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Cory Rice Cory Rice

Don't Waste This Time

If I could encourage you during this quarantine it would be with this thought: don’t waste this time. The world around us is full of chaos but that doesn’t mean our lives have to be. We are forced into a slower pace of life that could create an unshakable confidence. This confidence can grow when we start practicing 3 habits in our lives…

1. Focus on God’s Faithfulness.

God will bring us through this season, just like He has every season before. It doesn’t mean it will be without pain, hurt, or loss. It doesn’t mean it will be easy. But we will grow through it if we decide to conquer the way we think. Will we have weak moments? Absolutely. But when we constantly are rewiring our brains to think thankful thoughts, our perspective shifts. When we focus on His faithfulness, it allows gratitude to flow. A focus on His faithfulness won’t always change the season. It will however, change the way you experience it. 

Here are some ways I focus on God’s faithfulness in my life…

  • Journal. I write down my emotions and what’s going on with my thought process. When it’s written, I can go back later and see how God worked. If it’s not written, it’s not real. 

  • If you have never journaled in the past, take some time to think through where God has been faithful to you before. Write down a list and add to it gradually. 

  • Make a grateful list. Write down the things you are thankful for. My mother-in-law has a book designed for this sole purpose. She has thousands of entrees…literally…because each thing she writes down is numbered. 

  • Make a worship playlist. Our church has done just this for you on Spotify. You can make your own and add the songs you love that help shift your perspective. 

  • At meal times before we dive into the food, each person has to share something they are thankful for and it can’t be the same from previous meals.

2. Embrace Slow Living

Dallas Willard says, "Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” The reality is, we won’t be as effective in the Kingdom of God with a hurried soul. Right now, we are forced to slow down but don’t let this habit slide back into your old routines, patterns, and schedules of busyness when this quarantine is over. When you look at the life of Jesus, He never did anything in a hurry. He even waits 4 days after the death of one of His best friends before He raises Lazarus from the dead. Grace has a pace and it is slow!

Here are some ways I slow down…

  • I sit on my back deck without my phone. I prefer earlier than later, but pick your own time. Pick your beverage of choice (coffee, tea, wine, bourbon, etc) and just pay attention to nature. Notice the trees, animals, flowers, grass, etc. Listen to the sounds around you. Take in the smells. Learn the art of sitting still.

  • Schedule a time of the day where your kids/spouse gets your full attention. This also means no phone for most of us. Create a habit of playing with your loved ones without the distraction of texts, calls, or social media. 

  • Instead of movies on Netflix or scrolling mindlessly on social media; play a game, do a puzzle, build a fort, start a camp fire, go on a walk/bike ride, etc.

  • I haven’t done this yet, but I am planning on a day (most likely Monday since it is my day off) to turn off my phone the whole day. I hear this has been the greatest day of the week for the people I know who do this. 

3. Fall in Love with You

You will never be able to love others well and be a carrier of God's peaceful, confident, and unshakable power if you’re still believing lies about you. You have to fall in love with you the way Jesus is in love with you. NEWS ALERT - He’s not in love with a future version of you. You are blameless, worthy, and holy even though you sin and fall short because those three things aren’t tied to your performance. They’re tied to Jesus’ performance. When you grasp this reality, it’s impossible for it to produce pride because you didn’t accomplish it. Jesus did on your behalf. Therefore, you cannot be a dirty wretched sinner and a beloved son or daughter of God at the same time. One is the Christian way of pretending to be humble, the other is your true identity.

Here are some things to do or stop doing to fall in love with you

  • Stop focusing on your sin. Instead, focus on your Savior. Jesus doesn’t want your sin, He wants you. You’re already forgiven whether you want to believe it or not.

  • Stop comparing. You are amazing and it’s time you start noticing why. Unfollow the people on social media that you find yourself comparing yourself too. 

  • Focus on your gifts. You are talented and you’re not supposed to be a cheap imitation of someone else. Start walking in your own gifts and watch God open doors for you that you thought would never be opened. 

  • Speak God’s truth over your life. Despite what you’ve been taught to believe about yourself from well meaning Christian leaders - you’re loved, valued, approved, and accepted as you are. For real though. God’s not impressed with your efforts. In fact, He wrapped himself in flesh to show you an easier way. 

  • Start off each day with this question: “God, what are you trying to show me today about who you are and who I am?"

  • Write yourself messages on your mirror or sticky notes. You can start with, “I’m a confident son of the Almighty God and He smiles at me.” Or, “I’m going to lean into my Father and not my fears.” Or, “I’m God’s favorite and He delights in me.” Anything that you need to speak over your life to help you rewire the way you think about God and the way He thinks about you. 

  • Start working out, eating right, and sleeping enough. Almost every mental and physical health issue are tied to these three. If you don’t take the time to take care of you now, you’ll have to make time for health issues later.

In this time, people need the peace that we possess because we recognize the permanent presence, power, and purpose that God has for us. Don’t waste this season. It’s time to create some healthy habits. How are you going to look when this quarantine is done?

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

Know The Difference

I’ve seen so many social media posts about 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. It says, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

DON’T YOU SEE!!! EVERYONE ELSE NEEDS TO STOP BEING SO WICKED!!! YOU NEED TO TURN SO I CAN GET BACK TO IGNORING THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE!!! YOU NEED JESUS SO I CAN PRETEND THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!! CLEARLY, THE BIBLE IS CLEAR…
Wildfires in Australia...
Locusts in Africa...
Covid-19 around the world...

Please stop! Seriously, this verse has nothing to do with today. How can I be certain?

  1. These types of things happen ALL. THE. TIME. For the first time in history, and because of social media, we have instant, constant, and global news. Do some research - wildfires happen all the time (it’s also one of the ways nature purifies itself). Locusts have devoured parts of Africa before (2004, 1989, etc). Pandemics have often swept through the known world (polio, Spanish & swine flu, ebola, etc).

  2. Most importantly, this verse does not apply to us today. It was said to a different group of people in a completely different covenant. This statement was given under the old covenant. A covenant that was performance based - hence the whole if you do this…then God will do that. It was a conditional covenant. Today, we do not have a conditional covenant with God thanks to Jesus. God is not waiting on us to follow certain guidelines or do certain things before he hears us, forgives us, or heals us. We don’t live in an “if/then” covenant. Because of what Jesus did, we are already, permanently, and forever heard, forgiven, and healed. 

  3. God did not send this virus. If He did, He must really hate old people and those with respiratory issues. Let me put it this way, if Jesus came to heal and rebuke disease and storms that God the Father sends, then they’re a house that’s divided. And we know that Jesus and the Father are one. Romans 8:28 tells us that all things God works together for good. But notice how it doesn’t say that all things are good. It’s important to understand the difference.

