Here at ECC, we are committed to connecting our community to Christ. While we certainly do this as individuals by preaching the gospel and loving our neighbors, making disciples of all nations is to happen through, and in the context of, the local church! Jesus said that he would build his church—a church of those who not […]
What is the church? A typical, modern-day conception of the church is that it is a building where you go to hear preaching and singing once a week (or at least on Christmas and Easter). But the question is a bit misleading. The church is not so much a what but a who. According to Scripture, the […]
Throughout Luke’s gospel, the advancement of the kingdom of God has evoked one of two responses: acceptance or rejection. In the healing of the crippled woman in Luke 13, we see both (v.17). Immediately following this miracle, Jesus gives two parables to explain how, despite opposition, the kingdom of God would spread and make an […]
“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” (Luke 12:51). This is one of the more obscure mission statements that Jesus gave during his earthly ministry. While it is true that Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6)—who came to provide the way […]
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15 ). With this saying, Jesus launches into a discourse on the relationship between true discipleship and material wealth. Here we discover one of the most profound and practical implications of the […]
The Bible repeatedly affirms that there is no neutrality when it comes to God and his kingdom. In Luke 11:23 we read: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (see also Matt. 6:24; Rom. 6:16; James 4:4). In the healing of the mute man and the […]
“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Following Jesus is a full-time occupation, and the demands of the kingdom supersede all earthly loyalties. To be a disciple of Jesus involves being sent out as laborers into the harvest—proclaiming the good news of […]
What does it mean to be truly blessed? According to the kingdom of this world, the blessed are those who earn the most and have the best. They are the rich, those satisfied with the comforts of this life, and those who are accepted and praised by all. But according to Christ Jesus, the blessed are […]
