Posts by Taigen Joos
The First Sunday of Christmas: Christ Is Our Hope
Isaiah 11:1-5, There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His…
Read MoreFour Big Ideas about Spiritual Gifts
There are two primary passages in the New Testament that address the issue of spiritual gifts: Romans 12, and 1 Corinthians 12-14. While a few other passages mention spiritual gifts, they are secondary in importance to the discussion. There are four “big idea” thoughts about spiritual gifts that I think believers need to be reminded…
Read MorePastoral Obscurity: the blessing of anonymity
About every six months, a small group of pastor friends and I get together to discuss a Christian book and pray together. It is a great time of ministerial camaraderie and encouragement. All of us are pastors of relatively small churches. None of us have churches with more than two hundred attendees, and most of…
Read MoreParenting Toward Maturity
Parenting cannot be delegated. God is clear in both the Old and New Testaments that parents are responsible to raise their children in such a way that points their attentions and affections towards the one true and living God (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:4). This truth cannot be denied, nor can it lawfully be ignored. This…
Read MoreGrowing Toward Maturity
Many elements helped contribute to the immaturity that is evident in the American church today. The accommodation with pop culture, an infatuation with self, an overemphasis on “reaching the youth,” and the adoption of a consumeristic mindset when it comes to the local church are just a few key aspects that have led to where…
Read MoreWhy the Immaturity?
Much of modern America’s Christianity is filled with immaturity. In Ephesians 4:11–17, Paul highlights several aspects of what spiritual maturity would look like: a measure of unity, growth in Christlikeness, spiritual discernment, loving discipleship, and selfless service. Unfortunately, personal, and spiritual immaturity are keeping these kinds of things from happening in many American churches, leading…
Read MoreImmaturity in American Evangelical Churches
Has it struck you in recent years that there seems to be a growing trend of spiritual immaturity in churches today? I know that is a rather broad-brush stroke, but I just want to pose this idea for consideration from a few angles. Immature Beliefs Consider the various views about God: God is the “big…
Read MoreSeeking the Praises of Man
Are you a people-pleaser? Do you struggle with living more for the praise and approval of men, more than God? In my devotional reading this morning, in John 12, I read of highly respected religious leaders of Christ’s day struggling with this very problem. “Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in [Jesus], but because…
Read MoreImmaturity in American Evangelical Churches
Has it struck you in recent years that there seems to be a growing trend of spiritual immaturity in churches today? I know that is a rather broad-brush stroke, but I just want to pose this idea for consideration from a few angles. Immature Beliefs Consider the various views about God: God is the “big…
Read More“Doubting” Thomas and Deconstructionism
The apostle Thomas sometimes gets a bad wrap because of his words the day of Christ’s resurrection, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25). However, in reflecting upon…
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