I’m not saying don’t pray. You should definitely pray! But not for God to move… you should ask God how He is already moving and how you can get involved.

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

We've Been Exposed

Hasn’t this past week been bizarre?

I’ve seen some incredibly amazing things happen. I’ve seen compassion in action! I’ve seen people operating as the church as they’ve made grocery runs for others, supported local businesses, and have helped those who have lost their jobs during this peculiar season.

I’ve also seen some incredibly selfish things happen. I’ve seen panic in action! I’ve seen people operating out of fear and worry.

For the first time in a long time, we as Americans have been hit with an inconvenience. For years, people in other countries have had to deal with civil wars, corrupt government, famines, conflict between neighboring countries, women in the Middle East having zero rights and sold as property, girls being aborted in India and China just because of their gender, etc. etc. There are a lot of bad things happening around the world that has put this quarantine into perspective for me. 

Honestly, I don’t believe the issue is having more faith or removing our fear. The issue is we’ve been exposed. For the first time, we’re being backed into a corner as the spread of this virus has revealed to us Americans something we never thought we lacked - a true sense of compassion. We hear about the chaos others are dealing with but we just scroll or worse - repost/reshare without actually getting involved in the solution. If you’ve ever reposted/reshared anything but haven’t gotten involved in what was reposted/reshared, you’re a part of the problem. Awareness is great, but awareness without action only makes us feel like we did something when in fact we didn’t. We’re freaking out because of a quarantine in a well insulated home with running water, electricity, and an endless supply of Netflix shows. Yet, millions are suffering around the world without access to these amenities. They’ve lost dignity as everything about their humanity has been stripped. Don’t believe me? Google the current state of Yemen, Syria, Ukraine, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, etc... we’ll quickly gain perspective.

For the first time, Gen Z/Millennials have been put in a situation where we as a society are faced with a universal threat to our way of life and life itself. I’m angry at myself as someone who teaches on the compassion of Jesus and yet has been exposed for my own lack of it as a whole. If Coronavirus has showed us one thing, it’s that we truly lack compassion. We tend to look out for ourselves in the midst of chaos. May we declare a change in the way we interact with human beings - a change that lasts longer than this virus - a change that makes the world beautiful again. May we rise to the opportunity at hand to love like Jesus. May this be what finally unites us. May this be what finally slows us down to enjoy our family, friends, and neighbors. The world is watching and waiting for the church to be the church.

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

When Faith and Crisis Collide

It’s here!

The first real global issue that is striking close to home.

As of Tuesday, March 10th, I wasn’t buying into the fear and panic. But then Wednesday, March 11th, changed everything for me: The NBA postponed their season. I’ve never experienced this kind of “shut down,” so honestly, I started to freak out internally. I thought, “Maybe this is a bigger deal than I've made it seem." As Thursday, March 12th rolled around, every major sports season was either postponed or cancelled. The billions of dollars lost from these actions means caution is necessary.

Then I read it. A reminder of the power that lives in me. A simple Facebook post from Pastor Josh Hart. In his post he said, “If your faith is no good in crisis, you don’t have enough.”

As a pastor myself, I want to be able to say I wasn’t initially worried but sometimes we all need a quick reminder of who we are and Who we possess. Faith is not about everything turning out okay. Faith is about being okay no matter how things turn out. If the church crumbles in the midst of bad news, then faith isn’t what we’ve got. Our circumstances cannot dictate what we believe. What we believe must dictate our circumstances.

The Chinese word for crisis is wéijī. It’s a word that is composed of two characters. One represents danger. The other represents opportunity. We may be in the middle of a global crisis but as people who follow Jesus, may we rise to the opportunity to have faith. May we intercede on behalf of our world. May we be the hands and feet of Jesus to our community. If there ever was a time to inspire people with hope, love, and peace, now is it!

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

Make Sure Your Hips Don't Lie

It is so easy to be critical. Critical of the news, peoples life decisions, advertisement, you name it. We can criticize anything. 

One thing we all can relate to is our ability to criticize culture. The irony however, is we are the culture. No one has ever changed culture by criticizing it. Culture is changed by captivating its attention with something beautiful. 

Remember last month when two well known 50 year old women performed during the halftime show of the most watched sporting event of the year? At least on my Facebook feed, Christians went bananas. 

“I’m offended…”
“I’m appalled…”
“I’m disgusted…"
“I thought this was a family show…”

Those were the statements I saw from Christians describing the ‘dance off'. But my response would be, “What did you expect?” These women did what they have always done in their music videos and concerts. Jlow is famous…for her booty!! Shakira is famous…for her jiggly thing!! Criticizer - you knew this was coming, why are you offended that a non-believing organization would have this kind of entertainment? What’s worse is that you decided to use your social media platform to complain about it…

Think about it…

What kind of message does this send to the world? What kind of message does this send to the person who doesn’t believe what you believe when they read these posts online? I’m sure they want to be around you and come check out your church now, especially if they know how critical you are about the halftime show. I bet they can’t wait to hear your criticism of their weekend behavior!

You know what else is ironic about this topic? 

If you’re a mother that was offended by this year’s halftime performance but wasn’t offended with Adam Levine last year - you have double standards.

If you’re a parent who doesn’t have parental controls over your kids internet access on their phones, they see way worse on Tik-Tok and Snapchat.

This is why people have a problem with our Christianity because our Christianity often doesn’t look like our Christ. Let’s stop being critical of our culture, rather let’s captivate them with the beauty, love, and acceptance of Jesus.

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

Prostitutes, Perfection, and Power

Have you ever thought about how many prostitutes are recorded in the Bible? Rahab, Lilith, Gomer, Dinah (Jacob’s daughter), Tamar (daughter-in-law of Judah), the Moabite women, the Midianite harlot, Jephthah’s mother, Oholah and Oholibah (Ezekiel 23), two mothers in 1 Kings 3, the woman with the alabaster jar…just to name a few…

Crazy, I know!

But if I’m being honest, I love that God empowered many of these prostitutes within His Kingdom. I think I love it because of how offensive it is to religious systems. There is nothing quite like the Gospel spreading in a plethora of ways. Multiple puns intended...

You know what else is offensive to the religious? When God gives you your perfection freely as a gift. 

Wait, what? I thought I fall short of His glory (insert Romans road bible verse)? I can’t possibly be perfect in the midst of my shortcomings and sin (insert your typical Sunday morning sermon)?

That would be true if your perfection was based on your performance. 

