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Bible Insights

Jesus Restores Peter

Do We Love Jesus? Then Feed His Sheep.

Feed My Sheep

Today’s passage: John 21:15–19

Focus verse: Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” (John 21:17)

Right before Jesus was crucified, he predicted that Peter would deny him three times.

The confident disciple was adamant it wouldn’t happen, that he was willing to go to prison and even die for Jesus (Matthew 26:31–35, Mark 14:27–31, Luke 22:31–34, and John 13:37–38).

Yet a few hours later Peter does exactly what Jesus said he would do. He denies knowing his Rabbi three times, with increasing fervor each time, confirming his final denial with an oath.

This supplies a three-fold confirmation that he denies knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:69–75, Mark 14:66–72, Luke 22:54–62, and John 18:15–18, 25–27).

Peter must wallow in guilt over how quickly he gave in to fear and disavowed his master. Despite his self-assuredness, Peter is weak. His commitment to Jesus is fickle. His pledge to die for his master means nothing.

Though Peter’s failure could cause him to give up, even to end his life like Judas did, he does not. He sticks around.

This is because of Jesus’s prayer for his disciple. “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32).

Ever since Jesus rose from the dead, he’s worked to bring Peter back into his fold. He first appears to Peter separately (see Day 21 and Luke 24:34) and then three more times when Peter is with other disciples (Days 22, 25, and 27).

In doing so, Peter knows Jesus has forgiven him and includes him with the other disciples.

Now Jesus completes his disciple’s restoration.

Three times Jesus has Peter affirm his master, with each affirmation offsetting a denial.

It distresses Peter to have to affirm Jesus three times. But consider how much more Jesus must have been distressed for his disciple to deny even knowing him.

Jesus’s first question to Peter is pointed. “Do you love me more than these?” It’s not enough for Peter to profess loving Jesus as much as the other disciples, who didn’t deny him.

Instead, he must profess a greater love. Peter does.

In response to each of Peter’s three affirmations, Jesus tells Peter what to do. The first time he says, “Feed my lambs.” A lamb is a baby sheep. The second time Jesus says, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time the Savior says, “Feed my sheep.”

Who are the sheep Peter is supposed to care for? Jesus’s sheep are his followers, specifically his disciples. Recall that in Jesus’s earlier prayer, he asked his Father that Peter, once restored, would strengthen the brothers.

Though this three-fold restoration sequence is painful for Peter, it’s necessary.

Having now been restored, Jesus tells Peter what will happen when he gets old. Implicitly he’ll be crucified, and his death will glorify God.

But until then, Jesus tells Peter the same thing he did at the start of their time together. “Follow me” (Matthew 4:18–19).

And following Jesus is what matters most.

Questions:

  • How well do we do at following Jesus today?
  • Will we do so for the rest of our lives, regardless of what may happen?

Prayer: Jesus, may we follow you and feed your sheep.

Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his return to heaven in The Victory of Jesus. The Victory of Jesus is another book in Peter DeHaan’s beloved Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series. Get your copy today.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Make Praise Your Habit

Make Praise

Avoid Complaining and Negativity

If your experience is like mine, you likely know people who are chronic complainers. They seem to be always venting about something that went badly or someone who did them wrong.

Negativity is their default mode, Their glass is half empty.

Their nearly constant negativity makes them hard to be around. Their complaining attitude can be contagious and if we’re not careful they can rub off on us.

This is in sharp contrast to people who are generally positive, who see the good in life and in circumstances. These folks are fun to be around.

Their attitude is uplifting and encouraging, and also contagious. We want their positive demeanor to rub off on us.

Now consider God and us. Do we tend to complain to him, telling him all that is wrong with our lives? Or are we mostly positive, thanking him for all the good that surrounds us?

I wonder if the chronic complainers aren’t God’s favorite people to be around either. Likewise I suspect he delights in those who are thankful.

This thought will surely reform my prayers. After all, the Bible says, “make praise your habit.”

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Psalms 61-65, and today’s post is on Psalm 64:10.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
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Bible Study

1 John Bible Study, Day 27: Ask Anything According to God’s Will

Online Bible Study for the books of 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John
1, 2, 3 John Bible Study from the book Love One Another

Today’s passage: 1 John 5:13–15

Focus verse: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14)

When we pray, do we think God hears us? Does he answer our prayers? All of them? The Bible says so. Consider what Scripture teaches.

First, we can have assurance that God does indeed hear our prayers.

