Question: What is the purpose of fasting, and why don't modern Christians seem to fast as much anymore? What is fasting? To cut to the chase, fasting is a voluntary and deliberate abstaining of something that is good, namely food, for a temporary period of time for the primary purpose of intensifying our spiritual need … Continue reading What is the purpose of fasting?
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How to Listen Well to Sermons in an Online World
Most Christians consider the Sunday sermon to be a staple meal of their spiritual diets that they receive throughout the week. It is the nutritious meal that every family of believers share around the dinner table, as they open up to the weekly bible passage together and are fed through the reception of the preaching … Continue reading How to Listen Well to Sermons in an Online World
Why do we refer to God in masculine terms?
Question: Actually received this question from one of my youth and we were quite perplexed with regards to how to answer! She was basically asking if God has no biological gender (neither female nor male), then why do we refer to God as "He" or "Him"? I suspect this might have something to do with … Continue reading Why do we refer to God in masculine terms?
How should Christians think about saving, giving or spending money?
Question: How should Christians think about saving money? How should we balance offerings to church, financially supporting overseas/local ministry work, money spent on daily living (e.g. expenditures from gathering with brothers and sisters, raising a family, etc.) and saving? From a purely financial standpoint, it is shrewd to save, but doesn't saving also raise issues … Continue reading How should Christians think about saving, giving or spending money?
Are there different degrees of punishment in hell?
In his earthly life, Jesus spoke on the topic of hell more than he ever spoke about the kingdom of heaven. He describes hell using vivid imagery all throughout the gospel accounts, illustrating it as a place of unquenchable fire (Mk. 9:43), outer darkness (Matt. 8:12), and eternal torment (Lk. 16:23) where there will be … Continue reading Are there different degrees of punishment in hell?
Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted Because of Righteousness
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10) As Jesus concludes the prelude to his Sermon on the Mount, he pronounces a final blessing unto those who endure persecution for righteousness’ sake. He elaborates on the hardships that his disciples will inevitably face, addressing them … Continue reading Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted Because of Righteousness
Blessed Are The Peacemakers
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). The seventh beatitude that Jesus pronounces is a blessing for peacemakers; those who seek healthy and loving relationships with friends and even enemies. It is these humble destroyers of enmity and hostility that will be recognised as children of God, a … Continue reading Blessed Are The Peacemakers
Blessed Are The Pure In Heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Purity in heart is the sixth key to living a blessed life. Jesus draws our attention immediately to the internal workings of our own hearts, and not to the pious appearances we might display in the public realm. God sees what is … Continue reading Blessed Are The Pure In Heart
Blessed Are The Merciful
So far, we have read about some of the blessings for disciples of Jesus as they undergo a series of spiritual awakening and transformation - what now? Here comes our fifth beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) What does it mean to be merciful? And what exactly is … Continue reading Blessed Are The Merciful
Can true Christians fall away from the faith?
Two ACG members have asked a series of similar questions concerning the topic of assurance in light of last Friday’s exposition, and so I make it my aim to answer all these as succinctly as I can in this article: Question 1: In light of John 6:37, how do we make sense of those who … Continue reading Can true Christians fall away from the faith?
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6) As we approach Jesus’ fourth teaching to his disciples, it is important for us to understand the weight behind his words in order to fully savour His promises. We tend to think of righteousness as moral behaviour, virtuous living … Continue reading Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness
God’s Call to Busy Australians, Be Still!
As we currently sit in our homes quietly during the lockdown, Australians all across the country are on edge with what’s to come. As our government implements strict measures to contain the further spread of this virus, it has made a catastrophic impact on our economy to say the least. A month ago, it was … Continue reading God’s Call to Busy Australians, Be Still!
How can children grow to be godly men and women when there are no good role models in the household?
Question: In our study on Titus 2:1-10 we talked about how Christian men and women should be living out and preaching the gospel so that all may see the truth, beauty, and goodness of God's word. I was just wondering in households where Christian gender roles are not practiced (by either the mother/father or both), … Continue reading How can children grow to be godly men and women when there are no good role models in the household?
