Daniel: Christians, Culture and the Beast
Join us May 19th through September 22nd for Daniel: Christians, Culture and the Beast.
Please consider utilizing the following resource, “Just Thinking About the State”, in the midst of our current cultural and socio-political environment. Christianity has always had a complicated relationship with civil government. Yet as the American culture races away from biblical values at an alarming rate, Christians are being forced to think more carefully about what the Bible says about government than in the recent past. The greatest strength in this book is its reliance on the sufficiency and authority of God’s Word in thinking carefully about issues like the nature of government, capitalism, abortion, politics, ethnicity and elections.
September 22, 2024
We have come to the end of our series in the book of Daniel - boy, there was a lot.
What did we learn? What did we not learn? During this series,“Christians, Culture and the Beast”, the parallels between that time and our modern culture and socio-political environment are clear; it’s about power - who wants it and who ultimately grants it. In the end, like Daniel and his friends, we can gratefully say that “we do not need to defend ourselves before [you]” to those who deny the sovereignty, power and greatness of God.
August 18, 2024
Daniel is given even more interesting insight through an unexpected messenger. The information is very specific - eerily specific - but what does it all mean? What does God have in store for the people still in exile in Babylon?
July 28, 2024
Daniel has seen some incredible things - some at the hands of men and some by the hand of God. He knows the people are wretched and lost in their sin and wickedness. Even so, what does Daniel do? He pleads to the LORD on their behalf even though he knows they don’t deserve help because Daniel knows the LORD is merciful. What happens next is God’s emphatic, “I got this.”
July 21, 2024
The book of Daniel has traveled an interesting and mysterious path, and we have been along for the ride. Beasts and blessings, idols and images and things that prove even stranger than the ones before. What’s it all mean?
July 14, 2024
The Bible is full of weird and wonderful things… strange visions, miraculous occurrences and all manner of creatures that defy human imagination. Really, the book of Daniel could be AKA ”Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them.” It all makes for a good story, but what do these things have to do with our present, day-to-day faith journey?
June 30, 2024
It seems the key characters in the book of Daniel are having groundhog’s day experiences. Over and over, bad stuff leads to faith and surrender that leads to blessing, leading then to a king’s inflated ego and then different bad stuff happens because of pride and sin. This time, it gets a little more personal. “What have I done,” wonders the king. Well, he’s about to find out.
June 23, 2024
“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom…Now I praise and glorify and honor the king of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble those who are proud.” Daniel 4:36-37
What had transpired during the years King Nebuchadnezzar was ‘absent’ had transformed him, but what about the new king? Would this guy be a student of history or would he take the familiar road to idolatry, power seeking and personal glory? Any guesses?
June 16, 2024
Is the king on the right track now? He certainly heaps praise and honor upon God. But again, the king falls back into the ‘look at the cool stuff I’ve done in my kingdom’ mentality and through another dream, Daniel explains to him what will happen if he does not turn away from his sin. Maybe the king only learns the hard way.
June 9, 2024
Daniel has risen in the ranks, but things go sideways in a hurry. King Nebuchadnezaar had become a little too enamored with himself and jumps the shark… “bow down to the statue, and serve my gods - everyone - or die in a blazing furnace.” That was definitely a ‘dark valley of death’, but unwaveringly, they declined to worship the idol. Their God, whom they knew intimately and trusted fully, would save them, whether in life or death.
June 2, 2024
Remember who you are… an important admonition for Daniel as he follows God in the midst of serious opposition. Daniel continues to pursue a life of faithfulness and trusts in God’s promises even though it got hard… really hard. How can we follow Daniel’s example and look forward - truly ‘wait for it’ - as we live life in a culture that is hostile to believers in Jesus?
May 19, 2024
The book of Daniel contains religious, cultural and political implications that are equally relevant now. How do God’s people remain faithful to Him while living in a culture that is hostile to their faith? Explore with us, from now through the end of July, what it means to be a Christian in the culture today as we determine “how then shall we live?” in the midst of our own cultural chaos.