John writes that we can be confident God will hear everything we ask and will grant everything we request. But there’s a condition that’s easy to miss, and it’s a critical one.

John stipulates that God will hear our prayers and answer them when we align our requests with his will (1 John 5:14–15).

The challenge for us then is to discover his perspective and pray according to his will. This may not be as hard as we think. Paul writes that we already have the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14–16).

The Holy Spirit can reveal to us the will of God. It’s simple. Each thing the Holy Spirit tells us to do is the will of God. We can count on this because God would never tell us to do something contrary to his will.

For some followers of Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit is a daily part of life, while others struggle to hear from God, even once. But we should all lean into this and be open to hear from the Holy Spirit.

In this way we will know the will of God.

Another way to know the will of God is to read his written word, the Bible. The Father also reveals his will to us through Scripture. For example, he is not willing that anyone should perish (Matthew 18:14).

Therefore, it’s aligned with his will to pray for the salvation of others. But we must also act according to our prayers.

We plant (tell them about Jesus) and then trust God to make the crop grow (1 Corinthians 3:6) and produce a harvest (2 Corinthians 9:10).

A third way to know the will of God is to spend time with him. As we do, we will get to know him better and develop a stronger sense for what he wants, for his perspective, and for his will.

Enoch can serve as our example in this. He walked so close to God that the Almighty whisked his faithful follower into heaven (Genesis 5:22–24).

We find a fourth way to know God’s will—his good, pleasing, and perfect will—is to not conform to the world, but to transform our thinking by renewing our minds.

When we do this, we’ll understand what God’s will is (Romans 12:2).

In these four ways we can know God’s will. 

When our prayers align with his will, he will answer our requests. But answered prayer isn’t the goal; it’s the outcome.

Our aim should be to know God’s will. May we focus on that.

Questions:

  1. Can we really ask God for anything? Why?
  2. How do we react when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want or when we want? 
  3. Which of the four ways to know God’s will is the most helpful to you?
  4. Which of the four ways to know God’s will do you need to use more?
  5. What should we do to better align our perspective with the will of God?

Discover more about God answering our prayers in 1 John 3:21–22.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

Discover practical, insightful, and encouraging truths in Love One Another, a devotional Bible study to foster a deeper appreciation for the two greatest commandments: To love God and to love others.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Why I Write about the Bible in Present Tense

The Bible Is Alive and Active, so I Write about it in the Present Tense.

Embrace Scripture as Present, Available, and Relevant

In most of my books and a lot of my blog posts I write about the Bible in present tense. This is an intentional effort to remind us that the Bible is not only an ancient text but also one that’s present, available, and relevant to us today.

It takes more effort to write about the Bible in the present tense, but the results are worth it. Consider these reasons why I feel this is an appropriate action:

The Bible Is Alive and Active

The authors of the book of Hebrews write that the word of God is active and alive (Hebrews 4:12). They don’t write it was. They write it is. Present tense.

They go on to state that the word is sharper than any sword, dividing soul, spirit, and body. It judges—that is, it convicts—our thoughts and attitudes.

These are all present tense attributes about Scripture. This is a key reason why I prefer to write about the Bible in present tense.

Note that this verse can also carry a secondary meeting. Recall John writing that Jesus is the Word (John 1:1, 14).

In this way we see that Jesus—as the Word—is also alive and active, penetrating and judging. Again, we will do well to have a present-tense attitude toward our Savior.

The I Am

When God confronts Moses at the burning Bush, he identifies himself as I Am (Exodus 3:14). He’s not I was, but I am.

Less we think this present-tense identifier of Father God only applies to Moses, John also references this several times in his biography of Jesus.

In it, Jesus, likewise, identifies as I am. He does this several times (John 4:26, John 8:58, John 13:19, and John 18:5-8). Though the NIV presents this as I am, other versions of the Bible use I Am or even I AM.

This I am phrase continues throughout the New Testament, peaking in Revelation 2-3 and culminating with the end-time, future-focused conclusion of Revelation 21-22.

Throughout this, we see God—both Father and Son—as the great I Am of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the end of time. We should therefore think of him as the God who is, a present tense reality.

The Living God

More to the point, the I am is a living God. We see this throughout the Bible, starting when God reveals himself to Moses in Deuteronomy, all the way through to John’s end-time vision in Revelation.

As our living God—who we served today and will abide with throughout eternity—I want to continually remind myself of this reality by writing about him in the present tense.

God and Time

We perceive God who was, is, and is to come (Revelation 4:8). Yet he exists outside of the time-space reality he created for us. As such, we are bound by time. He is not.

