Welcome to Provocative Church

As you browse, read and share the many articles, our hope is that you may find this site an encouragement to your faith and Christian life.

Worship

We were created to worship. And we are to worship God with every aspect and area of our lives - presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

The Church

The bride of Christ can often times be difficult and messy - but it is Christ's beautiful mess - to which He is the head and chief cornerstone.

Ancient Future

Our faith comes out from a rich heritage and history. It was during the formative years of our faith that creeds, confessions, traditions, and liturgies were developed. These practices and traditions recaptured will not only anchor us but move us forward in our faith.

Freedom

There is freedom in the gospel as it proclaims that in Christ we are sons and daughters of the King. The importance is learning to preach those truths to our heart and life everyday.

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Death, Heaven and Eternity - Video


Dan Stevers has produced a great video, Evermore, that powerfully communicates truth about death, heaven and eternity.


(ht: Communicate Jesus)

Monday, June 03, 2013

Poverty Of Jesus


Jesus, the Blessed One, is poor. The poverty of Jesus is much more than an economic or social poverty. Jesus is poor because he freely chose powerlessness over power, vulnerability over defensiveness, dependency over self-sufficiency. As the great “Song of Christ” so beautifully expresses: “He … did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, … becoming as human beings are” (Philippians 2:6-7). This is the poverty of spirit that Jesus chose to live.

Jesus calls us who are blessed as he is to live our lives with that same poverty.

- Henri Nouwen

(ht: JR)

Friday, May 31, 2013

The End Of To-Do List Christianity – Tullian Tchividjian



You may download the audio recording by clicking here.

(ht: Mockingbird)

Saturday, May 25, 2013

It's Not About The Nail

"Don't try to fix it. I just need you to listen." Every man has heard these words. And they are the law of the land. No matter what.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Creeper Trail

The badge of honor at the end of the trail
Enjoying the Creeper Trail outside of Damascus Virginia today...hanging out with some of my friends and co-workers with Christian Medical & Dental Associations.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Jesus Film Infographic


I've worked with CRU for 17 years, and in part with the Jesus Film. These are interesting facts about the distribution and translation of the film.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Praise The Lord



via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ZOaLtgGqw8/

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

The Importance Of Having An Abundance Mentality



“The opposite of a scarcity mentality is an abundancy mentality. With an abundancy mentality we say: “There is enough for everyone, more than enough: food, knowledge, love … everything.” With this mind-set we give away whatever we have, to whomever we meet. When we see hungry people we give them food. When we meet ignorant people we share our knowledge; when we encounter people in need of love, we offer them friendship and affection and hospitality and introduce them to our family and friends.

When we live with this mind-set, we will see the miracle that what we give away multiplies: food, knowledge, love … everything. There will even be many leftovers.” – Henri Nouwen

(ht: JR)

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Idols Infographic

Although the definition of idolatry is much broader (idolatry goes deeper than just external behaviors and addictions) and the idols of the heart are often manifested in much subtler ways...I thought nevertheless this was an interesting infographic.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Communion Meditations


You can read the theological and practical reasons why celebrating the Lord's Supper is more than a mere memorial, part 1part 2part 3.

As you celebrate the Lord's Supper in your church, you can use these communion meditations either projected on a screen or posted in your bulletin as an opportunity of preparation, meditation and contemplation during the Lord's Supper.

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."
— C.S. Lewis

"Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him."
— Augustine of Hippo

24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:24-26

"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."
— G.K. Chesterton (What's Wrong with the World)

"We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone."
— Martin Luther