Blessed Are The Meek
Continuing with his statements that seem to defy how the world operates, Jesus tells His audience that: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5) In a world that purports personal agency and assertion of individual rights for individual gain, Jesus asserts something radically different. He declares that it is the … Continue reading Blessed Are The Meek
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Jesus throws our minds into confusion once again with this maxim that runs in direct contradiction to the world’s logic. The literal definition of the word ‘mourn’, according to the Cambridge dictionary, means “to feel or express great sadness…” If that’s the case, … Continue reading Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:3). We come to the very first Beatitude of the series and we see Jesus breaking open his sermon with such a peculiar opening statement! What does he mean when he says “blessed” or “happy” are the poor in spirit…? The … Continue reading Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit
Introduction to the Beatitudes
French mathematician Blaise Pascal famously said that: All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step … Continue reading Introduction to the Beatitudes
3 Ministry Lessons To Learn During This Pandemic Season
On the 14th of March, as I was grinding out my sermon draft in preparation to preach in a couple of weeks time, I received the following text message from my pastor at 10:30pm with some rather unpleasant news… “Heads up for you. Tomorrow will be the last Sunday we will meet for the rest … Continue reading 3 Ministry Lessons To Learn During This Pandemic Season
Video Conferencing Etiquette
Hi ACGers! You should all know that starting tonight, ACG will be going online via Zoom! This will be a first for all of us and the leaders are doing what they can to stimulate community as much as we possibly can on Friday nights. To help us help you, Elliot and the leadership team … Continue reading Video Conferencing Etiquette
ACG Online Announcement #1
Check out our latest updates on what's happening with ACG! https://youtu.be/LYolDPjr_g8
Game Plan for ACG – COVID19
Introduction Dear ACG family, as you may have already heard last Sunday (March 15), the Session (Pastor-Elders) of GracePoint announced that our services will go online starting from March 22. The first stage of this transition is that Community Groups will be gathering in small decentralised clusters and worship together with the assistance of the … Continue reading Game Plan for ACG – COVID19
Are women supposed to be silent in church?
The following questions come from the passage 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Is the women not speaking directive aimed at church governance and involvement in teaching, or is it just a general command to be quiet during service? I'd hope it's not the latter because I know the women at our church are not mute every time … Continue reading Are women supposed to be silent in church?
Questions about Head Coverings, Submission, and Authority in 1 Corinthians 11
The following questions come from the passage 1 Corinthians 11:3-16. In 1 Cor 11 verse 3, it talks about how the 'head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God', and in the NIV they use the term 'woman' and 'man' instead of … Continue reading Questions about Head Coverings, Submission, and Authority in 1 Corinthians 11
Summer NT Plan – Week 13 Devotion
Day 85. Revelations 4-6 Day 86. Revelations 7-9 Day 87. Revelation 10-12 Day 88. Revelations 13-15 Day 89. Revelation 16-18Day 90. Revelation 19-22 Devotion Why are we attracted to book series like the Chronicles of Narnia or The Lord of the Rings? What is it about these books that grip our attention and our affection? Part of it is … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 13 Devotion
What does it mean when Paul says that the unbeliever is sanctified by a Christian spouse in 1 Corinthians 7:14?
Hello! I have some questions about some passages in 1 Corinthians that I was hoping you could perhaps answer and bring some clarity to. 1 Cor 7:12-16 My question(s) specifically focuses on verse 14, where Paul says 'For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy … Continue reading What does it mean when Paul says that the unbeliever is sanctified by a Christian spouse in 1 Corinthians 7:14?
