Posts by Thomas Overmiller
Misusing the Bible – Where there is no vision…
False teachers, cult leaders and charlatans aren’t the only people who misuse Bible verses. Well-intended believers may do the same, but for different reasons. Perhaps we fail to study a verse in a responsible way, or perhaps we assume that it means one thing and don’t bother to double-check. Whatever the case, we must give…
Read MoreThe Perfect Gift
When you give a gift at Christmas, for a birthday, or at any other time, you want to give something that the other person needs or will enjoy. You want to give something special that he or she doesn’t already have. So you think carefully, do some research, and pick what you hope will be…
Read MoreTrue Prosperity
Promotional emails and full-color mailers for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other holiday sales are coming your way, and so are the urges to buy more things, a lot more things. But step back and inhale a nice, slow, deep breath. Don’t let the tidal wave of holiday marketing and cultural pressure engulf you in…
Read MoreAmbushed by Ambition
Around the same time that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, another boy was born on the faraway untamed Iberian Peninsula (which we call Spain and Portugal today).1 He was an ordinary countryside boy who dreamed of grander things. Perhaps he played with little toy soldiers in the dirt outside his home or perhaps he admired…
Read MoreGiving Priority to Your Spiritual Family
When you choose to follow Jesus, you may find yourself in the middle of a difficult family situation. Unbelieving relatives, especially immediate family members, may place intense pressure on you to withdraw from your faith entirely or to diminish your church involvement and obedience to Christ. If you have experienced this quandary – from your…
Read MoreDo all roads lead to God?
To go somewhere, you need the right directions. This is especially true in a place like New York City, a tangled sprawl of highways and exits, roads and intersections, bridges and ferries, subway lines and trains, buses, taxis, Lyfts, and Ubers in every direction. Without the right directions or a functioning GPS, you will easily…
Read MoreThree Words, One Office
The NT uses three corresponding words to describe this role of church leadership. Pastor The first word is pastor or shepherd, an overarching word God chooses to describe the nature of this role (1 Pet. 5:2-3). It highlights the proper motive and manner of church leadership, leading a congregation of believers the same way that…
Read MoreA Transparent Approach to Gospel Ministry
2 Corinthians 4:2 When you set out to shine the light of the gospel to nonbelievers and believers alike, you may not anticipate the adversity that may come your way as a result. The apostle Paul himself experienced adversity to an intense degree in his teaching ministry. His candid response to this adversity provides us…
Read MoreNine Reasons for Eternal Security
Salvation is eternally secure for every person who believes the truth about Jesus. Some people teach that those who believe the truth about Jesus may have salvation for a while, but may lose it along the way. They may phrase this view like this: “Jesus will never turn his back on you; but you can…
Read MoreDoes Spirit Baptism Occur After Conversion?
Some charismatic teaching indicates that a person must undergo a separate experience of receiving (or being baptized with) the Holy Spirit sometime after conversion. To arrive at this perspective, they lean heavily and sincerely upon instances in Acts when this either did happen (Acts 2:4ff, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 19:1-7) or merely appeared to happen (Acts…
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