A few of us from Richland Church have been thinking about a plan to read the Bible together in 2024. The one we've settle on is the Five Day Bible Reading Plan from https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com/. You may already have a plan in place for your own regular Bible reading, which is excellent! Go for it! But if not, we'd love for you to join us in reading through the the Bible together next year. Below are some resources and reflections on why reading the Bible is important, why reading toget...

What is Apollinarianism Simply Put: 119. Apollinarianism https://simplyputpodcast.com/apollinarianism/ https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/simplyput/Simply119_20211109.mp3?dest-id=1164902 5 Minutes in Church History: An Eight-Syllable Heresy https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/5minutesinchurchhistory/140_8_Syllable_Heresy.mp3 https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/5minutesinchurchhistory/140_8_Syllable_Heresy.mp3?des...

I was first persuaded years ago while listening to a message from John MacArthur that, even though any Bible reading is beneficial, reading through whole books of the Bible is especially beneficial. See How to Enjoy Bible Study And more recently, there is a string of articles that traces this concept back to a book published in 1904 by a well known bible teacher named James Gray. The Best Way to Develop Biblical Thinking (2014) How to Change Your Mind (Originally published 2009) James Gray on...

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Baptism, Membership, and the Lord's Supper are not optional add-ons and should not be separated from one another https://www.9marks.org/conversations/how-do-membership-and-the-ordinances-fit-together/ https://www.9marks.org/article/youth-and-church-membership-or-stop-baptizing-children-into-the-ether/ Baptism is a prerequisite for Church Memebership https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabiti-anyabwile/does-baptism-have-anything-to-do-with/ https://www.9marks.org/pastors-talk/episode-...

Why should I read the Bible? Here are some quotes from an interview with John Piper - https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-do-i-become-passionate-about-bible-reading "I believe that God has established that ongoing reception of the word of God, day by day, is the ordinary means by which we fellowship with him through the Spirit in Christ." "...the evidence of your new birth will be shown by your ongoing feeding on the word of God, which works in you all the kinds of things that keep you...

Here are some resources that address the task and qualifications of elders, especially the qualification "able to teach" (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9). David Mathis Articles One Thing Sets Elders Apart http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/one-thing-sets-elders-apart Must Elders Be Skilled in Teaching? | Desiring God https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/must-elders-be-skilled-in-teaching Our God Is a Teacher at Heart | Desiring God https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/our-god-is-a-teacher-at-hear...

Here are some resources that touch on different aspects of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper: Audio John Piper Idolatry, the Lord's Supper, and the Body of Christ https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/idolatry-the-lords-supper-and-the-body-of-christ The Lord's Supper as Worship https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-lords-supper-as-worship Alistair Begg You Can't Have it Both Ways Parts 1 & 2 https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/cant-have-it-both-ways-pt-1/ https://www.t...

Here's a good quote about why everyone, not just children, should work hard to memorize scripture: "You may doubt that you can do this, especially if you are older. But ask yourself this question: If I offered you $1,000 for every verse you memorized in the next week, how many do you think you could memorize? Yet God says of his word in Psalm 19:10–11, “They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them thy...

Articles Christological Controversies in the Early Church - The Gospel Coalition https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/christological-controversies-in-the-early-church/ A Communication of Attributes - Ligonier Ministries (communicatio idiomatum) https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/communication-attributes/ Jesus, Did You Know? https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-know/ How Did Jesus Do Miracles—His Divine Nature or the Holy Spirit? https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/artic...

Below are some quotes from the book Reset by David Murray which highlight the importance of sleep: The Sermon We Preach in Our Sleep Few things are as theological as sleep. Show me your sleep pattern and I’ll show you your theology, because we all preach a sermon in and by our sleep. For example, if we pride ourselves on sleeping only five hours a night, we preach the following truths: I don’t trust God with my work, my church, or my family. Sure, I believe God is sovereign, but he needs a...