To our Creator there is no past, present, or future. There is a singular reality of presence. As being bound by time, this is hard for our finite minds to comprehend.

We default to past, present, and future. But to God our three perspectives converge to one. In my limited view, I best understand this reality as an extant is.

I can best remind myself of this by speaking and writing about the Bible in present tense, of speaking and writing about God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in the present tense.

Though this still limits our appreciation for God’s reality in the spiritual realm, it may be as close as we can get while we remain on earth.

Write about the Bible in Present Tense

I write in present tense as a reminder that Scripture is alive and active. It teaches us of our living God who is I Am, existing outside of time’s constraints.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
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Visiting Churches

My Wife’s Take on Visiting 52 Churches

My Wife’s Take on Visiting 52 Churches: Another Perspective of Visiting 52 Different Congregations for a Year

Another Perspective of Visiting 52 Different Congregations for a Year

By Candy DeHaan

What do you do when God prompts your husband to take a one-year break from your home church to visit other congregations, a different one every week?

You can’t argue with God, so you go on a fifty-two-week adventure by your husband’s side.

And what an adventure we had. We had the honor of worshiping with friends, old and new, that we never would have otherwise enjoyed. With many memories and thoughts that I take away from our journey, here are a few:

  • With just seventeen people present, the pastor said, “If there are any visitors this morning, please raise your hand.” I still giggle about this, as everyone knew we were visiting. What would have happened if we hadn’t raised our hands?
  • Seeing firsthand how a congregation can pull together, as a family, when dealing with heartbreak was truly inspiring.
  • When a pastor is unavailable for a service, what a blessing when members step up and fill in.
  • The many ways that others worship God are amazingly diverse.
  • Worship in a group of five can be sweet, and a shofar is loud! This group met in a small office building. After the teaching, we went to a different room for worship: how breathtaking when they pulled the curtain aside for us to enter and we saw a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, cherubim and all. Awesome!
  • Even with a language barrier at the Chinese church (Church #20), the joy of Christ came through.
  • Just because you have guitars and drums doesn’t make your service contemporary.
  • Shared meals and conversation around a table are inviting and inclusive.
  • After three experiences with Catholic Mass, I’m still unable to follow their services.
  • It’s so nice when someone, noticing you’re a visitor, invites you to sit with them.
  • Also appreciated is when others offer guidance throughout the worship service to help visitors follow along.
  • I’m still uncomfortable when everyone shares the cup for communion. Just wiping the lip of the cup with a little white cloth is not going to remove the germs of everyone who drank before me. It’s just not sanitary.
  • There are some amazing husband-and-wife ministry teams who work together beautifully.
  • It isn’t necessary, but we appreciated it, when a pastor would make sure he or she reached out to personally welcome us. My favorite was the teaching pastor of one of the larger churches we visited. He welcomed us as we entered the building, simply introducing himself as “John.” What a notable example he set for the congregation—if only they had followed his lead. He was the only one to welcome us that morning.
  • Almost all churches had a cross somewhere in their facility, but the most meaningful was the one placed in the middle of the sanctuary, right in the center aisle.
  • If you have a talented vocalist, no instrumentation is necessary. The beauty of a solitary voice, simply praising God in a room with good acoustics, is fabulous.
  • A Belgian waffle breakfast for first-time visitors, with the pastor and his wife, is a great idea.
  • I appreciate a pastor who will take a stand on hot topics and face them head on, sharing what the Bible has to say instead of ducking the issues.
  • It was great to be included when most of one congregation headed to Arby’s after church. Potlucks are delicious, but this was the next best thing.
  • One church had a coffee bar. To help celebrate Lent, the barista topped my latte with a blue marshmallow Peep. What fun! Plus, their visitor packet had a coupon for a complimentary coffee, so it was free.

The most important thing I learned from this trek was how to—and how not to—make a visitor feel welcome. I need to take these lessons to heart as I reach out to visitors and those I don’t recognize.

The church is the body of Christ, not a single congregation or just one denomination. We have a huge spiritual family, and it was so good to worship with them for the past twelve months.

After being gone a year, it was amazing to come back to our home church on Easter morning and celebrate Resurrection Day with all four of our kids by our side.

God is good!

[Check out the discussion questions for this post.]

My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

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Bible Insights

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

Peace Be with You: Do We See Jesus?

Peace Be with You!

Today’s passage: John 20:19–20, along with Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:36–43

Focus verse: Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19)

Having spent several days focusing on Luke’s account of the pair of disciples who travel to Emmaus, we segue from Luke’s gospel back to John’s.

