We end our series in the book of Titus by exploring Titus 3 and seeing what it looks like to be a healthy and faithful church in a society that increasingly thinks Christianity is extreme and irrelevant. And yet, even though society and culture change, the Gospel story in which we live remains the same.

This week we explore Titus 3:1-2 where the apostle Paul addresses how a healthy and faithful church should interact with the rulers and authorities in civil government. A variety of perspectives exist within the Christian community when it comes to political power, political issues and political involvement.  So how does Scripture inform our understanding as citizens of both a sovereign country and an eternal Kingdom?

Does the Bible condone slavery? This is a common accusation from many New Atheists as well as others who take issue with Scripture. Growing Christians will experience doubts about faith. However, truth can be found. When you face your doubts head on and your honest about them, God can use that journey to do things in your life you never thought were possible.

This week, we continue into Titus 2:4-11 and explore what life looks like for young women and young men in faithful and healthy church. Faithfulness, self-control and submission may not the most popular topics in our world and yet what we see in these verses is that those who's roots are deep in the Gospel produce fruit like this that is actually quite beautiful.

In Titus 2:1-10, Paul takes on the role of coach in order to help the church go in the same direction, encourage them stay in the game, and instruct them on how to play their positions. This week, we looked at how to play the older men and older women position in the church, exploring how we must be ferociously multigenerational in order to be a healthy and faithful church.

Leadership in the church comes in a variety of flavors: elders, pastors, deacons, trustees, ministry directors, and the list goes on.  The names may be unique in different contexts but what we learn from Titus 1:5-9 is that a plurality of qualified leaders in the local church is the first step in building a healthy and faithful church in a hostile and difficult environment.

As we begin our study of the book of Titus, we consider the broad themes of this playbook for how to be a faithful and healthy church. In a world that supremely values the new and innovative, the old and faithful instructions for the church found in this little book just might be what we need most right now.

What is in a name? According to Romeo and Juliet not much. However, what we find in Matthew 1:18-25 is that the name that God's Son would be called is "Immanuel." What we find in the name Immanuel is an infinite amount of resources for us both for now and for eternity.

The name of Jesus is certainly one of the most recognizable names in history. However, Christians believe that there is something infinitely more found in that name. In the name of Jesus we find the power to actually follow Jesus because in it is found all the blessings of salvation as well as an eternal perspective that will see you through any trial you might face.

As we begin our observance of Advent this season, we look into Isaiah 9:1-7 and step into the shoes of ancient Israel, trying to imagine what it would have been like to wait on the promise of a Rescuer. Many of us too find ourselves waiting for events in our world and our lives to turn from dark to light as we eagerly anticipate the coming of the Rescuer again.