Explore
Articles, Bible studies, questions and reflections to help you explore the Christian faith.
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Distinguishing the Power and Use of the Keys is Reckless
Some “Lutherans” preach that Jesus gave the power of the Keys to the whole church, but he gave the use of the Keys to pastors alone. Indeed, when I was once exploring the possibility of joining a particular Lutheran denomination I was told exactly this in a conversation about Matthew 16. The distinction is, of…
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Luther Said All Christians Have the Power of the Keys
In John 20:22-23 Jesus gave the power of the “Keys” to the church: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” But, a key question about these Keys is this: Who did Jesus give this power to? I am…
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How Can I Understand the Bible?
You can read the Bible cover to cover, repeatedly, in multiple translations… and still not understand it. At the end of Luke’s Gospel, some of the disciples who’d been with Jesus for years, heard his teachings, even seen his miracles, still did not understand. Even after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them,…
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What Does the First Commandment Mean?
What does it mean for us that God is God? We often imagine God as a harsh, distant, or easily disappointed dictator. But, that picture doesn’t come from God himself. It’s not how his Word reveals him. In fact, that picture comes from our sin: In the Garden, Satan introduced the idea that God has…
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What Should I Wear to Church?
You’ve never been to church before. You are in Manchester. And you decide to try out Manchester Lutheran Church. At that point, some people panic a bit, because they start worrying about what they should wear. The headline answer is this: Wear your normal clothes. There is no dress code. But by saying that, I…
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Do I Have a Drinking Problem?
Across Manchester and Greater Manchester “alcohol related deaths are higher than the national average.” If you’re reading this page, you’re probably worried about yourself, or someone you know. You may have asked Google or ChatGPT for help. Here’s the thing: However much you drink, alcohol isn’t your primary problem. It’s your false solution. It’s a…
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Can I Come to Church If I Don’t Believe?
Yes. You are welcome. At Manchester Lutheran Church we’ve had atheists, Muslims, and people from a variety of backgrounds visit, including from other churches that believe completely different things to us. You don’t need to pretend to believe anything. What happens? From 10:45am, we have refreshments together and chat. At 11am, our formal service starts.…
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Looking for a Church in Manchester?
If you’re looking for a church in Manchester, here are three things Jesus tells you to look for: 1) Look for a church in Manchester defined by the Word of Christ. Jesus said: where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matthew 18:20) A church is not defined by…
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God Directs Your Path—Without Dictating It
The Christian comedian Adrian Plass once wrote a story about a man who was convinced God wanted him to move to the Middle East. Why? Because he was praying for guidance, and every time he opened the Bible it mysteriously mentioned the land of Israel. Plass’ writings are full of humorous moments like this, which…
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Without Forgiveness Relationships Die
I talk to a lot of people about relationships. Marriages, parents and children, boyfriends and girlfriends, in workplaces, families and friendship groups. So many people are struggling with relationships here in Manchester and elsewhere. One massive reason is this: So often people don’t want the relationship to get better—they want to get even. The Bible…