But what if God was waiting on humanity to wake up to a perfection they already possess because of what Jesus accomplished 2,000 years ago? If this is true, then my performance can’t remove my perfection. Therefore, when God thinks about you He sees you as complete in Christ…already perfect! These aren’t my words. It’s the message of Jesus! He canceled our indebtedness (Col 2:14). He remembers our sins no more (Heb 10:17, Heb 8:12). Our transgressions are removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). John introduced him as the "Lamb that takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 (not to mention that the word ’sin’ is singular); and this perfected reality was prophesied by Isaiah when he said this would happen through the Messiah in Isaiah 43:25.

The only thing that isn't perfect is how you think about your perfection. Because we’ve been taught that it isn’t humble to claim perfection, we walk around with a false humility claiming “I’m still in process.” Yet again, the only thing that is in process is your mind catching up with the reality of who you are as a son or daughter in the Kingdom of God.

The fullness of God already dwells in you. Wake up to your identity. Wake up to your perfection. Wake up to your power. This power is freely given from God, even giving us the free choice to abuse it. People recorded in Scripture abused this power in the name of God all the time…Moses, Elijah, and even my favorite Old Testament character David. However, the power we already possess isn’t to overpower people but to empower people. To help everyone understand and believe they matter. To help you and I love without limits. To help us bring heaven to earth.

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

Don't expect Boaz when you settled for Broke-az

It’s Valentine’s Day, Justin Bieber released his new album, and love is in the air!

I hate Valentine’s Day. I’m just lucky enough to have found a woman who hates it too! I mean, who needs a day to celebrate love when we celebrate love 365…awww….gush….puke…

Last year, I wrote a piece called, “10 ways to not suck at marriage.” It’s still one of my favorite blogs. I also wrote a blog on my wedding anniversary titled, “Marriage is amazing!” In that blog, I told you I wrote a list when I was 24 of 17 non-negotiable character traits and desires that I had in a future spouse. I encouraged single people to make a list as well so like the title of this blog, you don’t settle. I never shared my list though…until now.

Here is the list of 17 non-negotiable character traits and desires I found in Julia…

  1. Beautiful

  2. Godly

  3. Fun and a good sense of humor

  4. Loyal

  5. Honest

  6. Noble Character

  7. Supportive

  8. Ministry and mission minded

  9. Great legs/calves

  10. No fp

  11. Expectations to reach people for Jesus

  12. Passion for students

  13. Willing to teach

  14. Strong yet humble

  15. Slow to anger and able to view my perspective

  16. Loving and caring

  17. Puts others first

My pastor and best friend told me my list was too picky. Others told me that woman didn’t exist. I wrote those things believing that I would be satisfied with being single for the rest of my life unless everything on that list was found in someone who would want me. Enter Julia. She is all those things and more and I am so glad I didn’t settle. I’m glad my seasons of loneliness didn’t force me to compromise on the things that are important to me. So I encourage you to make a list.

If you’re single - make a list and wait.
If you’re dating - make a list and evaluate the person you’re with. Don’t stay together out of convenience or familiarity. This is your life we’re talking about. Keep your standard high. You’re too amazing to give yourself away to just anyone.

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

Our Negative Bias

Did you know that data released from The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post revealed that the majority of people check their news on their phone first thing in the morning?

Did you know research has found that just three minutes of negative news in the morning (versus more uplifting content) can ruin your mood for the rest of the day?

Did you know statistically that political smear campaigns outpoll positive ones? 

Why is it that we love bad news?

The scientific answer is, negativity makes a bigger impact on your brain. Ohio State psychologist John T. Cacioppo revealed our brain’s ‘negative bias’ … that our brains are simply built with a greater sensitivity to unpleasant news. 

In my opinion, this reality was best exposed to me when I read this blog last year by Jenny Rapson … She revealed a startling statistic about famous Christian author and speaker Lysa TerKeurst. In 2017, when Lysa announced she would be getting a divorce, it was shared over 122,000 times on Facebook (over 50% of the people on her Facebook page at the time). However, one year later when she announced the incredible miracle about her marriage mending, it was shared 355 times (at this time her Facebook page had grown to over 1 million followers). THAT IS CRAZY! Read those numbers again … Rapson goes on to say, “The fact that the news of the TerKeurst’s reconciliation did not spread like wildfire says to me that as a Christian community, we’re not as good at the ‘rejoice with those who rejoice’ part of the command.” 

If we want to bring real change to our world, it starts with dealing with our love for negativity. If science reveals our brains negative bias, it means we have to be real conscious about our thought life and begin to train ourselves to think differently. The reason many of us won’t change is because it will require lots of time and lots of work. However, if we ever expect to be thankful and positive thinking people outside of the month of November, something has to change.

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

8 Lessons We Can Learn From Kobe

I fell in love with the game of basketball because of Kobe. My first early memory was Kobe in the finals verse Allen Iverson in 2000. Two guys I pretended to be in my basement, shooting on my fisher price basketball hoop. I have always said “Kobe” every time I threw something into the trash can or heaved half court shots in our church gym. He’s an icon and will always be remembered because of his on the court greatness, his intelligence and basketball IQ, and his work ethic.

I couldn’t believe the news as I read story after story on my trip home from Chicago to Louisville. I’ve been trying to process how I feel about this tragedy all week. It’s crazy how you can mourn someone you've never met. I think it’s a testimony to someone on the impact they’ve made when people who don’t know you are shook by your death. Tragedies like these are quick reminders to cherish the people you love, get over the things that don’t really matter, and embrace each day with passion, purpose, and positivity regardless of the obstacles. Death is a reminder that life is short and we should celebrate, believe, and think the best of each other.

As the details have been released, I find myself hurting for the people that lost their loved ones. My heart breaks for those who have to go through this week without those closest to them to lean on. My heart breaks for the new normals they will have to get used to. My heart breaks for Vanessa and her 3 daughters as they try to figure out life without Kobe and Gianna. For the Altobelli family who lost John, Keri, and Alyssa. For the Mauser family who lost Christina. For the Chester family who lost Sarah and Payton. For the Zobayan family who lost Ara, who was very much loved in the aviation community. 

All these people experiencing the worst moment of their lives…

All the questions…

All the what ifs...

I’ve read a lot of articles and facebook posts. I've watched a lot of video stories and tributes. Now, I wanted to join the conversation and write 8 valuable lessons we can learn from Kobe and this tragedy...

  1. Grief is a real thing and we all deal with it differently. It’s something that never really ends, only changes with time. It’s the real pain from the byproduct of love. We must allow people to grieve differently without judging their faith or process. 