February Announcements
1. Kicking off the Galatians series As most of you should know already, our first book series for the year will be on the Book of Galatians and we will be dedicating 15 weeks to studying this book in extensive detail. This book in particular is awesome to read because this epistle encapsulates themes that … Continue reading February Announcements
Summer NT Plan – Week 12 Devotion
Day 78. 1 Peter 1-3:7 Day 79. 1 Peter 3:8-5 Day 80. 2 Peter Day 81. 1 John 1-3:10 Day 82. 1 John 3-11-5 Day 83. 2 John; 3 John; Jude Day 84. Revelation 1-3 Devotion This is now our twelfth week of the Summer Reading Program and we are nearing the end of this reading plan! What a journey it … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 12 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 11 Devotion
Day 71. Hebrews 1-2Day 72. Hebrews 3-4:13Day 73. Hebrews 4:14-7 Day 74. Hebrews 8-10Day 75. Hebrews 11-13Day 76. James 1-3:12Day 77. James 3:13-5 Devotion There are a handful of practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) who are given the title ‘G.O.A.T’. I’ve always wondered what that was. ‘Is he as strong as a goat?’ Goats aren’t known … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 11 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 10 Devotion
Day 64. 1 Thessalonians 4-5 Day 65. 2 Thessalonians 1-3 Day 66. 1 Timothy 1-3 Day 67. 1 Timothy 4-6 Day 68. 2 Timothy 1-4 Day 69. Titus 1-3Day 70. Philemon Devotion What makes a good leader? Is it their looks? Their charisma? Filled with confidence? Incredibly ambitious? Great communicator? Proficiency in multiple skills? Or perhaps their self-sufficiency and independence? … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 10 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 9 Devotion
Day 57. Ephesians 1-3Day 58. Ephesians 4-6Day 59. Philippians 1-2Day 60. Philippians 3-4Day 61. Colossians 1-2Day 62. Colossians 3-4Day 63. 1 Thessalonians 1-3 Devotion The doctrine of predestination is a tricky one. Some want to deny the existence of the doctrine and others want to explain it away. Why? There are a number of reasons. … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 9 Devotion
How can the Bible be God’s word when there are so many interpretations?
Generally my blog writing doesn’t get much traction, so I’m always super thrilled whenever someone leaves a reply on one of my articles! A short while ago, a spicy skeptic posted a rebuttal to some of the points I’ve made in my article on Scripture Alone and this was his reply: “How can the word … Continue reading How can the Bible be God’s word when there are so many interpretations?
Summer NT Plan – Week 8 Devotion
Day 50. 2 Corinthians 1-3 Day 51. 2 Corinthians 4-6Day 52. 2 Corinthians 7-9 Day 53. 2 Corinthians 10-13 Day 54. Galatians 1-2 Day 55. Galatians 3-4 Day 56. Galatians 5-6 Devotion This marks our eighth week of the Summer Reading Program. We are about two-thirds of the way through the New Testament, so we are definitely over halfway until … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 8 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 7 Devotion
Day 43. Romans 12-13Day 44. Romans 14-16Day 45. 1 Corinthians 1-4Day 46. 1 Corinthians 5-7Day 47. 1 Corinthians 8-11Day 48. 1 Corinthians 12-14Day 49. 1 Corinthians 15-16 Devotion Immorality. This is a word that is increasingly foreign in our cultural context. What does it even mean? We get the word ‘immortality’. But ‘immorality’? Sounds foreign…weird. … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 7 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 6 Devotion
Day 36. Acts 19-21:36 Day 37. Acts 21:37-25:22 Day 38. Acts 25:23-28 Day 39. Romans 1-3 Day 40. Romans 4-6Day 41. Romans 7-8 Day 42. Romans 9-11 Devotion This marks our sixth week of the Summer Reading Program. If you have been consistent with your readings up until this point, props to you! As you continue your devotions throughout the … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 6 Devotion
Why you should write up your own mission statement
2019 was a busy year for many of us. And as the year concludes, it calls for a time where we can pause and reflect on what we have learned and been taught, on our greatest joys and highest points, as well as on our deepest sorrows and lowest points of our year. One of … Continue reading Why you should write up your own mission statement
Summer NT Plan – Week 5 Devotion
Day 29. John 19-21Day 30. Acts 1-3Day 31. Acts 4-6Day 32. Acts 7-9Day 33. Acts 10-12Day 34. Acts 13-15Day 35. Acts 16-18 Devotion Welcome to Week 5 of our Summer NT Reading Program. If you’ve managed to make it this far, it means that we are almost half way through the entire reading plan! Now, … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 5 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 4 Devotion
Day 22. Luke 22-24 Day 23. John 1-3 Day 24. John 4-6 Day 25. John 7-9 Day 26. John 10-12 Day 27. John 13-16 Day 28. John 17-18 Devotion This is now our fourth week of the Summer Reading Program! For the majority of your readings this week, you will encounter the life of Jesus … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 4 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 3 Devotion
