It is possible to read these verses in Mark 10:1-12 and be very offended. But it is not a bad thing if you feel offended — if you are trying to understand the text in light of the real world and your experiences.
However, if you thought that this text does not apply to you because you are neither married or divorced, we encourage you to pause and reconsider. Pray and ask God to help you read Scripture as His Word.
The Southern Baptist Convention has been fighting this battle for several years, and it is coming to a head in Orlando this June. At the centre of the controversy is Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler's proposed constitutional change, widely known as the "Truth and Unity Amendment," which would bar any cooperating SBC church from affirming, appointing, or endorsing a woman serving in the office or function of pastor, elder, or overseer, including preaching.
In May 2026, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas ("Magnificent Humanity"), a major reflection on artificial intelligence and what it means to be human in an age of rapidly advancing technology.
For only the second time in our history, Singapore hosted the Pope, who spent three days in Singapore for the final leg of an Asian tour after visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.
As we enter into a new year, some approach the year with a sense of foreboding and fear, others with a sense of opportunity and excitement. Still others look at the days to come with a certain coolness of spirit — a disinterest and detachment — that is neither excited nor anxious, because we cannot tell what tomorrow will bring. Truly as James 4 reminds us, we are merely a mist, and we should neither say with certitude that we know what tomorrow will bring, for only He that is eternal, unchanging and enduring can speak of tomorrow with certainty.
It is possible to read these verses in Mark 10:1-12 and be very offended. But it is not a bad thing if you feel offended — if you are trying to understand the text in light of the real world and your experiences.
However, if you thought that this text does not apply to you because you are neither married or divorced, we encourage you to pause and reconsider. Pray and ask God to help you read Scripture as His Word.
In this section of Mark, we will learn about Kingdom greatness as defined by Jesus. He defines it as service and welcome of the lowly — a comprehensive inversion of every cultural status system, including the competitiveness that had already infected the disciples.
In the book of Mark, we read of people who were in need who approached Jesus and yet in their need, they could also be spiritually blind. What do you think are your problems right now? What do you think your spiritual needs are?
It is also entirely possible for us to misunderstand our needs tonight. Are we willing to let God show us our real need?
The events of the transfiguration in this passage clearly revealed the glory of Christ. Christians often use the word glory to refer to the surpassing worth and magnificence of God’s own person.
But how does knowing glory change your life? Do you understand the cross and all that it means? How does it change our view of Christ?
To understand this section, we need to read Mark 8:22-26 in light of Mark 8:27-30. The healing of the blind man in two stages was intentional, and is meant to show us what it means to see and not see clearly.
Jesus deliberately goes out to the Gentiles, foreshadowing the kind of work that He is going to send His disciples to do after His resurrection (c.f. Matt 28:19-20).
What is in your heart?
In this passage, Jesus turns the spotlight to shine on our heart. He calls us not to be fixated on the externals, ignore essentials and reveal the internals.
This passage shows us Jesus’ rejection. As followers of this Jesus, we are not to be surprised when we face rejection when we hold out the gospel. We are to expect this too.
We grow familiar with things very quickly.
Are you familiar with Jesus by this point in Mark? We have read about Jesus who heals, and does mighty things. Mark is determined not to let us grow familiar.
Fear in the presence of Jesus occurs in this section of Mark. Mark’s storytelling is meant to help us understand who Jesus is.
In this section of Mark, we will see how Jesus has authority.
Why does authority cause us to fear? We live in an anti-authoritarian world and we do not trust other people to exercise power. We often view authority with suspicion. The Bible, however, recognises that there is a design for authority. And as we read this section, we should see that Jesus has authority, and is to be feared.
Parables may not be unfamiliar to Christians. Jesus often speaks about the kingdom in parables. What is the kingdom like?
But let us also take a step back and consider why Jesus speaks in parables? Why does Jesus regularly obscure what He means to say? Why does Jesus make it difficult to understand?
Mark is about the revelation of Jesus, the son of God, who calls us to be His disciples. Mark also shows us how Jesus declares the coming of the kingdom.