  2. If you use tragedy for evangelism, you may not really know the person who’s revealed as perfect love. For fear is never used to manipulate people into the arms of a loving God. People say stupid stuff to those who grieve. Don’t be one of those people. One of the best things you could possibly say is nothing at all. Your presence and love speaks loud enough.

  3. Remember the shortest bible verse is, “Jesus wept.” The raw emotion of crying is important to your grief. It’s necessary. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human.

  4. Kobe reminds us that we are more united than we are divided. Don’t be blinded by the divided states of America's political movement. Life matters. You matter. And we should celebrate each other while we have the chance.

  5. Fatherhood is the best hood. If you haven’t seen Elle Duncan’s segment #girldad, watch here … just make sure you have a tissue nearby. We have such a great responsibility to our kids. Let’s not take that for granted. 

  6. Mamba mentality! Kobe once said, “Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.” He had this killer instinct to rise to the occasion. People hated on what they thought was arrogance but don’t be misled. There’s a major difference between confidence and arrogance and people who don’t know you will confuse the two. 

  7. Your work ethic is important and contagious. Kobe once said, “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.” You have greatness inside you. Pull it out by working harder than anyone else around you. You set the bar in your work environment because you are the only one responsible for your prosperity and success. 

  8. Legacy matters but you will only live as long as your story is worthy of being told. Are you living in a way that impacts the next generation? Kobe once said, “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” That is true Kingdom mentality. In fact, his character is revealed in the written piece by ESPN senior writer Ramona Shelburne when she writes, “I wanted to go last. To let everyone else write their stories on Kobe Bryant as he approached retirement and then top them all. It was an audacious gamble. But that was my pitch to him in the winter of 2016. I thought the audacity would appeal to him. He’d admire the confidence, the swagger, maybe even chuckle at the arrogance. Nope. He said he’d do a story with me about his life, but not out of vanity — mine or his. ‘I’m not interested in self-serving pieces,’ he said bluntly. ‘It has to be something where an athlete reads it and is inspired by something, learns something and pushes themselves.’”

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

The Westbrook Syndrome

I love sports. My wife…not so much. This is literally the only thing I would change about my wife because she hates sports. I dream of the day she watches an entire game with me and pretends to be interested…sigh…

One of the reasons I love to watch sports is because of my appreciation for greatness. We can debate between Jordan vs Lebron, Federer vs Nadal, Tiger vs Nicklaus, Ronaldo vs Messi, Brady vs the field, Crosby vs Ovechkin…etc but as a sports fan, you have to sometimes sit back and just appreciate greatness. I say this because I’ve learned a valuable lesson recently I’m calling the Westbrook Syndrome.

Russell Westbrook plays in the NBA. He’s great. Is he in the conversation of top 10 greatest players? No. I wouldn’t even put him in my current top 10 (let’s debate). But he’s still great. In the 2016-2017 season, he won the league MVP because he averaged a triple double FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON. If you don’t know, it had only been done one other time in the history of the league and it was done by one of the greatest basketball players of all time - Oscar Robertson. Not only had it only been done once, but it was done over 40 years ago and “experts” said it would never happen again. During Russell’s incredible season, ESPN and every other sports network talked about Russell Westbrook ALL. THE. TIME. We truly witnessed greatness. But that’s not where this story ends…

He did it again the following season AND the season after that. That’s right, this man averaged a triple double back-to-back-to-back!!!

Something that had only been done once, 40 years ago, Russell Westbrook did 3 seasons in a row. 

You know what’s sad? Many people have to fact check this reality as it’s easy to forget. What’s worse is how rarely it was talked about in the 2018-2019 NBA season. Why? Because he normalized greatness to the point that it was no longer impressive. What was once a primary story line in his MVP campaign was merely a footnote last year. 

And if we’re not careful, this is how we can approach Jesus and His Church. It’s easy to begin to not appreciate something you once celebrated because it has become normal and mundane. It’s not that it’s not great anymore; it’s that you’ve allowed your attitude to shift as what used to be important to you now has lost its value because you under-appreciate its worth and greatness. 

Change your perspective. As Christians, we have greatness inside of us in the name of Jesus. It’s time we show off for the world. 

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

You Control The Thermostat

Today, we celebrate and honor the legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was once told you only live as long as your story is worthy of being told. That means because of the way Dr. King lived his life, his story will forever be told. Can the same be said of the story you’re writing with the way you live your life?

There are so many quotable Dr. King statements and speeches, but my favorite is an illustration he uses…

Thermostats vs. Thermometers

A thermostat dictates the temperature in any given room. A thermometer just informs you of the temperature in the room. I want to be a thermostat! I want to walk into every room I enter and help change the atmosphere with my positivity – whether it comes from my body language or encouraging words. My posture dictates everything. It starts with my relationship with Jesus, which then transfers over to the way that I lead, and is most contagious in the way that I respond to tough life circumstances. What does your posture say about you? What is your attitude like when others are leading? How do you respond when you disagree with others? How do you react when life, marriage, kids, job, etc. doesn’t go the way you expected? We have power to overcome because Christ overcame. We have power to change how we think. We have power to control the atmosphere in any room we’re in.

You have more control than you think…choose to be a thermostat today!

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Cory Rice Cory Rice

New Year, New You

I’m feeling spicy! I haven’t been controversial or inappropriate lately and feel like I need to change that. Before the new year, I released the blog 20 keys to success for 2020. This blog I want to focus on #5 - Don’t worry about what other people think. 

That’s right - SCREW PEOPLE…not literally. That causes divorce and disaster…unless you’re married. Then apply. I’m joking…kind of. 

What I mean by screw people is … don’t let anyone else define you. Like I’ve said before - every person in the world that “knows” you thinks of you through their own interaction and perspective. One person catches you on a great day. Another person catches you on the day you forgot to wash your hands after cleaning your child's blowout and you notice right before you shake their hand. So you do what any normal person does when they want to give up on the day before it’s even 9am - you wipe it off on the nearest piece of furniture and pretend to be engaged in meaningful small talk. 

There are very few people who actually know you. And even those people who really know you still have different interactions and perspectives of your life. So relax, let’s conquer today by choosing a great attitude. Because at the end of the day, nothing and no one can tell you how to respond to life. Only you can. You can respond negatively or positively and unfortunately, those are your only two options. It’s time you no longer give in to the critics or negative voices and opinions about who you are or what you’re made of. You are a child of God even on the days you want to flick off every driver on the road. It’s time you no longer give people that don’t know you anymore mental real estate than you already have. 

So go create! Who cares what people think. Who cares if it sucks in 10 years. It should suck in 10 years. You should look back when you’re killing the game and be embarrassed of your initial projects.

