Blog

On February 23, we will begin a 12-week Christian education course called "Christian History Made Easy." The class, led by instructors Joe Kickasola and David Ellis, will meet on Sundays at 5:00pm in the ACC office, and will provide a general survey of the history of the Christian Church. The class will feature video-taped lectures by historian Timothy Paul Jones, as well ...

Dear ACC, I want to share some news about plans for worship leadership at our 11:15 worship service. As you certainly know, last summer Brad Wade, our long-time worship director for that service, moved with his family to Portland, OR. Since then, we have tried several individuals in the role of worship leadership at the 11:15 service with the goal of finding a person who...

On January 12, we plan to begin a sermon series through Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians. Though this letter was written almost two millennia ago to Christians living over 4,800 miles from here, it speaks with amazing clarity to our present cultural moment. Perhaps this is due to the similarities between ancient Corinth and New York City in 2020. Corinth, at the tim...

The story of the Magi travelling to see baby Jesus has gripped the hearts and imaginations of believers for centuries. (See Matt. 2:1-12.) Who were these visitors from the east? What does it mean that they saw the star of the king of the Jews? What moved these adults to travel such a long distance to worship a child? And, what in the world is a "Magi"? Though scholars have...

It's usually left to parents to decide what to call their kids, but when God sent an angel to announce the birth of the Messiah, his parents were denied the right to name their son. Both Joseph and Mary were specifically instructed to name their child "Jesus" (Matt. 1:21, Luke 1:31).Why the name Jesus? Jesus (Yeshuain Hebrew, the same as the name "Joshua") was a common nam...

Four Elements of Genuine Repentance When John the Baptist prepared the people of Israel for the coming of the Messiah, he called them to repent. (Matt. 3:2) As we prepare for the Messiah to come again, we are called to repentance, also. After Christ had ascended to heaven, Peter told the people of Jerusalem, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped o...

The Christian season of Advent revolves around the four Sundays that lead up to Christmas Day. Traditionally, Advent is a season focused on preparation. We remember the way God prepared Israel for the birth and ministry of Jesus, and we think about how God wants us to prepare for Christ's return. How often do you think about the return of Jesus Christ? His second coming i...

We have been studying the Ten Commandments at ACC this fall. The commandments are helpful, not only because they teach us how to live, but because of what they reveal about God. Kevin DeYoung writes: "The law is an expression of the Lawgiver's heart and character. The commandments not only show us what God wants; they show us what God is like. They say something about hi...

From the time we are young, we all know it's wrong to steal. Any three-year-old in daycare will cry out against injustice when another child grabs a toy from their hands. We seem to possess innate knowledge that people shouldn't take things that don't belong to them. So, we might think the 8thCommandment needs little explanation. "Thou shalt not steal" is a pretty clear ru...

Resources for Sexual Wholeness We are preaching on the Ten Commandments at ACC this fall. The 7th commandment says: "You shall not commit adultery." The Bible portrays physical intimacy within the covenant of marriage (between a man and a woman) as God's design for healthy sexuality (Gen. 2:21-25). It describes as immoral any expression of sexual behavior outside of this ...