Our next story—told by both Luke and John—occurs immediately after Cleopas and his friend tell the disciples about recognizing Jesus when he broke bread for them.

These disciples gather, hiding behind locked doors. They fear the religious leaders. This makes sense. If they killed Jesus, what might they do to his followers who now say he’s risen from the dead?

With the doors shut and locked, Jesus materializes before them. This is the opposite of him disappearing in front of Cleopas and his friend. Though Jesus is still in a physical form, there’s a supernatural element to his resurrected body.

John writes that Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” likely because his sudden appearance terrifies them. He shows them his hands and side, where the wounds from his crucifixion remain. They’re overjoyed to see him.

Now we can add the rest of the disciples (except for Thomas who we’ll later learn isn’t there) to the list of people who have seen the risen Savior.

Luke adds additional information to John’s account. He writes that Jesus’s sudden appearance startles them. They think they’ve seen a ghost.

He gently chastises them. “Why are you so troubled? Why do you allow doubts to creep into your mind?” Then he adds, “Look at my hands and feet. Touch me and see. I am not a ghost.”

He shows them the wounds on his hands and feet.

Even after this, Luke writes that they still have trouble believing. He eats some food in their presence, as if to confirm he isn’t a ghost and really is the risen Jesus.

The addendum to Mark’s account is different. It says Jesus rebukes his disciples for their lack of faith and stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him.

Given the context of Mark’s narrative, he may refer specifically to them not believing Mary Magdalene’s testimony.

Questions:

  • When have we struggled with a lack of faith?
  • When have we been stubborn to believe what others tell us about Jesus?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, fill us with faith to fully believe in Jesus and strengthen us to stay true to him through the rest of our lives, regardless of what happens.

Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his return to heaven in The Victory of Jesus. The Victory of Jesus is another book in Peter DeHaan’s beloved Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series. Get your copy today.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

God Is Slow to Anger and It Only Lasts for a Moment

slow to anger

God Loves Us and His Favor Lasts a Lifetime

The book of Psalms gives us glimpses into God’s character and his love for us. Though some people view God, as portrayed in the Old Testament, as angry and vengeful, a more careful read gives us a different perspective.

We see his love and his patience; he is slow to anger. We realize his desire to enjoy community with us.

One such example of God’s character comes through with poetic elegance in Psalm 30:5. Here we read that God’s “anger lasts only for a moment.” Even better is what comes next, that God’s “favor lasts a lifetime.”

And now for the poetry part: “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5, NIV).

Yes, we may suffer through some dark times (nighttime), but light will always follow (daytime), just as surely as morning follows evening. And though each day is made up of half night and half light, God’s anger is not in equal proportion to his favor.

Remember that we sleep through most of the darkness and therefore experience mostly light. In this way, nighttime seems brief—at least most of the time.

Just as we experience mostly the light of each day, we will also mostly bask in God’s favor.

Nine times the Old Testament reminds us that God is “slow to anger.” This occurs three times in Psalms and twice in the Law of Moses, along with Nehemiah, Joel, Jonah, and Nahum.

That’s a lot of people reminding us that God is slow to anger.

If we view God as a good parent (recall that God is our father, and we are his children), we realize that there will be times of needed correction. But if we respond appropriately, our time of discipline will be short.

Then we emerge from it and return to right relationship with God, experiencing his favor and his love, just as every good parent wants for their children. So, too, God wants this for us.

God is slow to anger, but his favor lasts a lifetime. Praise God!

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Psalms 26-30, and today’s post is on Psalm 30:5.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
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​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Bible Study

1 John Bible Study, Day 26: Three Witnesses Give Testimony

Online Bible Study for the books of 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John
1, 2, 3 John Bible Study from the book Love One Another

Today’s passage: 1 John 5:6–12

Focus verse: For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. (1 John 5:7–8)

The Old Testament gives a rule that to convict someone requires two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). The testimony of one person is not enough. Two people must agree; three are better. This principle of multiple witnesses repeats throughout the Bible.

John builds on this standard of three witnesses by telling us of those who testify about Jesus. These are not human witnesses but supernatural ones. In this case, the trio testifying of Jesus is comprised of the Spirit, the water, and the blood. 

The first witness is the Spirit, as in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. The Old Testament testifies often about Jesus, but most people in Jesus’s day miss it (John 5:39–40).

It takes the work of the Holy Spirit for them to understand what Scripture says about Jesus. The same is true today. The Holy Spirit serves as Jesus’s first witness.

