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When Jesus comes into the world, from his “fullness” we receive grace upon grace. Paul describes this in this way: “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) This “love in action” by Jesus did not just extend to certain people, but to all.

Advent Conspiracy is a radical idea that we can celebrate Christmas humbly, beautifully, and generously. Advent is the story of a wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes everything — including the way we celebrate Christmas.

One of the consistent images that we find in the New Testament for the life of a disciple is a race. Paul himself writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). This means that though our journey through the Being Challenge is coming to an end, the journey is just beginning. As we wrap up the Being Challenge, we want to Invite you to reflect: what challenges didn’t you do and why? What might God be calling you to revisit and reflect? What is the one challenge you want to work on?

. In talking about how the early church grew, Tim Keller says that the reason Christianity displaced the “the older Greco-Roman Empire and culture itself and way of thinking” was because they were “attractively different.” And what was so attractive about them? Quite simply, they were sold out for Jesus…together...and people noticed. Choosing church brings consistency into our lives. And the consistency that it brings is the good news of Jesus. The church is the consistent place where the good news of Jesus is proclaimed in word and deed, so that we can hear, experience, and live in light of his grace. And part of being the church is recognizing that God has given each of us gifts to use in helping others to look, live, and love more like Jesus.

We live in a world that is increasingly distracted, and the result is that we are no longer present to the relationships that matter most. Which is why, in the midst of his busiest seasons of ministry Jesus took time away to be with his Father. Solitude was a central practice of his life, for in solitude he could be truly present to what his Father was saying. Solitude isn’t isolation; it is a place of restoration and re-focus in which we get back in tune with the God who loves us and allow him to re-shape our priorities.

When you take a close look at the four gospels what you find is that Jesus either practiced prayer or taught on the importance of prayer nearly 50 times. He prayed to seek his father’s guidance, he prayed before feeding the 5000, he prayed at meals, he prayed in the morning, he prayed in the evening, he prayed before he raised Lazarus from the dead. Looking at all these prayers of Jesus, what we find is that he was in nearly constant conversation with his Father. In fact, Jesus’ prayers seemed so powerful and moving that, finally, his disciples came to him and demanded, “Teach us to pray!” And the beautiful thing is…he does!

The Bible is easily one of the highest selling books of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records estimates that over 5 billion copies of the Bible have been printed. It has been translated into over 700 languages. But why? What it is about this book that is so powerful?

Jesus did not call his disciples into individual one-on-one relationships with him. He called them into community so that “they might be with him and that he might send them out” (Mark 3:14).