JOHN PEARRELL: God created sex as a sacred expression of love between a married couple
Sex. Got your attention, didn't I? We live in an age permeated by sexual images, ideas, words and behaviors. Modern media is filled with sexual messages, sometimes blatant, other times subtle, but recognizable nonetheless. How does the saying go? "Sex sells.".
JOHN PEARRELL: God welcomes everyone, even those who stray from their beliefs
In Luke 15, Jesus gives three compelling parables; the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost son.
JOHN PEARRELL: Follow Jesus' example of loving, not judging, each other
Follow Jesus' lead: Love, don't judge. If you Google the term "Christian," you will get about 1.4 trillion results.
JOHN PEARRELL: Those who consider themselves the body of Christ need to act more like it
The Church is an interesting thing. Normally when we think of church we think of a place, and sadly when we think of church, our impressions of it are not that good.
JOHN PEARRELL: God commands us to love our brothers and sisters
Author Anne Rice, in "Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession," has a powerful personal story about her relationship with Jesus.
JOHN PEARRELL: Jesus' greatest commandment is simple: love God, each other
What is the goal of the church? Ask 10 people and you will get 10 different answers to that question.
JOHN PEARRELL: Bible is proof enough for the Creation account
Bible is proof enough for Creation account.
JOHN PEARRELL: Effects of sin are far-reaching
The effects of sin, forgiven or not, are far-reaching. There is a misconception that many in the church seem to hold today; a misconception regarding sin and its consequences.
JOHN PEARRELL: Follow Jesus' example by accepting everyone into your church
"Dishonest tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus' sermons; but this caused complaints from the Jewish religious leaders and the experts on Jewish law because he was associating with such despicable people -- even eating with them!" (Luke 15:1 2, The Living Bible).
JOHN PEARRELL: It's OK to doubt the Bible on your journey to Christ
It's OK to doubt the Bible on your journey to Jesus Christ. Doubts are interesting things.
JOHN PEARRELL: The Resurrection of Christ turned doubters into believers
Easter is just around the corner. People who don't normally go to church will be in church on Easter Sunday -- I think that is great.
JOHN PEARRELL: The Bible is more than a book
Apparently one of the most popular shows on television these days is History Channel's "The Bible," the first of this series attracting some 27 million viewers, and over the weeks the numbers have remained high.
JOHN PEARRELL: God serves as our moral compass
Last week in my column I introduced you to Linda and Bob (not their real names).
JOHN PEARRELL: Suffering exists to remind us of the importance of staying close to God
Suffering exists to remind us of the importance of God.
JOHN PEARRELL: Being a church member is an important part of being Christian
My wife and I were channel surfing (that's the only surfing I know how to do) when we came across a program that looked somewhat interesting.
JOHN PEARRELL: A connection with God can fill the void of loneliness
At Gateway, we are in a series I've titled "Friends." I am told that we in Western society are more connected than ever through social media; we are more connected yet more isolated than ever before.
JOHN PEARRELL: Our understanding of grace should move us closer to Jesus every day
A few years ago the working definition of tolerance changed.
JOHN PEARRELL: God forgives even the greatest of sins
Jan. 22 will mark the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Since that landmark decision, 55 million innocent lives have been ruthlessly murdered on the altar of convenience.
JOHN PEARRELL: Don't rely on others accounts; read the Bible yourself
Over these last few weeks I have been asking you to consider the possibility that the accounts of Jesus as recorded by the Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) might in fact be true; the evidence of the effect Jesus had on history certainly gives one sufficient evidence to contemplate.
JOHN PEARRELL: The life of Jesus makes the seemingly incredible claims of His birth, credible
Last week we began an examination of the Christmas story.
JOHN PEARRELL: Critics should examine the facts before discounting the birth of Jesus
At the heart of the story of Christmas is the birth of a baby. For centuries, scholars, skeptics and people of faith have questioned the identity of this baby.
JOHN PEARRELL: The most important gift this season is Jesus
We are coming into the Christmas season, and this past Sunday, in the liturgical calendar was Bethlehem Sunday.
JOHN PEARRELL: Entry into heaven is not dictated by our good deeds, but by God
One of the great misconceptions many hold when it comes to the idea of heaven is the belief that if one's good works outweigh their bad deeds, they will get into heaven.
JOHN PEARRELL: Pray for our elected officials, even if they are not the ones we chose
By time you read this column, election day 2012 will have passed. Some of you are happy with the results of the elections, others not so happy.
JOHN PEARRELL: True hope and change can only be found in Christ
In a few short days, America returns to the polls for an important election.
JOHN PEARRELL: The Bible warns against hypocrisy
As I write this column, many are preparing for Halloween celebrations.
JOHN PEARRELL: Rejecting God's authority can lead to tragic results
On Saturday of last week and then again on Monday of this week, two different articles crossed my desk reporting that one in five Americans declare themselves religious but unaffiliated with any church or denominations.