The second to give testimony is the water. This references Jesus’s baptism. Many were baptized around the time of Jesus and many more have been baptized since. What makes Jesus’s baptism special?

First, sinless Jesus doesn’t need to repent for his sins, which is the purpose of John’s baptism.

More important is that after John baptizes Jesus, Father God speaks from heaven. He testifies about Jesus, as his Son whom he loves and is most pleased with (Matthew 3:16–17, Mark 1:10–11, and Luke 3:21–22).

The Father, speaking at Jesus’s baptism, serves as the second witness.

The third to give testimony is the blood. This references Jesus’s death. Though not common, it’s possible one person—any person—could choose to die in place of another.

Yet this sacrifice would be incomplete, just like the annual sin sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament.

What makes Jesus’s sacrificial death different? What makes his death the ultimate sacrifice to end all sacrifices? Quite simply, Jesus doesn’t just die. He overcomes death by rising from the dead.

His resurrection shows his mastery over death, both his and ours (Romans 6:9).

This serves as the third witness.

These three witnesses—Spirit, water, and blood—agree in their testimony of Jesus. 

If we’re willing to believe in the witness of three people, we should put even more confidence in the testimony of three supernatural witnesses.

Jesus died so that we may live.

Questions:

  1. How willing are we to believe what God says over what people say? 
  2. What does the witness of the Holy Spirit mean to you?
  3. What does the witness of the water mean to you?
  4. What does the witness of the blood mean to you?
  5. Which of the three witnesses for Jesus do we best connect with? Why?

Discover what else John writes about witnesses for Jesus in John 8:18.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Discover practical, insightful, and encouraging truths in Love One Another, a devotional Bible study to foster a deeper appreciation for the two greatest commandments: To love God and to love others.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Familiarity Breeds Complacency

Familiarity Breeds Complacency: May We Never Become Indifferent toward Our Spiritual Practices and Faith

May We Never Become Indifferent toward Our Spiritual Practices and Faith

Consider the adage that familiarity breeds contempt. While I hope that our familiarity with God will never breed contempt toward our Creator and Savior, I do wonder if our familiarity breeds complacency, that is a smug indifference or even apathy toward our faith.

Recall Jesus’s warning to the church in Laodicea. He criticizes them for being lukewarm, that is, for being complacent. His response is to want nothing to do with them, to figuratively spit them out of his mouth (Revelation 3:16).

I wonder how many of Jesus’s followers today have become lukewarm. Have they grown too use to the marvelous wonder of their faith? Does their familiarity with God and his ways produce a lukewarm reaction?

Consider areas where familiarity breeds complacency:

Familiarity with Church

I’ve attended church all my life and have sat through thousands of church services. It’s easy to slide into the familiar—showing up, going through the motions, and leaving—without truly engaging with what’s happening, with others, or with our Lord.

Our familiarity with what takes place at church each Sunday can produce indifference, even boredom.

More specifically are the two major subsets of a typical church service: the worship music and the sermon.

Does the worship music failed to move us? Though we tend to want the songs we know and like, it becomes too easy to mouth the words without contemplating their meaning.

Yet too often when we sing a new song—as the Bible says to (Psalm 149:1, Isaiah 42:10, and more)—people complain.

In like manner, do we tune out the sermons with a I’ve been-there-done-that boredom? Perhaps this is why some preachers resort to yelling. They’re just trying to get people’s attention.

Familiarity with Scripture

When we read of familiar passage in the Bible, it’s easy to dismiss it because we know what it says. Yet Scripture is layered.

If we’re willing to dig into it and contemplate its nuances—as guided by the Holy Spirit—there’s always something new we can pull from it.

Yet doing so requires diligence. Otherwise, familiarity breeds complacency toward the word of God

Familiarity with Communion

A particular area I struggle with is celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Though I strive to recall the wonders of God’s greatest gift to us, the routine of the ritual fights against that.

Most often I fail to fully contemplate the life-changing significance of what Jesus did for me—for us—when he died for our sins.

Some churches celebrate the Eucharist on a weekly basis. Yet even gatherings that do so monthly or quarterly can still fall victim to where familiarity breeds complacency toward Holy Communion.

Instead of giving God my renewed appreciation, I too often end up offering him my apology over my failure to engage in this practice.

Familiarity with Celebration

This thought that familiarity breeds complacency came to mind when I heard a minister chastise his congregation for not better engaging with a holiday celebration.

How many Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter services have we gone to in our lives?