So go get help! Who cares what people think. Who cares that you need to bounce your thoughts off of someone else. Who cares that others may think you’re weak or lame. They secretly need help too. How do I know? BECAUSE WE ALL NEED HELP!

So go relax! Unplug for an hour, or a minute, or however long it takes you to remind yourself who you are. 

You’ll never do anything great with your life while worrying about what other people think. 

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20 keys to success for 2020

  1. Know your permanent identity as a son or daughter of God. You’re forgiven, loved, valued, and in perfect union with the Creator of the universe at all times. Whether you feel like it or not. It’s easy to read that statement and believe it but if it gets into your soul, your life as a “Christian” actually changes. It causes you to stop praying regularly for ’blessings’ you think you need and step into your destiny AS the 'blessing' for others.

  2. Trust Jesus. We get worked up over stuff and worry about things that rarely end up happening. A famous Christian leader who everyone thinks is a heretic once said, "Worry is lethal to thriving because it's a failure to be fully present.” Let that sink in.

  3. Define success for yourself. Success is less about material and numerical value and so much more about obedience and faithfulness. It’s an attitude. Ben Carson once said, "Successful people don't have fewer problems. They have determined that nothing will stop them from going forward.” You are responsible for your own prosperity and success.

  4. Keep failure in perspective. One of the best pieces of advice I've received is the idea that there is really no such thing as failure. The reason? Failure teaches you how not to do something. Failure isn’t failure if you learn from it. Failure is only final if you quit.

  5. Don’t worry about what other people think. Every single person in the world that knows you thinks of you through their own interaction and perspective. There are very few people who actually know you. Don’t give them anymore mental real estate than you already have. You’ll never do anything great with your life while worrying about what other people think. 

  6. Write out a weekly schedule, be conscious, and set goals. Goals should align with the SMART acronym – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely. Remember, if it’s not written it’s not real. If you are more conscious in your day-to-day decisions, you will accomplish more and reach your goals. 

  7. Set Boundaries. Boundaries don’t prevent you from getting out, they prevent things from getting in.

  8. Find your rhythm and stay consistent. I’m removing two words from my vocabulary - busy and balance. Busyness is simply misplaced priorities. Balance is the wrong word. I don’t want to balance my family with my job. I want to ride the rhythm of both. Some seasons are crazier than others. I’ll give all of myself to wherever my feet are in any given moment.

  9. Practice positive self-talk. You have to stay emotionally intelligent. You have to think highly of yourself. Our society has done a bad job talking about humility. Proper humility is not thinking less of yourself, just thinking of yourself less. Think about it. You will never be able to minister to others properly until you think the right things about who you are and believe it!

  10. Practice the 3 D’s – Diligent, Detailed, Determined. 

  11. Take risks/action. No one is remembered for playing it safe. 

  12. Celebrate victories no matter how small. You learn a lot about someone by what they celebrate but I believe you learn a lot more about someone by what they don’t celebrate. 

  13. Read! Reading will damage your ignorance for ignorance is not bliss. Educating yourself is your own responsibility. I think it’s wrong to participate in conversations on topics you know very little about.

  14. Eliminate hurry from your life. Or in other words - be where your feet are. I’ve said that phrase in two other keys because of how important it is. The most important aspects of our lives cannot and should not be rushed. James Bryan Smith says, "We cannot love, think, eat, laugh, or pray in a hurry. In our spiritual life, we cannot do anything important in a hurry. When we eliminate hurry we become aware of our surroundings. We see colors and smell smells; we hear hushed sounds and can actually feel the wind in our faces. In short, we “show up” and experience the fullness of life. You are always living in this moment: will you live it present or absent?"

  15. Eliminate distractions. Distractions will only prevent you from your destiny. If you begin to eliminate people and things that distract you from your goals, the 2021 version of yourself will greatly appreciate it. 

  16. Find and keep the right relationships. These are people that celebrate who you are not what you do. A wise man once told me to look around the locker room and see who’s in the room with you when you’re losing.

  17. Learn to wait well. If bourbon has ever taught me anything, it’s this lesson. If you’re in a season of waiting, remember that the best bourbon takes 23 years to make. 

  18. Be the change. Don’t think about how you can change the world, but rather think about how you can change YOUR world today. Your world will be changed by your example, not by your opinions. It’s easy to criticize others when you’re not focusing on the areas of your life that need to change. 

  19. Be grateful. It’s hard to gripe and be grateful at the same time. Thankfulness is an attitude that is learned and practiced. No better time than now to count your blessings and be the person that lives a grateful life. 

  20. Be satisfied. God has been teaching me so much in this area over the last year. It started while reading the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000. The line that said that everyone ate and was satisfied jumped off the page like reading it for the first time. I talk a lot about being satisfied in life, relationships, and in your process. I preach about being satisfied in your relationship with God. I want to be satisfied in my relationship with God. But 6 months ago I wasn’t. I felt like I was missing something but the only thing I was missing was within me the whole time. God is not holding anything back from you. To strive for more of God is not only unbiblical, it’s not healthy. Why? Because you can’t get more of something you already have completely. You can get more understanding, knowledge, and revelation but you can’t get more of God…you already have all of Him…He just wants more of you. And if we want to take this long blog and long point one step further, let me conclude with this: God doesn’t even want you to hunger and thirst for Him. Why? Because in John 6:35 Jesus said, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger and thirst again.” Hunger and thirsting are the responses of orphans and if you remembered key #1, you have to know your position as a son or daughter in the Kingdom of God. You’re already seated at the King’s table and He is thrilled to be in your presence!

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Let Go Of Your Guilt

If I could encourage you to let go of one false emotion this Christmas season it would be guilt. We all feel guilt over things we shouldn’t have said or done, or things we should have said or done. I recently asked people what they feel guilty for and the responses were very similar. Responses such as time with family/kids/God, parenting or lack there of, anger, communication, life decisions and regrets, addictions, where money is spent and the lack of generosity, self-care/rest/me time, etc.

Guilt is a real emotion we all feel, but it is a liar and a thief and has been robbing some of us of the best moments of our lives. In fact, there is no such thing as guilt in the Kingdom of God and I’ll prove it. In John 20, the first message Jesus told his disciples to preach after the cross was to proclaim the permanent reality of a forgiven state of being for all people. The only reason people feel guilty is because The Church hasn’t done a good job telling the world they’re forgiven. All of humanity has been right with God for 2,000 years but if you don’t believe it, it won’t matter.

If your sins have been forgiven and forgotten by God, why are you holding on to them?
If there’s no condemnation in Christ, why are you condemning yourself?
If there’s no guilt found at the Father’s table, why are you sitting at the table with a plate full of guilt?

