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Reconnected by Grace

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Part 2 of the “Created to Connect” Series Ephesians 2:1–10 by Bart Denny When Life Won’t Click Together Have you ever stepped on a LEGO in the dark? You don’t forget it. But here’s something else about LEGO bricks—they’re not meant to exist by themselves. A single piece might look fine sitting on a table… but it doesn’t fulfill its purpose until it connects. That’s the idea behind this series: God didn’t create you to live disconnected. He created you to connect—to Him and to one another. Last week, we saw that clearly in the words of Jesus: “I am the vine; you are the branches…” (John 15:5, NIV) Life only works when we stay connected to Him. But that raises an honest question: If we were created to connect… why do we feel so disconnected? Why does it feel like we’re trying—but something just won’t come together? When Trying Harder Doesn’t Work If you’re honest, you’ve probably felt this. You know the right things. You’re doing the right things. From...
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But some doubted...

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by Bart Denny “The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted.” —Matthew 28:16–17 (CSB) I try to be faithful to Scripture when I write or preach. I want to draw out lessons and apply them to daily life without saying more than the text itself says. My goal is to dig deep into God’s Word and share what I find—without putting words in God’s mouth. But I can’t help wondering—have you ever heard someone really focus on that last phrase in Matthew 28:17? “But some doubted.” In the very presence of the risen Christ—after seeing Him crucified, buried, and now alive—the disciples worshiped. And yet… some doubted. That moment has always fascinated me. We often say, “seeing is believing.” But here were disciples looking at Jesus with their own eyes, and still, something inside them wavered. Was it too good to be true? Could it really be Him? After everything they’d seen—the horror of the cross, the...
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Stop Searching for a Silver Bullet Pastor: What Declining Churches Really Need

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Stop Searching for a Silver-Bullet Pastor: What Declining Churches Really Need by Bart Denny When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, the crisis of declining churches in America wasn’t new—it just accelerated the inevitable. Honestly, I tend to disregard 2020 – 2022 when measuring decline because of how chaotic those years were. But let’s be real: if your church had higher attendance and stronger giving in March 2020 than it does in March 2024—and we’re not talking just a slight dip—you’re in decline. If your children’s ministry was once thriving but now you’re lucky to gather a handful of kids each Sunday, you’ve declined. Your church needs revitalization. Sure, church health isn’t measured by numbers alone. Are you evangelizing? Are you making disciples? Are you reaching your community with the hope of Jesus? If the answers to those questions aren’t a resounding yes , you’re not just declining—you’re in danger. Kicking the Can… Until I...
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