They should be a celebration, but too often they’re not. Jesus came to earth, died, and rose from the dead so that we could be saved. Each is worthy of celebration.

This is certainly something to get excited about. But complacency seems to be the more common response.

Familiarity Breeds Complacency

Your list may be different than mine, and you may have more things to add, but this is a good place to start. Consider your attitude toward attending church services, reading Scripture, partaking Communion, and celebrating God.

How can we reform our practice of each one of these events to make them meaningful and help us grow in our faith? Though we may struggle to do so on our own, with God’s help we can.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
​
​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Visiting Churches

Tips for Improvement After Visiting 52 Churches

Tips for Improvement After Visiting 52 Churches: Discover How to Attract Visitors and Keep Them Coming Back

Discover How to Attract Visitors and Keep Them Coming Back

On our year-long journey of visiting churches, we witnessed more than a few oversights, errors, and blunders that could turn off visitors. Sadly, many occurred more than once.

Here are some tips for improvement to consider to not scare away guests.

The Church Facility

Realtors stress curb appeal. So should churches. Make the outside of your building inviting for visitors, and make sure the inside continues the positive experience.

  • Clearly mark the entrances. For big facilities, make the path to the sanctuary clear.
  • Unlock the doors. And if there’s a reason you want a particular entrance locked, make it apparent before people reach it.
  • The facility needs to be clean, open, and well-lit—unless you’re going for a subdued mood. At one church the pews were so dirty I didn’t want to sit, even though I wore jeans.
  • Address building problems and consider the décor. After a while, members overlook a building’s flaws, but those are the first things visitors notice.
  • Some buildings, especially older ones, have an odor. Eliminate them. And don’t use one scent to cover up another.

Online Presence

In today’s culture, an online presence is critical to attract visitors. Short of a personal invitation, today’s younger generation won’t visit a church that lacks an inviting online presence.

Here are some tips for improvement to your internet presence.

  • Keep websites and social media pages up to date. Though closed for two years, one church’s website was still up and looked current. Avoid “coming soon” website pages, especially on sections relevant to visitors.
  • Ensure a consistent message. We witnessed many glaring differences between churches’ websites and Facebook pages (and bulletins).
  • A visitor wants to know service times and location. Provide a street address, as many will use a GPS. Also provide both a map and a written description, as some will prefer one over the other.
  • Let visitors know how to dress and what to expect.
  • Have outsiders review websites. Two churches had sites that were off-putting and downright spooky. We thought one might be a cult. Seriously.
  • Posting personal prayer requests online, in an unsecured section, is foolish and completely disregards privacy. Think through privacy laws carefully.

The Church Service (Ideas for Leaders)

People attend a church for the service. Make it easy for visitors to participate.

  • If you don’t provide Bibles, display the words overhead, as the Bible visitors bring—if they even bother—will not likely match yours. Visitors may also use a Bible reading app, but they’ll need to know which version of the Bible you use.
  • Make sure visitors know you don’t expect them to participate in the offering. You don’t, right?
  • Clearly state communion expectations and traditions since practices vary greatly.
  • Don’t continually address “visitors” as a special category. It’s okay to welcome visitors and inform them they’re exempt from certain expectations, but don’t single them out or preach just to them—especially when it’s obvious there’s only one visitor.
  • To attract new people, be accessible and user-friendly.
  • Remove—or thoroughly explain—any practice or procedure that could confuse a visitor or keep them from engaging in the service and meeting God.
  • Appoint friendly and outgoing people to seek out and engage visitors.

Have a Visitor-friendly Focus (Ideas for Laity)

To remain viable for the long term, a church needs to look outside themselves. This includes having a visitor-friendly focus.

Here are some ideas:

  • Invite a visitor to sit with you.
  • Once you know a visitor’s name, introduce them to others.
  • Keep visitors informed. If you offer coffee and donuts, make sure they know where to find them.
  • Ask if a visitor has any questions or concerns.
  • Show, don’t tell. If a visitor needs to find a certain room or asks about the restroom, don’t point, gesture, or offer vague directions. Whenever possible, take them to their destination.
  • Just because the church has appointed greeters, that doesn’t relieve everyone else from also welcoming guests. Offer a smile and a friendly face to those you don’t recognize. You may be the only one to greet them.
  • Protect visitors from members who lack boundaries or don’t comprehend social norms.

Also check out the post about greeting well.

Implement these tips for improvement to make your church more attractive to visitors and keep them coming back.

[Check out the discussion questions for this post.]

My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.