JOHN PEARRELL: Evil in the world should not prevent belief in God
As scientific evidence accrues, the realization that we are not here by blind chance is becoming abundantly clear.
JOHN PEARRELL: Heaven is a free gift God bestows on anyone who has faith in Jesus
On Monday of this week I had to perform a task that no pastor likes to perform -- I had to officiate a double memorial service for a family.
JOHN PEARRELL: It is possible to believe in truth and not be arrogant or divisive
Have you ever noticed that there are those who go to extremes in their effort to discount the Christian faith?
JOHN PEARRELL: Know that Jesus is the way to heaven, or dwell in frustration
One of the more common accusations leveled at Christianity is the charge that we are too narrow, too restrictive.
JOHN PEARRELL: Christians must believe in the virgin birth, Christ's miracles, the Resurrection
Let me begin this column with an illustration. Please understand that what I am writing is only for illustrative purposes.
JOHN PEARRELL: Have hope that Jesus can transform you
Look around you. Crosses are everywhere. They decorate our houses of worship; they are used as art in our homes; we wear them as pieces of jewelry; and in a new trend, I see many young people displaying crosses as body art.
JOHN PEARRELL: The Bible should serve as the authority on God
Rabbinic Judaism began its development during the Babylonian captivity.
JOHN PEARRELL: Christians are called to love enemies, not slaughter them
The new atheists are fond of claiming that all the wars in the world have been caused by religion, yet when you challenge them to name the wars waged in the name of religion, they stumble over themselves at a loss to name more than one war: the Crusades.
JOHN PEARRELL: True Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship with God
Arnold Toynbee once observed, "Most people have not rejected Christianity but rather a caricature of it."
JOHN PEARRELL: Follow three steps to enter into a relationship with God
In my recent series of columns, I have been dealing with the subject of true Christianity.
JOHN PEARRELL: You are only born of God when you place your trust in His Son, Jesus
In my last two columns, we have been examining an issue of eternal importance, namely, what is a real Christian?
JOHN PEARRELL: In order to be Christian, you must be born-again
In my last column, we began to explore an issue which came to me via email, titled, "You might not be a Christian."
JOHN PEARRELL: God extended mercy, grace to us through Christ's death on the Cross
I have been a Christian for some 52 years now.
JOHN PEARRELL: The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ
There is a growing myth that needs to be exposed.
JOHN PEARRELL: A world without God may not be as rosy as some think
More and more we are hearing the phrase "freedom of worship" coming from the White House. Few see the danger in this subtle change of words by our current administration from the traditional "freedom of religion."
JOHN PEARRELL: To become a child of God, you must have faith in Jesus
How often have you heard someone exclaim, "We are all children of God"?. If you accept the authority of the Bible, then you recognize that statement to be false. Generally, those who express this wrong belief do so under the also mistaken belief that everyone goes to heaven anyhow.
JOHN PEARRELL: God takes sin just as seriously today as He did when Cain and Abel lived
"I'm into spirituality, I'm not into religion.". That is a statement I hear more and more it seems every day. This "spirituality" is an interesting thing -- it seems to be an eclectic mix of various parts of various religious views, taking what one likes from each and leaving
JOHN PEARRELL: The only entrance into heaven is through Jesus Christ
Have you ever noticed that whether a death is an untimely one, such as the death of a young person, an expected one, after a long period of suffering, or a natural one, after a long and productive life, those left behind always think that the death was too soon?
JOHN PEARRELL: Church offers us chance to strengthen our faith by being with each other
It seems that we live in an age where many who profess that they are Christians see no reason to attend church. I hear it all the time from various people. "Oh, I worship with my family at home." Or "I get my church from watching Dr. So and So on television." Or "I worship on the golf course or in my hunting stand... I don't need to be in church to worship."
JOHN PEARRELL: If we belong to Christ, we need to be connected with His body, the church.
In last week's column, I concluded my thoughts on the church by stating that if we were to be obedient Christ followers, and enjoy the full benefits of our walk with Him, we cannot isolate ourselves from the fellowship of believers, from the church.
JOHN PEARRELL: Experience the full joy of worship: attend church
"I'm a Christian but I don't believe in the church; I can worship at home." As a pastor, I cannot even begin to count how many times I have heard statements like this. Let's examine that concept a little. Can a person really be a Christian and yet not be involved in a local fellowship?
JOHN PEARRELL: We must have a loyalty to Christ, which grows from our love for Him
Recently I have been inundated with a flux of materials whose common theme is the imminent demise of the church. Let me just use the words of Mark Twain here who, upon hearing that the New York Times had published his obituary, said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."
JOHN PEARRELL: Positive change in the world requires a change in the human heart
Hard to believe that another year has come and gone. Years ago Alvin Toffler wrote in his book, "Future Shock," "The years skip by at an ever accelerating pace." When I read those words, I was a young man just beginning pre-medical studies at the University of Pittsburgh. I did not understand those words back then; I do today. My goodness where have the years gone?
Prev Next