BeachCast.TV: Bible Exploration, Apologetics and Church History with Dr. Chase A. Thompson:

Most people think that church growth is the #1 sign of a healthy church. Do we get this idea from anywhere in the Bible? Today we consider what seems to be signs of a healthy and strong church in the eyes of Paul from his letter to the Thessalonians, and also briefly survey Mark Dever's "9 Marks of a Healthy Church."

In a fascinating story from today's Bible reading, God sends a lying spirit to ensnare the evil king Ahab and bring about his destruction. Does this mean that God governs and uses evil to bring about His will and do good?

King Ahab was just awful - a murderer, an idolator, and a whiny, selfish and spineless king. He was one of the worst kings in Israel's history and God pronounces a terrible judgment on Ahab through the prophet Elijah...but all of the sudden, God shows great mercy - what happened to cause that?!

If you ask the average man on the street if God gets angry, he will probably answer in the negative, because most people can't picture how a good and loving God could actually be angry. When you read the Bible, however, you find that God does indeed get angry and does so frequently. How can this be? How can a kind, loving and good God be angry?

Elijah was a mighty man of God, and had seen incredible spiritual victories and miracles in his lifetime. Suddenly, however, he is threatened by the queen and runs in fear of his life, giving up, and asking God to kill him. How did Elijah fall from victory to hopelessness so quickly, and what can we do when we find ourselves in the same situation?