by Derek Fekkes | Mar 30, 2017 | Uncategorized
There was this great meme I saw recently that portrayed Christians who evangelize to a polar bear chasing a guy around his car. It’s funny because most of us have encountered Christians who want to “push their religion down your throat,” who...
by Derek Fekkes | Mar 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
Sunday services at Roots are intended to refocus and realign our lives to God’s story, his work to reconcile humanity to himself and be the center of our lives. And one of the ways this is done is through the expository preaching of the Bible, i.e. preaching that...
by Derek Fekkes | Mar 9, 2017 | Uncategorized
One of the things that I’ve appreciated most from the various pastors I’ve had is the taking of time to explain why the church does the things they do. Specifically in regards to Sunday gatherings, many churches have similar liturgies, or “forms of...
by Derek Fekkes | Mar 1, 2017 | Uncategorized
I mentioned in a recent post that for years I’ve kept a sheet of paper in the front of my Bible with verses about God’s Word: it’s truthfulness, power, sufficiency, etc. Whenever doubts and questions about the value and necessity of God’s Word...
by Derek Fekkes | Mar 1, 2017 | Uncategorized
I am excited to announce that Roots Church will begin public worship services April 23. This means that we are moving to a weekly worship service format with the preached Word and corporate worship. Here’s what else you need to know: When: We will gather every...
by Derek Fekkes | Feb 20, 2017 | Uncategorized
“Too often we look for the Spirit in the extraordinary when God has promised to be present in the ordinary. We look for God in the fresh and novel, as if his grace were always an ‘event,’ when he has promised that his Spirit faithfully attends the ordinary means of...
by Derek Fekkes | Dec 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
I spent the good part of my childhood believing that Christian faith and joy had very little, if anything, to do with one another. I viewed God’s commands and His way of life as somewhat of a hassle, as perhaps good in some sense but incompatible with my passions and...
by Derek Fekkes | Nov 23, 2016 | Uncategorized
How do you respond to suffering? Most of us attempt to cope with suffering by turning either to apathy, escapism, or bitterness. My go-to is apathy. I see many others turning to escapism and bitterness. But the fact is that these responses do more harm than good....
by Derek Fekkes | Nov 23, 2016 | Uncategorized
The term “gospel-centered” is certainly overused, but I contend that it still has great value, at least as a concept. And that is because of the rampant presence of distortions to the central Christian message–“God saves...
by Derek Fekkes | Nov 23, 2016 | Uncategorized
I have intentionally never posted anything on social media about homosexuality, or really any hot-button issue. My reasons have been: I don’t want others, particularly my non-Christian friends, to think that I care more about them sharing my convictions on this issue...
