What Does Baptism Do?
By Brian W. Thomas
05/01/26
21mins

What Does Baptism Do?

This is an excerpt from the third chapter of By Water and the Word: God’s Gift of Baptism for You by Brian Thomas (1517 Publishing, 2026), pgs 52-60.
The Tree That Sweetens Every Sorrow
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
04/30/26

The Tree That Sweetens Every Sorrow

Even when the bitter places sink down deep into our bones, the Restorer never relinquishes his grip on you.
A Review of
Amy Mantravadi
Amy Mantravadi
04/28/26

A Review of "To Live Well: To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times" by Alan Noble

To Live Well is therefore not a general advice book, but a message suffused with the gospel.

All Articles

Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/12/16

Don't Tell Hurting People That God's in Control

We want to know how God rules this world, how he is present in all things, how he exerts his control over the course of world events. We want to know why some get cancer and some don’t, why terrible things happen to the best of people, why volcanoes erupt and hurricanes strike and fires consume.
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
08/09/16

The Reality of Sin, Death, and Forgiveness

When we explain away God’s Word, we jettison the reality of our ominous diagnosis in the “Thou shall/shall nots” of the law, and with it the sweet cure in the, “This is My body/blood” of the Gospel.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/03/16

We Expect Too Little from God

We shrink away from God’s godness and almightiness, and so shrink down our prayers. Perhaps it is a lack of faith. We don’t trust God to give what He himself has promised to give.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/14/16

Your Own Personal Bible—And Other Insanities

We treat the Scriptures as if they’re our literary property to toy with as we please.
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
06/21/16

The Gospel—Beyond Time and Space

Jesus takes that burden away in the “I forgive you and them” and gives us His “light” burden.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
06/13/16

God’s Fixed Courtroom

A crisis of faith always occurs when we begin to believe that God has betrayed us.
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.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
05/30/16

First, the Bad News

Either one of those verses alone is scary; but both of them together are terrifying!
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.
Jeff Mallinson
Jeff Mallinson
05/24/16

When Church is Like Comedy Traffic School

At our churches must remain focused on the deep kick, the real deal, the thing itself. I’m not the first on this site to remind us that this is Christ himself.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
05/12/16

Make Sure You're Right With God!

To the Pastors and Preachers whose only word for me and others seem to be, "make sure you’re right with God!"
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