Now some will say that guilt is a good thing. That guilt led someone to make something right. I’ve even heard a pastor once say, “Guilt is like a broken bone, letting you know something needs to be fixed.” Although I understand the thought process, it’s still not a right thought. Why? Because God never uses guilt to motivate you to do something right. The motivation always stems from love. You seek reconciliation not because you feel guilty but because you love.

So let it go!

How?

  • Recognize where you feel guilty.

  • Release it. This will be a continual process. When you don’t release it, you focus on it. When you focus on it, it doesn’t lead to a change in action…it actually leads to repetition.

  • Rewire your thinking. Write truth out on sticky notes or on your bathroom mirror. Speak your identity found in Christ over your life every day.

  • Redevelop your habits. Write out your weekly schedule and goals. If it’s not written, it’s not real. Challenge yourself to be generous. Don’t just have good intentions because your intentions mean nothing if you don’t follow through. Set reminders on your phone to be encouraging to others. You will have to put in some work to redevelop habits in your life but your future self will thank you for it. Don’t wait until New Years. Do it now!

  • Repeat the process. Give yourself grace!

In order to live free you must let go of your guilt.

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Fill The Gaps

I haven’t wanted to write lately and it’s not because I’m busy. We’re all busy. In fact, I’ve tried to completely remove the word busy from my vocabulary. Busyness is a choice. It also reveals your priorities. It’s okay to have a filled schedule until that schedule owns your sanity. Until you begin to fill your schedule with margin, you won’t have any. But that’s not what I want to talk about this week…

Holiday seasons are my favorite but they also have built in reminders if you’ll pay attention. Reminders like…

In October the leaves change - you’ll see cliche posts like, "embrace the beauty of change and let some things fall away from your life like the leaves.” Usually said by someone going through a break-up with someone they never should have been with anyway but hey - they were hot am I right?! It’s either that or some generic white girl pumpkin spice insta post and if that’s not inspiring, just leave it to the Christians who complain about kids dressing up and getting free candy while they play dress up each day pretending to be someone they’re not...

In November you have Thanksgiving - how easy is it to be thankful when we’re constantly reminded about it the entire month? Just try to remember to be thankful during the worst month of the year (February…don’t @ me) when it’s too cold to do anything but post on Facebook about how it’s too cold to do anything.

In December you have Christmas - I mean, how can you not be excited at least once during this month?! It’s cold but at least you get to put a real tree INSIDE your house and no one will judge you for it. Did you know that tradition was started in the 16th century? Believe it or not, humanity has lived longer without decorated trees in their houses than with.

But these reminders don’t really fill in the gaps. They’re momentary and only last for 25% of the year. So I recognized some gaps in my own life and began to challenge myself with four areas I needed to improve in to help my perspective the other 75% of the year…

G - gratitude. It’s impossible to grip and be grateful at the same time.
A - attitude. I have the power to change my attitude regardless of my circumstances.
P - present. I need to be engaged in the moments that matter and be where my feet are.
S - satisfied. I need to be satisfied in my process - contentment without complacency.

As I've filled in the gaps, I’ve noticed my joy increase.

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Run Forrest Run

When I first heard the story of Eliud Kipchoge, I was challenged like never before. If you don’t know who he is, he set the world record for being the first person to run a marathon under 2 hours. He did so with a 41-team pacesetting crew and a laser-beaming pace car.

The inspiration that comes from this story is realizing how important it is to consider the people you do life with…the team you have around you. The people who are pushing you, encouraging you, empowering you…

But when I first heard this story, my pastor Channock Banet said, “Why is it that when we hear inspiring stories like this, we always picture ourselves as Eliud Kipchoge? Why do we keep picturing ourselves as the one that always gets the victory? That we’re the one it’s all about? How can I get people around me to help accomplish my victories, my goals, and my accomplishments?”

Now, none of those things are bad. In fact, it’s super important to have the right people around you. The challenge comes however, as you remove yourself from the position of Eliud and put yourself in the place of the 41-team pacesetting crew. Our thinking then shifts and instead of trying to make ourselves look good, we try to make everyone around us look good. Talk about a Kingdom principle!

In our culture today, this shift must happen. In order to succeed, we must exalt others. In the Kingdom of God, the way up is down. We have to understand that it’s not about us. WE ARE THE PACESETTERS. It’s our job to encourage, uplift, and empower everyone around us because there is no gift or position in the Kingdom of God that is insignificant.

Jesus set the pace to empower us to set the pace. This past weekend at Cornerstone Church, I preached a sermon around this idea - to be a pacesetter, we have to practice our pace. How do you practice your pace?

  1. Power - you have to know who you are. That you’re amazing because God didn’t want His creation to experience life without you. This God given power gives you confidence, not to serve yourself but to serve others. Walk in the power you already possess to empower every person you meet!

  2. Attitude - you have to choose to be thankful. And not just during the month of November when we're constantly reminded about it. It’s hard to gripe and be grateful at the same time. It’s easy to be negative so you’ll have to start training your brain to think positive. Make a decision every morning that the day is going to be great.

  3. Consistent - you have to decide to be a consistent person in all aspects of your life. Sometimes you’ll have to do things even when you don’t want to. It’s not being fake, it’s being faithful. Faithfulness is being consistent. Consistently challenge yourself to be a better spouse, parent, employee, etc. You write your legacy daily.

  4. Excitement - you have to choose joy in every season. You have to love life. You have to laugh, even at yourself. You have to celebrate … your season, your process, and especially the success of others. Be the person that lights a room up because you choose to bring excitement everywhere you go.

To run your race well, you have to pace yourself well.

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I'm a heretic and so are you

If you’re in Christian cultures long enough, you’ll hear someone label someone else as a “heretic”. A heretic is defined as a person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted. So you can imagine how often this word gets tossed around, especially when someone has different views or beliefs. This is also why some pastors think certain teachers in popular Christian circles need to be exposed or protested so they don’t mislead their ’sheep’. Yet, Jesus was called a heretic…

Why?

Because He challenged religious systems.

You know who else challenged religious systems? Many Christian leaders of our past who we quote in our weekly sermons. Yet, we’d be shocked by what some of those leaders believed if we were to study. In fact, did you know that Relevant Magazine released an article 5 years ago called “Heretics who should be banned from evangelicalism.” You know who’s on that list?

C.S. Lewis (guilty of inclusivism and rejecting the penal substitutionary atonement theory)
Martin Luther (guilty of rejecting biblical inerrancy)
Augustine (guilty of rejecting a literally reading of the creation story)
William Barclay (guilty of universalism)
John Stott (guilty of rejecting eternal conscious torment)
Billy Graham (guilty of inclusivism)

Crazy right?

