Jesus

And in This I Rejoice

joeladeney Church Life, Jesus, Pastoral Ministry, The Gospel

I spent most of this week with Christians I disagree with. It was great. The annual gathering of our denomination took place over the last few days, and as the new pastor of our church, I got to attend for the first time. I say "got to attend," not "had to attend." Because it really … Continue reading And in This I Rejoice

How Do You Plead?

joeladeney Ascension, Jesus, Justification, Music & Poetry, Salvation, The Gospel

One of the challenges of old hymns is understanding what the words mean. I don't mean the old-fashioned words that we just don't use anymore, like "thou" or "surety" or "foe." Those we can recognize as not part of our regular vocabulary. So we take a moment to figure out or look up or learn … Continue reading How Do You Plead?

Once and Always

joeladeney Crucifixion, Easter, Hebrews, Jesus, Resurrection, Salvation

The work of Christ is finished. And it never stops. At it's heart, the message of Christianity is good news. Unlike other religions which claim to instruct us in the best way to save ourselves, the gospel offers us a salvation which we cannot achieve on our own, which comes to us as a gift … Continue reading Once and Always

Not a Prophet, Priest, or King (Part 2)

joeladeney Church Life, Jesus, Old Testament, Pastoral Ministry

In my last post, I cautioned against using the biblical titles of Prophet, Priest, and King to describe the role of a pastor. My goal is not to quibble over terminology; I know most pastors who use those terms intend them to express the genuine pastoral tasks of teaching, caring, and leading. But I am … Continue reading Not a Prophet, Priest, or King (Part 2)

Hearing Jesus in the Psalms

joeladeney Acts, Jesus, Old Testament, Psalms, The Bible

Right in the middle of most English Bibles, there is a collection of one hundred and fifty ancient Hebrew songs. Filled with emotion, imagery, and devotion to the Lord, they are a masterpiece of poetic expression as well as a profound source of encouragement, comfort, and guidance for believers in the midst of the trials … Continue reading Hearing Jesus in the Psalms

Walking with Jesus: Devotional Readings for Lent and Eastertide

joeladeney Ascension, Devotions, Easter, Family, Family Devotions, Jesus, Lent, Pentecost, Resources, The Bible, The Gospel

Update 2/5/2019 - I've also created a handy Bookmark that includes the reading plan for Lent and Eastertide as well as Advent and Christmastide. You can find it here On March 1st, many Christians around the world will begin observing the season of Lent, a period of forty days of preparation (not counting Sundays) leading … Continue reading Walking with Jesus: Devotional Readings for Lent and Eastertide

Christ is Born: A New Christmas Carol

joeladeney Advent & Christmas, Jesus, Music & Poetry

I love Christmas carols. From standards like "Joy to the World" and "What Child Is This" to lesser-known carols such as "The Wexford Carol" or "The Holly and the Ivy," I love singing and listening to the traditional songs that celebrate the birth of Jesus. This is a carol that I wrote a couple of … Continue reading Christ is Born: A New Christmas Carol

From Longing to Rejoicing: Devotional Readings for Advent & Christmastide

joeladeney Advent & Christmas, Devotions, Family, Family Devotions, Jesus, Second Coming

Updated 11/29/2017: Last Spring I introduced a Seasonal Family Devotional Bookmark as a helpful tool. It includes the readings for Advent & Christmastide as well as Lent & Eastertide. Updated 2/28/2017: After some beta testing, I've slightly revised this devotional plan to make some of the readings shorter and more suitable for reading in a … Continue reading From Longing to Rejoicing: Devotional Readings for Advent & Christmastide