Programs And Podcasts

Now, I'm not in the business of advertising any particular ice cream spot, but let's face it, it's kind of fun to go to Baskin Robbins. You know, they have all those flavors they advertise. Now, you can write to me and tell me that maybe you like another place better, but listen, I know you like to go where there's a lot of flavors. And you know what? It seems like it takes me an hour to decide which one I want. Well, not really, but seems like an hour to the person who's waiting on me. But the variety is a lot of fun. Now, can you imagine an ice cream store that offered only vanilla? Yeah, boring! After a while you get tired of the same old flavor. Can you imagine a person who said, "I only eat vanilla. I never tried anything else." I'd say to them, "Man, look at the list! You're missing so many flavors. You can have ice cream so many different ways." How boring to think that all ice cream has to be the one flavor you like.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Many Flavors At God's Place."

Our word for today from the Word of God is found in 1 Corinthians 12. And we go, in a sense, to God's ice cream parlor if you want to put it that way. And it's called the church - the body of Christ. Listen to all the flavors. "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." Verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 12: "The body is a unit, though, that is made up of many parts, and though all of its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ."

Okay, now, if there's one message we could get from these wonderful verses it would be this. Variety is God's plan for His body. He's not interested in cookie cutter Christians. He wants many styles, many flavors of Christians. God likes variety. Guess what we like? Uniformity. We want everybody to be like us - like our group. So as a consequence, generally speaking, Baptist Christians only know Baptist Christians, and Assembly of God Christians only know Assembly of God Christians, and Methodist Christians only know Methodist Christians, and Presbyterian, Presbyterians, etc. The list is infinite.

But, you see, none of us has all of Him. But all of us together have all of Him. Don't cut yourself off from all the other flavors; don't just be a vanilla Christian. See, we disagree only about, say, 10% of it. Ninety percent is about Christ, and sin, and salvation, and Christ's return, and the Bible: we tend to agree on those. We need each other. Those different styles and different emphases in the body of Christ are not only God's will, but they make you rich.

One group of Christians may teach you how to pray and get a hold of God. Another group may really have a vision for missions, and they'll help you care about a lost world. Others will really get you into personal evangelism. There's another group of Christians who might really help you learn about God's sovereign control over things. And then there's a group over there that may be strong in loving and caring and accepting. And this group over here, they'll teach you a lot about worship. And this one, oh you'll learn a lot about careful Bible study. Hey, listen. We will be together forever. All the labels we have here on earth won't make it past the gate of heaven. Why don't we get together now?

You're on God's side when you're against whatever divides His body. It's not all vanilla. It's lots of flavors. It's all ice cream; but it's lots of flavors, and that's what counts. We're all the church.

So, celebrate the variety in God's family. And enjoy all those flavors.

According to a 2024 Real Clear Opinion Research poll, 70% of U.S. adults believe in hell, and roughly the same percentage believe in the devil. But believing and behaving are two different things. Dr. Karl Payne will join us to answer the question of why so few Americans let belief in the supernatural impact the way they live. Plus, we open the phone lines to take your questions. Call in early because there are always lots of questions on the topic of spiritual warfare.

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We’re called to manage everything God has entrusted to us. Dr. Tony Evans shares practical insight on how to steward those resources wisely and faithfully.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding right now in Lebanon, and for hundreds of thousands of families, survival has become a daily question. As conflict intensifies once again, the impact on families—especially women and children—is overwhelming. 

In today’s conversation on Faith and Finance, May-Lee Melki of Heart for Lebanon shared what is happening on the ground, how their team is responding, and how believers can help bring both urgent relief and lasting hope.

For many in Lebanon, this is not the first season of displacement and fear. The nation has endured years of instability, economic collapse, and refugee pressures. Now, renewed conflict has forced countless families from their homes yet again.

More than one million people have been internally displaced in just a matter of weeks—roughly 20% of the country’s population. Entire regions have become uninhabitable, leaving families to seek shelter wherever they can: schools, unfinished buildings, sidewalks, parks, and vehicles.

This crisis is especially severe because it comes after years of economic hardship. Since the financial collapse of 2019, many families have already lost savings, jobs, and financial stability. For those already living on the edge, another wave of displacement is devastating.

Behind every statistic is a family trying to survive.

Heart for Lebanon reported that official shelters are nearly full, while many informal shelters lack basic necessities such as clean water, sanitation, and heat. Families often arrive with little more than the clothes they are wearing. Children are missing school. Parents are searching for food, safety, and a place to sleep.

During one field update, Bachir, a Hope Center Director in the Bekaa Valley, described visiting a school where displaced families were staying. Their team distributed blankets, mattresses, and food packages while praying that these acts of care would reflect the love and hope of Christ.

What makes the ministry of Heart for Lebanon so compelling is that they are not only meeting physical needs. They are also offering relational care and pointing families to the unshakable hope found in Jesus Christ.

Their team has been on the ground since the beginning of the conflict, delivering food, bedding, hygiene supplies, and emergency assistance. But beyond that, they are building relationships, praying with families, and sharing the gospel in some of life’s most vulnerable moments.

As May-Lee explained, when everything else has been stripped away, people are often more open to hearing about a hope that extends beyond present suffering.

That reflects the heart of 1 John 3:18: “Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

One of Heart for Lebanon's unique strengths is that it is led and staffed by local believers. Many team members are enduring the same hardships as the families they serve. Some have been displaced themselves.

Because they live in the communities they serve, they can respond quickly, build trust deeply, and remain faithfully present long after headlines fade. Their ministry is not temporary relief—it is long-term, relational care rooted in the love of Christ.

In moments like this, the Church has an opportunity to be the Church.

A gift of $90 can provide a ne

Hungry for ideas to shape an intentional family from the ground up? Elisha and Kathryn Voetberg, podcast hosts of Now that We’re a Family, offer ideas to actively build a marriage and family of purpose and beautiful simplicity.

Show Notes and Resources

• Connect with Elilsha and Kathryn Voetberg www.nowthatwereafamily.com.
• Learn more about Elilsha and Kathryn and get their books here: nowthatwereafamily.com/after-the-baby

• Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com.
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We’ve all heard the phrase, “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Someone who seems harmless and pleasant, maybe even trustworthy, but who really is a hidden danger. These kind of people can be anywhere – classmates, co-workers, church members. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us understand these people, and be on our guard. We’ll consider one such individual who wound up in the Lord’s inner circle. He was a fake, a fraud . . . but also an Apostle.

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