Today's Devotions

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Showcase: Recent Posts

  • Fruit of the Spirit: Love +

    Love nurtures each of these fruits—for me it is the root of the tree of my life Read More
  • Melchizedek: A Royal Priest-Precursor of Jesus +

    Who was Melichizedek, and why does this barely mentioned priest, from an unknown country, play such a prominent role with Read More
  • 1

Audio & Video

Being Church-Dallas Willard, part 3

Dallas-WillardBelow are notes from Dallas Willard's talk at Tree of Life Community in Orange, CA. A video of the teaching is at the end of these notes.

Conversation / Q & A with the pastors:

Question: "What is the primary barrier to being a disciple of Jesus?"

Answer: The default system of thinking that you can be a Christian without being a disciple. This belief is rooted in the current reigning understanding among Evangelicals of what it means to be saved. Too many think salvation is only about a guarantee of going to heaven when we die. This understanding really requires nothing of believers. We only expect to have to profess certain things and perhaps associate with certain people. Discipleship then feels like a "bait and switch" in this understanding of the gospel. It wasn't part of the original invitation.

Read more: Being Church-Dallas Willard, part 3

Being Church--Dallas Willard, part 1

Dallas-WillardWhat does it mean to be a church? For Willard, it begins with Christ, and our fixing our thoughts, our minds on him. Willard uses  the Lord's prayer, especially, "hallowed by thy name" to keep Christ's identity front and center in his thoughts throughout the day. Below are  some more thoughts from this talk of Willard, delivered at the Tree of Life Community in Orange, CA. This is part 1 of 3  parts of the teaching.Part one of the video follows the notes.

Ephesians 1:15-23

Do we make the mistake of thinking that because Paul prays for us in his letter to the Ephesians that it means there is nothing for us to do?

Question: What do we do to live in the reality of the scriptures?

Read more: Being Church--Dallas Willard, part 1

Reflections to Consider

  • 1

Publications

  • 1

Music

  • 1

Audio & Video

  • 1

Favorites

  • Witnesses for Jesus by Tim Keller (Mark 15) +

    Tim Keller discusses the significance of the women and men who saw Jesus die, buried, and resurrected.  Read More
  • Prayer-bringing light into darkness by NT Wright +

    NT Wright discusses the importance of prayer in maintaining a relationship with Jesus. Read More
  • After darkness, light-the reformation by Michael Reeves +

    Michael Reeves discusses the transformative power of bringing Jesus to the world at the heart of the Reformation. Read More
  • The Esther Option-Living in a fallen world by Mike Cosper +

    The following is an excerpt from an article on The Gospel Coalition website. Read More
  • 1

Hidden Blessings

  • Falling in Love With God +

    “falling in love with God,” as Boa’s subtitle for the facet explains. In this approach we attempt to enter into Read More
  • One Holy Fire, Nicky Cruz +

    The introduction to One Holy Fire, Let the Spirit Ignite Your Soul establishes Cruz’s desire to awaken the passion and Read More
  • Transformed +

    Webster defines devotion as “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause.” How do we fall in love Read More
  • A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment +

    A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. Read More
  • 1