea than obedience, you’re wrong.” I say this to them because there are times when I will tell one of [Read More]
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Recently at one of our Sunday gatherings, we spent time worshiping through several great songs from the past 20-30 years. These songs included “You're Worthy of My Praise”, “Heart of Worship”, “We Fall Down”, “Shout to the Lord”, “Open the Eyes of My Heart” and “Rain Down on Us”. The goal of worshipping together [Read More]
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Only Through Faith in Jesus Christ can People be Saved About a month ago there was a strange interaction in Washington D.C. Russell Vought was being questioned by the Senate in order to be confirmed for the government position of Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Senator Bernie Sanders asked Vought about [Read More]
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The way that we prepare to gather for corporate worship is really important. In Psalm 122 David writes, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Something unique and special happens when we gather as God’s people to sing his praises, to be encouraged in our [Read More]
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Living in southern California there are many opportunities to do things on Sundays other than go to church. You might head to the beach or to the mountains. You might have your kids involved in sports with games or competitions on a Sunday. After a busy week, you might just want some down time to [Read More]
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I love to read. I understand that not everyone loves to read, but I want to make an appeal that more of us make reading a regular part of our lives. Reading engages our God-given minds and bodies in a way that is different than when we watch movies or television shows. Not everyone needs [Read More]
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For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. - 2 Tim. 4:3-4 In some way, we have [Read More]
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Several years ago I was meeting with a couple for pre-marital counseling. At one point, in order to discern some things about what role God was playing in their lives and in their relationship, I asked them if they were sleeping together. When they acknowledge that they were, I asked them how they thought this [Read More]
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The Body of Christ Have you ever thought about the idea that you are an integral part of God’s bigger plan? If you are a fellow believer in Christ, then you are part of something bigger—something much bigger than you might realize. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he makes it clear that each one [Read More]
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In our culture we can tend to romanticize the practice of asking questions. We like to deconstruct ideas. We like to reject easy answers. We like to question everything. Many of us have become expert skeptics. We are like Neo in The Matrix, questioning everything about reality. Questions are good. Having an open mind is [Read More]
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Listening is more difficult than we think it is. While we are all capable of hearing the words of others and discerning their surface meaning, all of us have had the experience of finding out that we wildly misunderstood the message that a friend was trying to convey to us. We misread the subtext, the [Read More]
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Stories are powerful. This is why we are captivated by movies, by television, by musicals, and by novels. This is why advertisers sell their products by telling stories. This is why politicians advocate for their positions through telling stories. Stories are memorable, and they shape the way we view the world. We are bombarded with [Read More]
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“Myspace” was my introduction to the world of social media. I had been hired about a year earlier as a youth pastor, and heard students talking about all the things they were posting, and how they were designing their page. As a “mature” 26-year-old I figured this was something for the youngsters, so I hesitated [Read More]
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To Drink or Not to Drink By Dan Franklin At the most recent Deeper event, I had the privilege of teaching what God’s Word says about alcohol. It is an important topic not only because many people have strong disagreements about it, but also because our decisions about drinking have a big impact. If you’d [Read More]
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As a parent, do you ever feel like you are being pulled in 10 different directions? When I think about all of things that parents are suppose to make sure they support and provide for their kids, the list is overwhelming. We are asked to be a part of the PTA, homework, fundraisers, and sports. [Read More]
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Mentoring for Everyone by Troy Spilman The topic of mentoring is one that is often intimidating to a lot of Christians. When the subject of mentoring arises, there are probably many people who read this and think, “That’s not for me.” For anyone who is thinking that, my goal is to try to convince you [Read More]
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Seven Keys for Effective and Consistent Bible Reading By Dan Franklin Consistent personal Bible reading is one of the most important and meaningful ways for believers to draw close to God. Through God’s Word we see His heart, we hear His voice, and we receive His guidance. Without God’s Word we are left to wander [Read More]
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Cultivating a Life of Prayer By Gary Keith Prayer It’s no secret that most followers of Jesus struggle with feeling satisfied with their prayer life. This is especially true when we read passages like 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice in the Lord always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will [Read More]
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The Beauty in Limitations By Dan Franklin Many of us love Coldstone Cremery. It is a great place to get ice cream because of the many, many options they offer. Not only are there several flavors, but there are also numerous toppings. There are the syrups and the sprinkles and the chocolate and the fruit. [Read More]
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Getting Unstuck When was a college pastor in Oregon, one of our traditions was to take the students to a corn maze on Halloween. It was fun because it was dark and people in costumes would jump out to scare us. It was made less fun, however, by the realization that I was not very [Read More]
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Combatting a Sense of Entitlement One of the most prominent aspects of current American culture is a widespread sense of entitlement. We believe that we are entitled to happy and carefree lives without outside interference. We believe that we are entitled to own things that we can’t afford instead of waiting and saving up. We [Read More]
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We are too busy. How many times have you asked someone how they’re doing and their reply is simply, “Well, I’m busy,” and then they proceed to give you a list of all the things that they’re busy doing. Why is this? It’s because the idea of being busy is currently a badge of honor [Read More]
