by Mark Shaw | Apr 14, 2012 | Current Events, Jesus Only
Recent celebrities and athletes have struggled with alcohol and drug abuse like baseball player and Christian, Josh Hamilton. Some of these celebrities have died in their struggle like Whitney Houston and now Thomas Kinkade, known as the “painter of...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 9, 2012 | Uncategorized
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 26, 2012 | Disciple-Making, Heartbeat of TIL, Life Lessons
To be a follower of Christ, you need to be taught since the word “disciple” comes from the same Latin root as the word “discipline” and indicates a student learning in a structured setting. So who is discipling you? When I ask that question to...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 12, 2012 | Church Life, Uncategorized
I heard a statement from someone that “theology divides the body of Christ” which is a dangerous statement to make when left alone like above. “Theology” means the study of God and if someone is simply JUST studying God, then they may not...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 26, 2012 | Heartbeat of TIL
Ever think about that question? I didn’t until I was challenged with how to make disciples using that metaphor growing a forest. Similar processes: growing a forest and making disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). How so, you ask? Growing a forest requires planting. One...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 20, 2012 | Addiction, Biblical Counseling, Current Events, Scripture, Vs. Psychology
Very sad. Everything surrounding Whitney Houston’s tragic death is sad to me. Her life was sad, too, for a variety of reasons. I wanted to write this blog many days ago but waited until some of the emotion has died down before commenting. I always liked and...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 26, 2011 | Heartbeat of TIL
I love our TIL slogan: Be Transformed! It comes from Romans 12:1-2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” God...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 14, 2011 | Heartbeat of TIL
In the last post, I mentioned Luke 10:1 as the Scripture that birthed the idea for our TEAM approach to the ministry of biblical counseling. Let me encourage you to read further in that passage because this section holds important biblical principles that guide our...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 10, 2011 | Heartbeat of TIL
In Luke 10:1, Jesus sent out His disciples to do the work of ministry in pairs: “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.” In biblical...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 26, 2011 | Addiction, Uncategorized
Anyone who thinks drinking alcohol to excess and becoming intoxicated is NOT a sin is unbiblical and thinking more like Satan and this world’s system than like Christ. “But we have the mind of Christ” says I Corinthians 2:16 and that is referring to...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 22, 2011 | Addiction
As you will see, the state of Alabama has got this one right! Read the following which is quoted directly from the Alabama Dept of Public Safety driver license manual on www.dps.alabama.gov WHO CANNOT BE LICENSED An Alabama driver license shall not be issued to: •...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 13, 2011 | Addiction, Church Life, Truth in Love Staff
Is American churchianity encouraging addictive thinking? It seems to me that what is commonly called “Christianity” in America is simply selfishness clothed, dipped, and immersed in “me, myself, and I.” People are encouraged to focus upon...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 5, 2011 | Biblical Counseling, National Recovery Month, Posts by Mark
“Anything I place in front of my recovery I will lose anyway.” Really? How about this statement instead: “Anything I place in front of Christ I will lose anyway.” Recovery or Christ? Is recovery the god of the person who made the first...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 3, 2011 | Uncategorized
Several friends and colleagues sent me the DIALOGUE & DISCUSSION that medical doctors had during their “intensive” investigation of 4 years regarding their re-definition of “addiction.” As of August 15, 2011, they are...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 1, 2011 | National Recovery Month, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
It’s September which means one thing: it’s National Recovery Month! While I like the word “recovery,” I love the biblical word, “transformation”, so much better because God wants more for the person struggling with an addiction! II...
by Mark Shaw | Aug 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
I love days like today when every national and local news outlet is reporting a DIALOGUE & DISCUSSION that medical doctors had during their “intensive” investigation of 4 years regarding their re-definition of “addiction.” Now, they are...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 30, 2011 | Church Life
I picked on youth pastors and seminaries – now, I’m picking on my own field: biblical counseling. Is biblical counseling hurting or helping the church? Well, that depends. In terms of informal biblical counseling of one Christian loving another Christian,...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 16, 2011 | Church Life, Truth in Love Staff
Sadly, there is yet another new sport for you to watch. It’s called Churchianity. You simply need to pick a big building with a Christianese sounding name on it, go when they give their times for a “worship service,” sit and listen respectfully....
by Mark Shaw | Jul 15, 2011 | Church Life, Truth in Love Staff
I live in Alabama. There are two sports teams in Alabama that play college football: The University of Alabama and Auburn University. These two rivals are talked about on sports radio 365 days a year, unless it’s a leap year which makes it 366 days a year. Every...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 10, 2011 | Church Life, Truth in Love Staff
Don’t we say the dumbest things when we speak Christianese? The word, “minister,” means “to give service to the necessities” so someone who says after a praise song, “That really ministered to me,” is saying that the really...