Day 15. Luke 1-3Day 16. Luke 4-6 Day 17. Luke 7-9 Day 18. Luke 10-12 Day 19. Luke 13-15 Day 20. Luke 16-18 Day 21. Luke 19-21 Devotion Welcome to Week 3 of our Summer Reading Program. We are now into the third and final synoptic Gospel* in the New Testament, and here we read … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 3 Devotion
Summer NT Plan – Week 2 Devotion
Day 8. Matthew 23-25Day 9. Matthew 26-28 Day 10. Mark 1-3 Day 11. Mark 4-6 Day 12. Mark 7-9 Day 13. Mark 10-12 Day 14. Mark 13-16 Devotion We are now on our second week of the Summer Reading Program and I hope the ample devotional reading has been both a challenge but also a … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 2 Devotion
December Announcements
1. Summer NT Reading Plan from December 2019 - February 2020 As you may have seen with Elliot's recent post, we are once again kick-starting our 2019-2020 Summer NT Reading Program. This was a ministry initiative we launched in 2018 and we have seen much growth in our members through their saturation in the Word. … Continue reading December Announcements
Ministry Apprenticeship FAQs
1. So John, we’ve heard about why apprenticeships are one of many (though crucial) strategies for raising and training Gospel workers. Tell us a bit about your journey in arriving at this space where you want to be a ministry apprentice. So I have been thinking about doing a ministry apprenticeship at the same time … Continue reading Ministry Apprenticeship FAQs
Summer NT Plan – Week 1 Devotion
Day 1. Matthew 1-4Day 2. Matthew 5-7Day 3. Matthew 8-10Day 4. Matthew 11-13Day 5. Matthew 14-16Day 6. Matthew 17-19Day 7. Matthew 20-22 Series Introduction Welcome to the start of our 2019-2020 Summer NT Reading Program. We first launched this initiative in 2018 and it was a great success! It encouraged people to engage in God’s … Continue reading Summer NT Plan – Week 1 Devotion
Found by the Shepherd
Hi everyone, my name is Sherilyn and I’m thankful for the opportunity to share with you God’s kindness and faithfulness throughout my life! My testimony will be in three parts: Knowing the ScripturesKnowing the SaviourKnowing the Shepherd 1. Knowing the Scriptures I was raised in a Christian family, and from a very young age I … Continue reading Found by the Shepherd
Chasing after Girls, Captured by Christ
I recently received membership at my church at GracePoint and as a way to commemorate this rather special occasion, I’ve decided to share my testimony to show you what God has been doing in my life. I’ve broken down this testimony into 6 defining moments (or 6 episodes) of how I came to faith, structuring … Continue reading Chasing after Girls, Captured by Christ
November Announcements
We have just finished a series of topicals and you are probably wondering what is on the agenda for the next couple of Fridays. Well from here on out, there are a couple things you can look forward to! 1. No formal program this coming Friday! If your micro-group leaders have not told you already, … Continue reading November Announcements
An Account of God’s Extraordinary Work in an Ordinary Man’s Life
My testimony is not very long, nor is it very exciting, yet it is an honest and accurate account of God working in my life. I pray that my testimony challenges you to ask, “Where did my faith come from?” I grew up in church and I also attended a catholic primary school, so I … Continue reading An Account of God’s Extraordinary Work in an Ordinary Man’s Life
Glory to God Alone
Introduction “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 1) We have come to the final article on the five ‘Solas,’ foundational biblical principles central to the doctrine of salvation and distinct from the teachings taught by the Roman Catholic … Continue reading Glory to God Alone
Christ Alone
1. What is Sola Christus? Sola Christus is a Latin phrase for ‘by Christ alone’, which emphasises the most important foundation to the Christian faith, the cornerstone to be exact. It tells us that salvation is found in nothing nor anyone else but in Christ and Christ alone. 2. Background: Indulgences and the Protestant Reformation … Continue reading Christ Alone
The Prayers of Agur
In light of this Fridays’ Prayer and Praise night on the topic of prayer, Lynnette has asked me to write up a short reflection on a prayer found in the Bible and I have decided to break down Proverbs 30:7-9 for us, as it closely relates to one of the prayers we will be examining … Continue reading The Prayers of Agur
When Praying Gives You Anxiety
In the lead up to the event of Prayer and Praise Night, some of us were asked to write a bit of reflection on the topic of prayer. One of the main struggles that I have often observed, with others and myself included, in particular with corporate prayer is the lack of desire to lead … Continue reading When Praying Gives You Anxiety
Allelous Community Group 