Someone recently told me in response to one of my blogs that I was heading down the path of heresy. Honestly, it makes me smile. Not because I want to be in error but because every single one of us believes something about God, the Bible, or Christianity that is wrong. If not, we wouldn’t have thousands of different denominations.

So my challenge?

Keep learning, even if it makes other people uncomfortable.

Keep questioning, especially if it doesn’t line up with the character of Jesus.

Keep challenging the norm, because to accept everything you hear from well-meaning pastors and teachers as fact, just because you’ve been taught it your whole life, doesn’t necessarily make it true.

We live in the Information Age. You have so much access to history and culture that leaders no longer have the ability to control you with their power hungry, fearful, or condemning messages.

So go learn, process, and explore the real God. A God who is fully revealed to us in the person of Jesus. If something doesn’t line up with the character of Jesus, it’s okay to reject it, even if it feels weird to do so. Go dialogue with people. Wrestle with your doubt. It’s okay!! As my friend De’Eric Williams says, "Whether we agree or not, let us agree that we are both worthy of love, honor, and respect.” So let’s represent Jesus better because the only way people will know you’re a disciple of Jesus is by your love for others. And please let’s stop labeling people as heretics! Let’s give people the space to grow, even if it’s not at our pace or lines up with our beliefs. If you love people well, even those you disagree with, you’re more like Jesus than you may realize.

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You Can't Take People Where They Don't Want To Go

On this blog, I talk a lot about letting go of religious rituals and embracing true freedom found only in the person of Jesus. In the process of finding freedom, I want to challenge you with a thought I’ve been wrestling with recently…

You can’t take people where they don’t want to go.

Some individuals don’t want freedom or think they already have it and that’s okay!! I’ve noticed that religious rituals and activity still works for some people. At least it works because they like it or are comfortable with it. It’s safe…it’s all they’ve ever known. In fact, to accept something different or opposite of what they’ve always known feels blasphemous, wrong, or disloyal…at least to those well meaning teachers who have taught them everything they know about God, the Bible, and how Christians should ‘behave’. So when you challenge a view, quote your studies, or probe with questions that helped you on your own journey, they aren’t excited. Why? Because you’re challenging someones comfort and security.

So the challenge? If your adventure with Jesus fills you with pride over how your new found freedom has made you smarter in comparison to the religious activity of others, you haven’t really found freedom. You’ve replaced religious duties with arrogance as your new experience of freedom makes you feel important or better than. Or as Paul said to the church in Corinth, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” If you aren’t more gracious, loving, or kind, it’s not freedom you’ve found. If you’re not more compassionate, understanding, and patient with people, you haven’t grown at all...

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Modern Day Pharisees and Kanye

Several people have asked me to write about Kanye. I really don’t want to because there have already been so many blogs and so many conversations. I’ll just leave you with one thought: I have seen people on both sides of the argument make this statement, “time will tell” and I hate it! I believe that phrase should never come out of a Christians mouth ever again when talking about someone’s spiritual walk.

Why?

Because it's something a Pharisee would say.

Another reason?

Do we not see how judgmental it is? As if it's our job to judge someone we don’t know. And if Jesus didn’t come to judge the world, why do we? WHAT?! Did I write that accurately? Yup, just read your Bible in it’s proper covenantal context. John 5:22 says, “Moreover, the Father judges no one…” John 12:47 says, “As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to redeem it.”

"Yea, but he’s married to a family of high ranking occult witches?" I actually read this from someone who posted it on Facebook. That statement was said from someone acting like a Pharisee. And it’s the same statement said by Pharisees in Jesus’ day. You know when they started murmuring about the prostitutes past while she was washing Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair. The Pharisees who thought to themselves that if Jesus only knew who was touching him. If he only knew what she had done, and who she had done it with! You know, the same things we say when we utter, “time will tell.”

Judging will not expand the Kingdom. It’s a waste of mental real estate. You know what will expand the Kingdom? Recognizing the truth that when Christians walk into any room, Heaven walks in. And Heaven carries an unfathomable amount of acceptance, grace, forgiveness, and redemption. The goal of Christianity is not to make it to Heaven. The goal of Christianity is to bring Heaven to Earth!

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Women in ministry vs. Men in religion

I can’t believe we still have to have this conversation in the 21st century…

Dr. John MacArthur made a statement regarding Beth Moore recently claiming that she should discontinue the ministry position she holds as a leader and “go home!” He reiterated the common dispensationalist viewpoint that women should not be in leadership positions while quoting several passages in Scripture. These passages have oppressed women for centuries because they aren’t read in their proper historical and cultural context. And this is exactly what happens when you read your Bible as god instead of reading your Bible to reveal God. Read that again. When you read the Bible through the lens of Jesus as God, it should raise some major red flags when you come to places where it seems like people, regardless of age, race, or gender, are oppressed!

I am very passionate about this subject because I have an incredible wife with an amazing teaching gift and anointing on her life. I’m also raising a daughter to recognize the power of Christ within her so one day she can lead well. My hope is she’ll never have to question or oppress her gifting because our culture misapplied Scripture and created a modern day pharisaical system.

So, let’s take a look at what the Bible really says about women in ministry…

Sometimes God changed peoples names. When He did, it carried significant meaning for names in ancient culture prophetically spoke over your life. This happens to Abram (later changed to Abraham) but also to Abram’s wife Sarai. Sarai means princely or coming from an honored family. When her name gets changed to Sarah, something shifted forever. Everything God promised to Abraham is now also credited to Sarah. Sarah means princess of many or the source of nations and kings. This is crazy because what just happened is Sarah was included in the covenant with Abraham (Galatians 4:26-28). See, God made a covenant with Abraham but it doesn’t get fulfilled without Sarah.

In the same way, God created man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:27). Woman is also created IN HIS IMAGE. Meaning, we miss part of the revelation of God without females. Staying in Genesis, we have the infamous “God created woman to be man’s helpmate.” (Genesis 2:18,20). Good lord has that word been abused. Helpmate or helper is used in Scripture twice for woman, 13 times for God, and once for man. Yet, we teach young women to submit to their husbands and totally ignore the Scriptures that talk about both, husband and wife, submitting to each other. To submit in the original Greek means to get underneath someone and push them up. Can you imagine what our marriages would look like if each person took on that kind of responsibility? Helpmate or helper does not mean slave or less than. God created woman to be someone like God for when God wasn’t around (for in the garden, God dwelt with man only in the ‘cool of the day’). Women are not helpmates to serve under men. Women are helpers to serve along with men!

