The Reason for Lent
By Christopher J. Richmann
01/23/26
15mins

The Reason for Lent

This is an excerpt from the introduction of Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Christopher Richmann (1517 Publishing, 2026).
Is Faith Enough?
Heather Schulz
Heather Schulz
01/22/26

Is Faith Enough?

We can bring our troubles, griefs, sorrows, and sins to Jesus, who meets us smack dab in the middle of our messy mob.
Why Christian Tradition? Why Confession
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
01/21/26

Why Christian Tradition? Why Confession

Confession isn’t a detour in the liturgy. It’s the doorway.

All Articles

Craig Donofrio
Craig Donofrio
07/22/16

A Gospel That You Can Touch, Smell, Taste, See and Hear

Looking back, I see that the biggest problem (besides heresy) was that my faith was first about what I did or didn’t do, but it was also intangible and spiritual.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
07/06/16

No Salvation Without Works

One of the interesting things about Paul’s writings that is not noticed enough is that Paul doesn’t really have an “application” section.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/30/16

Dear Church: The World Needs a Cross Not a Pacifier

Why was Jesus crucified? Not to save victims, but to save sinners.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/10/16

We Need Less Goliath and More Bathsheba

I became like God’s child David, whom the Lord pardoned of his adultery and murder. I became like Noah, Abraham, Judah, Aaron, Gideon, and so many more wayward children.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/07/16

Five Failures I Hope to Achieve Before I Die

I have my list. It may seem strange to you, but, when I think about my own death, I often think in terms of positive failures.
Kathy Morales
Kathy Morales
06/07/16

Real Strength

God cannot love me unconditionally without prerequisites, especially after all I’ve done, can He?
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/05/16

Jesus Is Not a Life Coach

We're of little faith. Or rather, we have big faith, but it’s in something else. Our faith is in our ability to control situations, manipulate them to our advantage.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/24/16

Everything I Know About Worship I Learned from a Prostitute

When Simon the Pharisee got his holier-than-thou panties in a wad over what this woman was doing, Jesus insulted him by pointing out how much a better host this prostitute was than he was.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/10/16

Heaven for Atheists

The reason that anyone would choose a heaven without Jesus, or happiness without Jesus, or healing without Jesus, is because he doesn’t mean that much to them to begin with.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/22/16

The End of "As If" Christianity

“As if” Christians aren’t allowed to reflect; that they’re not kind, generous, brave, or loyal. They’re not living up to the example of biblical saints.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/04/16

Imagine...

Imagine a church's mission statement is: "You Don't Have to Fake It Till You Make It." That is, you walk into church and an usher hands you a bulletin
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
03/31/16

Repentant Enough

If you’ve been in church long enough, you might have seen the worst of someone’s unrepentant sin get them kicked out, cast out, excommunicated or “handed over to Satan so their flesh might die and their soul might live.”
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