“What is collective salvation?”……Basically, "collective salvation" means "unless we are all saved, none of us will be saved" or "we as individuals must cooperate and sacrifice for the good of the whole." Another way to state what collective salvation means is: "I can’t be saved on my own. I have to do my part by […]
“Is the ‘Conversations with God’ series Biblically sound?”……The book that started it all, Conversations with God, Book 1: An Uncommon Dialogue, spent over two and a half years on the New York Times Best Sellers List, and in 2006 a movie based on the book was released. "Conversations with God," or "CwG," is the brainchild […]
“What is Contemplative prayer?”……Answer: It is important to first define "contemplative prayer." Contemplative prayer is not just "contemplating while you pray." The Bible instructs us to pray with our minds (1 Corinthians 14:15), so, clearly, prayer does involve contemplation. However, praying with your mind is not what "contemplative prayer" has come to mean. Contemplative prayer […]
“Are Christians ‘little gods’?”……What has been popularly termed the "little god controversy" originated with Word of Faith pastors and teachers. The basic idea behind the controversy is that humans are actually divine, created "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27) not only in having a soul, having dominion over the earth, or living in relationship […]
A Test for False Prophets Deuteronomy 13:4 “Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. Our text for today seems somewhat out of place, for it is tucked into a passage dealing with false prophets: instructing the people of Israel in ways […]
“What is glossolalia?”……Answer: Glossolalia, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as "ecstatic utterances," is the uttering of unintelligible, language-like sounds while in a state of ecstasy. Glossolalia is sometimes confused with xenoglossia, which is the biblical "gift of tongues." However, whereas glossolalia is babbling in a nonexistent language, xenoglossia is the ability to speak fluently a […]
“What is Holy laughter?”……Answer: The term “holy laughter” was coined to describe a phenomenon during which a person laughs uncontrollably, presumably as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit’s joy. It is characterized by peals of uncontrollable laughter, sometimes accompanied by swooning or falling down to the floor. First-hand accounts from those who […]