Category: Relationships

• Vitality of the Christian Faith

  On July 2, 1789, John Wesley wrote a sermon called, “Causes Of The Inefficacy Of Christianity”. Click here for the full sermon. This is a powerful, convicting, sermon on how Christianity can be more transformative in our world. Here is a summary and application for this important sermon: Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity Jeremiah […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/20/2020

  belief, bible, born again, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conversion, disciples, Failure, faith, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, grace, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, leadership, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, new creation, new life, power, Prayer, priority, proclaiming Christ, reconciliation, redeemed, Relationships, renewal, repent, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, witness, witnessing, worship, writing, youth ministry

  becoming born again, Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity, changing the world, deny yourself, holy spirit led, is Christianity real, Jesus Christ crucified, john Wesley sermon, life change, real Christianity, renewing methodism, take up your cross and follow Jesus, the Christian life, What is a Christian

• Reaching Our Cities for Christ

  Christopher Wright said it well, “We argue about what can legitimately be included in the mission God expects from the church, when we should ask what kind of church God expects for his mission in all its comprehensive fullness.” (Wright, 534) Alongside this line of thinking, another way to look at this is “I may […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/11/2020

  Apostle Paul, belief, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Communication, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, faith, forgiven, Forgiveness, God’s grace, good news, gospel, grace, holy life, holy living, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, leadership, legacy, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, passion, pastor, poor, priorities, Relationships, religion, revival, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, witnessing, works, worldview, writing, youth ministry

  1 Corinthians 9:22, Apostle Paul’s mission, cultural contexts, evangalizing the cities, following Jesus example, how to reach people, knowing the culture, living the great commission, love God love people, Reaching our cities for Christ, who is my neighbor

• God’s Story, Your Story: The New Testament

  If you could sum up the Bible in one word, what would it be? This may be tricky for some. Some may be thinking we can’t sum up the Bible in one word. I think we can sum up the Bible with the word, JESUS. After all, in Luke 24, Jesus tells the disciples on […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/08/2020

  belonging, bible, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, comfort, conversion, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, Failure, faith, family of God, Forgiveness, God’s grace, God’s promises, Golden rule, good news, gospel, heaven, holy, holy life, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, kindness, leadership, learn, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, passion, pastor, power, prasie, preaching, Relationships, religion, renewal, revival, sin, Sinners, Spirit, Spirit led, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, world, worldview, worship, writing, youth ministry

  end times and revelation, God wins, gospels of Jesus, letters of Paul, live faithfully, New Testament overview, stand firm in the faith, trust in God, what is Jesus like, What is the new testament, what’s the Bible about, who is Jesus

• Who is YHWH?

  The Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible) begins with a land that is fertile and ready for humanity and ends with the people of Israel on the cusp of moving into the land of promise. Beginning in Genesis 12 through Deuteronomy 34, the promise of land is a key theme for the people of […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/04/2020

  belief, bible, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, holy life, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, patience, reconciliation, Relationships, repentance, sin, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, writing, youth ministry

  books of the Bible, Genesis – Deuteronomy, how can I know God, knowing God, what does the Bible say, what does the Bible say about God, what is the point of the Bible, what is the Torah, who am I, Who is God

• God’s Story, Your Story: The Old Testament

  How well do you know the biblical story? If we’re honest, we all should say we don’t know it as well as we want. One of the most beautiful things about scripture is that it continually speaks, even today, the words of God through the presence of the Holy Spirit. If I were to ask […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/01/2020

  bible, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Creation, disciples, faith, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, reconciliation, redeemed, Relationships, repentance, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, worship, youth ministry

  old testament introduction, people of God, Who is God

• Rahab: The Past Does Note Define You

  How would you describe yourself before coming to faith in Jesus Christ? How is that different from your life now? What do other people think about you? Do your family and friends see something different and new in you since you began to follow Christ? Even if you have be “in church” your whole life, […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/04/2020

  anxiety, attitudes, awakening, belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, born again, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, home, Jesus, Jesus Christ, legacy, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, new life, preach, preaching, redeemed, Relationships, revival, Spiritual transformation, transformation, Uncategorized, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  fall of Jericho, following Jesus, Jesus changes everything, Jesus defines you, Joshua 2, keeping your word, know who you are, know your worth, new life in Jesus, overcoming the past, people can change, People like us, Rahab the prostitue, story of redemption, trusting Jesus

• People Like Us: Adam

  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, but the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Right here we get a picture of God who seeks to be intimately connected with his creation by remaining close. For God it was, and still is, all about […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/14/2020

  belief, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conflict, confrontation, disciples, Failure, faith, faithful, glory, glory of Christ, glory of God, glory to God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, holy life, Holy Spirit, hope, humble, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgement, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, proclaiming Christ, Relationships, revival, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, worship, writing, youth ministry

  becoming more, blaming others, Christ changes everything, Christ is victorious, Christian blog post, I am not a failure, is it my fault, it’s all about Christ, People like us, sermon on Adam, taking responsibility

• FREE BOOK!

  FREE book to help you study the Old Testament book of Jonah.

  Ryan Stratton

  05/26/2020

  belief, believe, belonging, bible, challenge, Challenges, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Communication, compassion, conflict, confrontation, conversion, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, faith, faithful, glory of God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy living, Holy Spirit, Identity, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgement, judging, kindness, leadership, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, peace, people, Relationships, repentance, respect, revival, Savior, serve, service, sharing our faith, Sin, Spirit, Spirituality, struggles, transformation, travel, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worldview, Worry, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study, book of Jonah, Christian life, faith in Christ, glory of God, God, God is with us, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, mission, new life in Christ, praying for revival, revival, talking with God, transform the world, Trust God, Trust Jesus, Who is God

• Invitation to Sabbath Rest (Exodus 20:8-11)

  

  ““Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or […]

  Ryan Stratton

  04/24/2020

  belief, believe, bible, bible study, children, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, good news, gospel, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus Christ, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, Moses, reconciliation, Relationships, religion, renewal, Rest, Sabbath, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  10 commandments, 4th commandment, do I have to rest, God rested on the 7th day, invitation to rest, sabbath rest, trusting in God, Wat does Sabbath mean?, what do the 10 commandments mean, what does God say

• God’s Love Prevails

  While I was sitting in the airport recently, I observed the people around. Some were in the hustle and bustle of their day. Some were very irate when their flight was missed or delayed. Some were very worried about not making connecting flights. The tension in airports is very high. The airport is also one […]

  Ryan Stratton

  02/21/2020

  answers, beauty, belief, believe, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, compassion, faith, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, new life, Prayer, prayer life, preach, preaching, Relationships, repent, sin, Sinners, Spirit, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

  Christian life, Christians and suffering, God is love, God is with us, God’s love, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, née life in Christ, new life, Trust God, Trust Jesus, trusting God, why do bas things happen