In this section we see two groups of people that do not recognise the power of the kingdom. The kingdom comes with rivals to the kingdom, a power struggle, usurpation.
Discipleship has to do with following. We cannot be a disciple unless there is a master. We can only be a disciple of someone.
Christian discipleship involves us doing something like Jesus because of something we learn about Jesus. There is information gained about Him that is practiced so that there is a change in life.
We continue our study in Mark and Jesus continues to teach his disciples and those around Him.
The four synoptic gospels provide different angles and we are often tempted to collapse and flatten it into one. There is nothing wrong but when we do so, and only read it for the cross, we lose what is individual and particular. There are different particularities and views that we are to see. What did the original writer want his readers to know particularly through his gospel? We want to read Mark as Mark, trying to understand what Mark is seeking to teach us about Jesus. In this section, we see Jesus who calls the sick.
In the previous verses, we saw how Jesus had authority in teaching and also to heal. In these verses, we see how Jesus leaves and returned to Capernaum to continue His ministry.
There are many parts of our life that we do not let Jesus have rule and reign over. Maybe we feel like are powerless and ineffective in our evangelism. Or perhaps we struggle with prayer. Or maybe we struggle to be with His people.
What does Mark 1:29-45 have to say to our struggles? What does it show us about God?
Who is Jesus? By what name will you call Him? What does it mean to now this Jesus Christ?
We begin a new series in the Gospel of Mark, and the focus in this gospel is Jesus — who is Jesus? As we read through the events recorded in this book, we are to see what it tells us about Jesus and what does Jesus require. To follow Him well, we need to know Him well.
What it means to know the Spirit of Life according to Ezekiel 37? Who is this third Person of the Godhead, whose presence and activity among us is essential to knowing the Second Person in order to reveal the First in the Godhead?
We trust that through His Word, God means to reveal Himself and enter into relationship with us. He has also taught us about His Spirit.
This series will focus on doubts and obstacles to Christian faith. This is not a series just for non-Christians. We hope that Christians will also bring their questions and trust that God will use this series to help clarify, confirm and grow our faith in Jesus and His Word.
Romans 8 is a treasure trove of glorious truth and wonder - condensed into one portion of Scripture are the precious doctrines of imputed righteousness, adoption, justification, regeneration, sanctification, the advocating work of the Spirit, resurrection hope the perseverance of the saints, our assured glorification and the renewal of all things.
For anyone feeling lost, drained, dull, flummoxed, discouraged, burnt, guilt-racked, torn or anxious, come and give ear to these glorious gospel truths by the apostle Paul. Study anew the realities of our common past in Christ, our life in the present, and the glory of our coming future.
The Gospel after all, is the “power of God for salvation” (Rom 1:16). We pray that focusing on the Gospel will give us fresh insight into that power that we urgently need.
If the world feels chaotic, turbulent, even dark, this eighth chapter of Romans helps us to see light to come, and what future glory looks like.
Nehemiah is a book that has a special place in the story of redemption. The story of exile to return and restoration is on full display, and we are left longing for the leader of God’s people, the Redeemer of Israel.
It also teaches us about work that glorifies God. As a civil servant turned governor, Nehemiah is neither prophet, priest nor king, yet his work serves God uniquely in his generation.
It also has profound lessons for our personal prayer life and faith, while at the same time being a deeply realistic book.
As we spend time in this book, we will see how God works, leads and moves in our lives, and in doing so, gives us hope as it points us to Jesus.
Many of us think that James is a practical book, and Singaporeans are a practical people. So the two should go hand-in-hand.
Yet, the idea of something “practical” requires more careful thought. What does it even mean to be practical? For what ends, and for whose purposes are we being practical?
Through this book, we will find out what it means to be practically godly as we navigate our lives in this world.
Can we trust the Bible? This series will take us through some of the most important attributes of Scripture: Sufficient, Clear, Authoritative and Necessary.