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I have always found the story of Rahab in Joshua 2 to be one of the most fascinating stories in all of Scripture, but perhaps not for the normal reasons why people find it interesting. Some find this story interesting because Rahab is a prostitute, and yet somehow ends up being a hero in the [Read More]
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What is unconditional love? Is it affection without any limitations? Love without conditions? According to the book Real Love by Greg Baer, M.D., “Unconditional love is, in essence, true love. So different from the kind of love most of us have known all our lives that it deserves a definition of its own. Unconditional love [Read More]
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As many of us reflect back on Sanctity of Life Sunday and on the March for Life going on around the nation last January, I wanted to write an article to explore non-legislative ways that Christians can be advocates for unborn children. This is not because I think legislation is unimportant. I think it is vital [Read More]
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Bet small, win small. “Bet small, win small.” That was the mantra of one of my friends with whom I used to play poker. Bet small, win small. If you’re going to be cautious with your chips, you may successfully avoid some big losses. At the same time, you will certainly miss out on some [Read More]
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Grief is a journey. It takes us on a roller coaster of emotions. Some days you can smile when you think of those you have lost and other days you can’t even get out of bed. Grief hits us like a punch to the gut any time of day and anywhere. How do we come [Read More]
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I will admit that I have no nostalgia concerning the Christmas song, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” This is not because I dislike the song, but simply because I don’t remember hearing it played when I was growing up. In fact, this past week was the first time that I took the time to listen to [Read More]
The post What “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” Teaches Us about God’s Wisdom appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
For the past several months, we have known that on November 9th we would have a new President Elect. Many of us watched Tuesday night as election results came in. We all knew going into this election that our nation would be divided over the results, and this is exactly what has unfolded. Many were [Read More]
The post Election 2016: What Now? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
As we have walked through 1 Corinthians in our services over the past 6 months, we have seen the Apostle Paul address the sign gifts, and specifically speaking in tongues. This is an area of controversy and confusion among Christians in the world today. While I don’t believe that every question can be answered in [Read More]
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Let’s talk a minute about passion. How about we start with a definition? How would you define passion? Think about something you’re passionate about. What is it that makes you passionate about that thing? Why are you passionate about it? How does that passion direct your life? Let me jump in here and say that [Read More]
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There is not a single one of us who would not love to see God do great and wonderful things in our lives. When we read the great stories in Scripture, we wish that we were present for them. We wish that we were present for God parting the Red Sea for the Israelites, or [Read More]
The post Start Building appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
This is a guest post by LBF Member and Open Table Coordinator Donna Brendel. In April, LBF committed to partner with Open Table for our second opportunity to serve someone struggling with homelessness. Ten committed members from our LBF family and one from Solid Ground Church joined us on our journey help a brother or [Read More]
The post Open Table: Richard’s Story of Homelessness to Community appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
This post originally appeared in the August 2016 edition of LBF Church's Scroll newsletter. One of the unique questions of our generation relates to the use of social media. While questions concerning the wisdom and timeliness of words is nothing new, social media provides unique opportunities for us to broadcast our thoughts to a large [Read More]
The post Social Media: Can and Should – 5 Ways to Build Others Up appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
At a recent session of the Summer Bible Study, I had the privilege of teaching through the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, which is found in Luke 16:19-31. In the parable, there is a man of extreme wealth and a man (Lazarus) of extreme poverty. When they both die, however, Jesus reminds us [Read More]
The post Do we need a sign from God? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Throughout our series The Church and the World, which walks through the book of 1 Corinthians, we will be confronted with the fact that the way God sees reality is different from the way that our world sees reality. We will consistently be challenged to embrace the counter-cultural message of Jesus, as He instructs us [Read More]
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I can still remember like it was yesterday the Sunday I walked down the aisle of a church to receive Jesus as my Savior. I was too young to really understand what the Lordship of Jesus is all about, but I knew I did wrong and needed Jesus to forgive me and save me from [Read More]
The post Who Led You to a Saving Faith in Jesus? appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Corporate worship is such a central part of our walk with Jesus. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” If you play an instrument [Read More]
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The issues of homelessness are complex. There’s so much more to it than simply finding people and placing them in housing. To really embrace this problem takes a much larger commitment of time, patience, and love. It requires making an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of people who find themselves in [Read More]
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Several years ago when I was a youth pastor, I did an activity with a group of junior high students. I talked about different conflict resolution styles, and then I had the students role-play different scenarios in order to practice resolving conflicts in healthy ways. Two junior high girls – let’s call them Jenny and [Read More]
The post How We Relate appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
Every Christian church should have certain similarities. For example, every church should all be about two main functions given to us by Jesus Himself. Those two functions are (1) to help people come to a place of receiving Jesus and (2) to help people grow into a mature and devoted follower of Jesus. But every [Read More]
The post Living as a Multi-Generational Church appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.
In an age of international terror, it is natural to have the instinct of self-preservation. In the wake of the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino (along with many others), we are all reminded just how unsafe our world is. And as our nation debates our responses to refugees and Muslims, we often find ourselves [Read More]
The post The Tug-of-War Between Safety and Compassion appeared first on Life Bible Fellowship Church.