Why is this important? Because if you don’t understand audience, culture, and historical relevance you misapply a lot of Scriptures…

Which brings me to the hot topic of women in ministry. Let’s look into the couple passages that have oppressed women for centuries “in the name of God.”

1 Timothy 2:11-15
Check out Pastor Timothy Woodcock’s recent post on this passage by clicking here…

A couple things I’ll add from the study above is we know Paul is addressing false doctrines because he says it in 1 Timothy 1:3. The false doctrines are the myths and endless genealogies being taught according to 1 Timothy 1:4 and 1 Timothy 4:7. We also know from other Scriptures (Acts 19) that the false doctrines or myths and endless genealogies are tied to the worship of the Greek goddess Artemis. What kind of worship did that include? The worship of the Roman religion Diana. What did these types of religions teach? Female domination! Which by the way influenced the Amazon Women in later generations that slaughtered people in the name of ‘god’.

Side note for all you comic lovers...Artemis influenced the creation of the character Wonder Woman.

Now that we have context, we can look directly at the passage. First, Paul is addressing a singular woman. Not women. A woman teaching not only false doctrines but a woman causing division. Not to mention the fact that chapter 2 is all about living in peace with each other. Speaking of peace…In verse 11 when it says, “A woman should learn in quietness,” it’s the same Greek word used in verse 2 when it says, “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful.” Quiet and peaceful often get interchanged throughout Greek as the end of verse 12 reads, “she must be quiet,” when it could also read, “she must be peaceful.” Speaking of verse 12, the first part reads, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man.” Again, proper study will reveal this sentence is present tense meaning at that time. This was not a universal command. In other words, it could be translated, “I am not permitting currently this woman to teach or to assume authority over a man.” The problem revealed in this passage was not an issue of gender but an issue of attitude and actions.

Lastly, many people are confused by verse 15, “But women will be saved through childbearing…” Artemis was the Greek goddess over birth/fertility. It was taught that if you worshipped her, women would be protected during childbirth. If you actually study this verse in the Greek there is one very important word not translated into our English translations. That word is “The” and it’s right between the words ‘through’ and ‘childbearing’. Or in other words, “women will be saved through The Child.” Women will be saved because of Jesus (The Child), not Artemis, not Diana, or any other religious system. That’s good news!

1 Peter 3:5-7

For centuries, men have forced women into an unbiblical submission as they quote this passage claiming women as the “weaker vessel.” Understanding cultural relevance reveals what “weaker vessel” even means. There were several kinds of vessels used within the society of Ancient Near East cultures. “Thicker vessels” were cheap and sturdy vessels most often used to store water. Think Jesus’ first miracle turning water into wine by putting the wine into these “thicker vessels.” “Weaker vessels” were thin, fine, and delicate vessels designed to be sold as ornaments, decor, or things of beauty. They were expensive and called ‘weaker’ because they were made out of light material, could break easily, and held great value. Peter compares women to these “weaker vessels” and it’s an incredible picture of our responsibility as men to treat women as we would a priceless, precious vessel of honor. We are to support and lift our women high and not break their spirit by our harsh words or actions.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35

The book of Corinthians is not written to us in America today. Shocker, I know. It was written to the first century church in Corinth and reading the letter as a whole is so very important to understanding the context. The first 6 chapters, Paul is encouraging them to stay unified in Christ, walking out the power they now possess in the Spirit, and words of wisdom, caution, and how to deal with disciplinary issues. Then in chapter 7, Paul changes direction and starts to address specific questions the Corinth church had for him. 1 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Now for the matters you wrote about…” The rest of this book addresses those specific questions. Why is that important? Because you can’t cherry pick one passage in 1 Corinthians 14 without reading what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11. For example, in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul tells the church that women can prophesy and pray as long as their heads stay covered (which the covering was culturally relevant then, not relevant today). Why would Paul tell women to be quiet in church in chapter 14 if he was encouraging prayer and prophecy in chapter 11? If something sounds contradicting, it means it’s time to study…

Verses 34-35 are the questions the church is asking Paul. Paul’s reiterating their question and answers it in verses 36-40. How do we know verses 34-35 are the original questions? Because Paul is quoting the law in verse 34, he’s not giving a command. Again, why would Paul teach it was a disgrace for women to speak in church in Chapter 14 if he was reminding the women to keep their heads covered while they spoke in church in Chapter 11? Think about it, it just doesn’t make sense nor is it proper handling of the Scriptures. What’s even crazier is Paul’s response in verses 36-40. He responds to their question with a question in verse 36. He says, “Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?” Paul is attacking this idea of oppressing women in the church, as if men are the only voices God gave the church. How do I know? Verse 39 says, “Therefore, my brothers and SISTERS, be eager to prophesy…” Paul either contradicts himself within 5 verses or we’ve misunderstood the power of God in ALL people…

Finally, let’s not dismiss the reality of all the following women in leadership roles recorded in Scripture…
Judges 4:4-5 - Deborah the Prophet
Jeremiah 1:2/Zephaniah 1:1 - Huldah the Prophet
Exodus 15:20-21 - Miriam the Prophet
Ezekiel 13:17-23 - Multiple Un-named Female Prophets
Matthew 27 and Luke 24 – Mary - the person Jesus first talked to after the resurrection and told her to go tell the others…in other words - go tell the men!
Luke 2:36-38 - Anna the Prophet
Luke 8:3 - Joanna and Susanna - the women who paid for a lot of Jesus’ ministry
Acts 18 & Romans 16:3-5 – Priscilla was a missionary and church leader. It’s also important to notice that Paul introduces her before her husband in Acts as was not the norm in this culture.
Romans 16:1 – Phoebe – a deacon
Romans 16:3 - Paul’s unnamed spiritual mother
Romans 16:7 – Junia - an apostle
Romans 16:12 – Persis – a church leader in Rome who Paul loved! As well as church leaders Tryphena and Tryphosa
Acts 9:36 – Tabitha – a disciple
Acts 16:15 – Lydia – a wealthy business woman who helped start the church in Philippi
Acts 21:9 - Phillip’s 4 daughters were prophets
Philippians 4:2 - Euodia & Syntyche – Recognized as two leaders in the Philippian church
Philippians 4:3 - Clement - one of Paul’s female leaders
Colossians 4:15 - Nympha - recognized as the leader of a house church

Isn’t it interesting that these women lead in the midst of a culture that didn’t respect or value women?

And finally - Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Men, we need to do better! We all need to stop using Scripture to suppress, oppress, or devalue any human being for we are all made in the image of God and are all empowered by His Spirit.

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