In his account, Luke tells us about the inn with no room, the night that was not silent, the wait that did not disappoint and the Son like no other. The second chapter of the Gospel of Luke shows us “The Radiant Son”, born for us to die as Saviour and King.
Isaiah 55-66 looks to the Glorious Lord and the days before the promised end. This section describes the vision of renewal and restoration that God promises in the close of Isaiah.
Some consider this letter to be Paul's final letter, written in the style of a farewell discourse, and on the theme of standing firm under suffering. What would the apostle stress as his last words to young Timothy?
What wisdom is helping you think these worries through? Like young Timothy who was both a church leader and easing into mature adulthood, we need faithful counsel and true instruction for the concerns on our heart and mind. How do we cultivate a vision for godly maturity and adulthood? How do we become men and women of God committed to the Word of God?
Lent is a wonderful time for the distracted, anxious, work-driven, conflicted, cold, uncertain, and struggling heart.
It is a wonderful time for our hearts for Lent reminds us that there is a Kingdom reality that holds all of our days. How much of this Kingdom do you know? How much of this Kingdom do you find your life’s rhythms aligned to? And what does it have to do with the Kingdom’s donkey-riding, city-weeping, and temple-cleansing King?
Work is a major part of our lives. With work playing this big of a role in our lives, how much more do we need to think about why, how and what we do at work?
For Christians, we want to seek out God's Word to guide how we think about our work lives so we can honour the Deuteronomy 6:5-6 . Everywhere we go and in all we do, we want the Scriptures to shape how we think about our lives, including our work.
Isaiah 40-55 contain some of the most beautiful Scriptures in the Bible. This section has for its meat the theology of a Big God. This is no paltry domestic deity we read about. The God of Isaiah is the God of grace and glory — He is both tender in mercy and majesty in holiness, gentle and lowly in love unconditional, and towering in sovereign power and authority. As we study these passages together we will hear again and against the pure Gospel
Jesus Christ came proclaiming the gospel of His coming kingdom — the rule of God entering and invading this fallen, hostile world. He establishes a new community, a bright new humanity under the reign of God according to His Word and reconciled to Him.
What does this kingdom look like? What is its culture? How does one enter it? What are its goals and priorities? How does it stand apart from this world and its brokenness? The Gospel of Matthew builds on these themes as it introduces King Jesus and His message of good news.
This section of Isaiah focuses on Hezekiah, the faithful reformer King of Judah but not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. In this series, we will sit with Hezekiah and learn vital lessons about prayer, health, war and faith from this flawed, yet faithful king.
A creed is a faith statement that expresses and affirms our shared beliefs - and they can be very useful to reach for when we find ourselves confused, lost, or doubting. In this five week series, we looked at five creeds from within the New Testament itself which help us anchor and tether ourselves to what the church of Christ has always believed. These includes creeds about God, the Cross and resurrection, the incarnation and ascension, and the nature of the divine.
These chapters set in the eighth century deal have the context of the rising Assyrian threat — and the fears and anxiety of the the people of God in their day just as we are. The prophet’s words from God especially address personal questions of security and certainty and the central role of faith. Faith in God dominates this section of the book and challenge us how to think about faith in God, the reasons for it, and what faith in God looks like practically.
This is topical series on the topics of love, romance and relationships, and we hope to understand the Bible’s teaching on this interrelated subject.
Isaiah chapters 13 to 23 plainly deal with the oracles of the prophet to the Gentile nations around Israel and Judah. These are God's words to the world spoken by the man he chose. We will looking at each of these ancient near Eastern nations in turn, their spiritual state and what God Almighty has to say to them. Each week we'll consider what spiritual lessons God's word to them has for us, and recover ancient truths about human pride, rebellion against God, judgment and the nature of history itself.
Read more here.
This series examined the wide range of emotional struggles the believer goes through this side of heaven, and how faith is applied by Christ’s people to cry out to Him and renew our confidence in God. Our prayer is that this series would be restorative and comforting for many who are struggling, and that we experience the life giving power of God’s Word.
In this second year of COVID-19 many of us feel more tired than thankful and certainly more worried than worshipful.
And yet in this life, more than anything else, we need to hear Good News from our God in power. This Advent let us focus our hearts on Christ and by faith renew our spirit in Him.
Our prayer is that as we read from John’s first chapter, we would see the Light that is the life of men: “Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”
Some have called Isaiah a "fifth Gospel" because of its magnificent sweep of and and coverage over the story of redemption, and how it speaks about God's glory in salvation and judgment.
It is also a book that is highly relevant for our times. Do you find it difficult to put your trust in your Savior? Isaiah is an adrenaline shot to the heart, spiking our spiritual temperature and invigorating our muscles to run and sprint forward.
In a season of great uncertainty, what other words are competing for a place in our lives? What words give life, and what words are slowly wearing us down?
In a world struggling with COVID-19 and its effect, 2 Corinthians offer us much encouragement. It speaks to hearts hardened to God’s voice. 2 Corinthians also casts a spotlight on Christian weakness in the midst of our world’s brokenness and is the pastoral voice that will re-educate our hearts with God’s truths.
It is a book that will serve to remind us of true, trustworthy, and timeless glory, and guards us from self-confidence and boasting in our successes.
2 Corinthians will also make clear God’s awesome purposes for His people, through His church, by His gospel of grace.
2020 is not a year for advent songs.
This is why we need these advent songs. We often forget that for the original context of Mary, Zechariah, and the apostle John were in situations that taught them to sing with the Psalmist in Ps 37: "how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" How can we sing any of God's songs in such difficult times?
The Spirit of God uses those lives and their words for our instruction, and ultimately, our hope (Rom 15:4).
The Doctrine of Scripture is important for the Christian because, among other reasons, it is an essential part of who our God is. (If you are interested, we listed at least 8 reasons why this is an important series!)
We are living a global crisis right now, even if many of us have not yet felt it, and the sun will not be rising for quite some time. How are we going to survive?
Christians are tempted in these long nights to atheistic despair or worldly distraction. Either we wring our hands because we honestly don't know what to do, and functionally operate like those who do not know God, or we may compartmentalize our faith, and turn on Netflix, grab a drink, and look for the next amusement to numb ourselves out to everything.
We must renounce both and instead, reach for deep repentance. This is exactly what the minor prophet Joel called for in his day as he looked at the calamity and crisis around him. Joel is a little book with a big message -- in the face of disaster, reach for deep repentance.
This 7 week series was directed at addressing fear and anxiety in the COVID-19 season. And did this the best we know how — by looking at God Himself according to Scripture — and resting our hearts in worship of Him. Each week, we focused on an attribute of God from a psalm to help us to learn, worship and marvel at our great God.
The forty days before Easter are, in the Christian calendar, called “Lent”. This is a season associated with penitent reflection, quiet contemplation and sacrificial living as we, with Jesus, journey to the Cross. We will do just that as we read about the events of the Cross, tomb and post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.
The end of Exodus reads like the climax of an adventure novel. They’ve overcome obstacle after obstacle, from the captivity and enmity of Egypt and Pharaoh, survived the drought and famine of the desert, and witnessed the glory of God at Sinai, the revelation of His Law, organized Israel for civic order and legal justice, and received the instructions to build God’s tabernacle, His dwelling place and mobile throne. As Moses prepares to come down atop the mountain to lead God’s people triumphant from Sinai to the promised land, the final lap of going Home and Fulfilling Every Promise — there is a major crisis. How will they make it through the desert and Home?
This section may be familiar to some of us but what are we actually supposed to take away from this account?
We may have heard of the feeding of the 5000, with an emphasis on the boy who has offered the 5 loaves and 2 fish and thus, we are asked to think about what we are to offer Jesus. However, in this account in Mark, there is no mention of this boy. The feeding of the 5000 and Jesus walking on water are meant to be understood together (Mark 6:52) .
If our hearts are hardened, we will be unable to understand Him as He intends!