WellThought is a collection of essays, videos and tools to equip the church for the vision of the church. We pray these items will help encourage and challenge you to be more like Jesus. If you have any questions or suggestions, or are interested in contributing future content, contact our editors at wellthought@jacobswellnj.org.
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. On Good Friday, Pastor Scott Jones shares the significance of Jesus bearing our shame on the cross. ...
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. This week, Morgan Rudanovic shares her own story and challenges us to consider what generosity looks like in our lives. ...
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. This week, Jonathan Sgalambro discusses what it means to "do justice" and how we might demonstrate the love of God to a world in need. ...
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. Michael Bond continues our series by exhorting us to enter into one another's stories as we follow the example of Jesus....
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. Dave Lawrence continues our series by challenging us to look to Jesus and be thoughtfully engaged with those around us....
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. Jelani Walker continues our series by sharing what it has looked like for his identity to be anchored in the Gospel....
The staff will be posting reflections every Friday throughout the Lenten season. Rachel Suarez begins our series by sharing an introduction to Lent....
Sonya Coords shares their experience of being foster parents and how we’ve seen God through this journey....
Thoughts from Pastor Mark Twombly on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation....
Rushina Patel shares her experience in learning how to live life in community with open doors and a heart of deep joy....
As we head into a new year as a church, hear from our WellThought Coordinator on what to discipleship groups mean to her....
Dave Lawrence writes a Psalm of lament, and even through sorrow, our God is near. ...
Do you sometimes feel like Jesus can't even hear you? There is hope....
Frank Slingerland, one of our musicians, writes about the power, relevance and comfort of the Psalms in his own life and in the life of the church. ...
The Psalms have been referred to as the hymnbook of God’s people. They are a collection of songs written from the hearts of those who have walked with God through trials, joy, suffering, victory and pain....
Once we were sinners, but just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we too have been resurrected, and now the person that marches through the world day by day is a new creation...
When we come across our own sins, how do we react? Is there sorrow? If so, what kind? In this post Jacob's Well member Leah Riehl interacts with two types of sorrow reflected in 2 Corinthians 7:10 ...
In week 3 of advent, we looked at freedom and sought liberty for those in captivity or bondage. This prayer was written and read by our host for the morning....
Our new series at Jacob's Well will explore our core identities. Find out more...
Sin rises out of context so we should consider viewing others as sinned against, not just sinners....
The Advent and Christmas season is a time of reflection, worship and gratitude here at Jacob's Well. It is also a time of generosity and teaching the next generation the truth that Jesus taught us "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Over the last several years we have engaged in intentional generosity as a community during the holiday season. In the month of Dec...
Keep ReadingWhen teaching a new book in the Bible we develop an introduction that covers the background, authorship, context and main themes of the work. The following is a link to our introduction to the book of 1 Timothy. ...
Keep ReadingThe following is an introduction to the first letter to the Thessalonian church in the mid century CE. It covers various historical and cultural background issues as well as personal, theological themes in 1 Thessalonians. ...
Keep ReadingA Brief Biographical Sketch of Jupiter Hammon one of the first published African American authors in the Americas. ...
Keep ReadingA survey and introduction to the Old Testament Book of Judges. The redemptive historical setting, basic background and major theological themes in Judges...
Keep ReadingThe following is a simple list of prayers uttered throughout the ages by Old Testament saints...
Keep ReadingA look at the Gospel of Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount found in Chapters 5-7. ...
Keep ReadingINTRODUCTION [1] Wisdom, as related to human beings, may simply be defined as the life quality that enables one to make good choices in the complicated circumstances of life in order to walk a good path. For the follower of Jesus, wisdom is the art of godly living. Every culture knows that there is a way to live that is rightly called foolishness. There really is a way t...
Keep ReadingTo read on your device or to print a PDF of our introduction to the Book of James simply follow this link:BUILD: The Book of James...
Keep ReadingWhat is the family and why should we be rooting for it? A discussion of humanity in community for the glory of God....
Keep ReadingThere are some stories which are simply neglected in the history of America and the story of the Grimk family is certainly one of them. What began with a southern, white family of Charleston aristocrats flowered into a group of people dedicated to the abolition of slavery and civil rights in America. The Christian gospel shapes the story at many of its twists and turns. Th...
Keep ReadingGod has revealed himself to us in Scripture to have certain attributes to his nature. ...
Keep ReadingIntroducing basic narrative hermeneutics, studies of the Pentateuch and background issues for the Book of Exodus...
Keep ReadingA look at the Apostle Peter ...
Keep ReadingSojourner Truth - follower of Jesus, abolitionist, advocate for women's rights...
Keep ReadingAn introduction to the Gospel of Mark...
Keep ReadingA brief treatment of the life and influence of Isaac Watts on the history and singing of hymns in the English speaking world....
Keep ReadingRichard and Sundar discuss death and the coming reality of eternity...
Keep Readingtwo friends discuss the biological, philosophical and theological nature of love...
Keep ReadingTwo friends discuss the problem of suffering and the suckiness of people...
Keep ReadingTwo friends discuss the ideas of perfection and ontological goodness...
Keep ReadingTwo friends discuss the religious nature and sense of the divine in human beings...
Keep ReadingTwo friends discuss the universe together...
Keep ReadingAn introduction to the usefulness of our questions in growing in faith, confidence and the defense of the historic Christian faith...
Keep ReadingTheology and missionboth matter During the first few decades of the Christian movement there arose a controversy as to how the Old Covenant laws should relate to New Covenant faith. As the gospel of Jesus was proclaimed in the world, both Jews and non Jews began to place their faith and trust in him as their Savior. As God created a new community of the faithful out of gr...
Keep ReadingA short introduction to the canonical gospels...
Keep ReadingIn our world human beings struggle deeply with various fears, concerns and anxieties. This essay is a brief discussion of these things and how they are related to our trust in God. ...
Keep ReadingJesus Christ is the most unique figure in all of human history. He was fully God and fully human in one person....
Keep ReadingIs the future determined? Is there any such thing as destiny? What do various worldviews say to us about this matter? ...
Keep ReadingHave we fulfilled Friedrich Nietzsche's imagination by creating sacred games to distract us from the emptiness of life without God? ...
Keep ReadingAn introduction to Ecclesiastes connecting authorship, literary genres, purpose and overall message of the book....
Keep ReadingWhy the judgment of God is right and good and why we must understand this in order to grasp the significance of the gospel of Jesus Christ....
Keep ReadingThoughts on God, suffering and the gospel of Jesus Christ...
Keep ReadingGod has given us authority in our lives for our good and his glory. There is authority in the family, the church and civil government that has been ordained and instituted by God. ...
Keep ReadingAn interaction with questions and issues surrounding the interplay of science, the book of Genesis and the biblical doctrine of creation....
Keep ReadingA brief summary of historical understandings of the Lord's Table...
Keep ReadingWays in which we come to the Lord's Table as a church...
Keep ReadingA discussion of baptism and its relationship to the new covenant. We take a look at whether the sign of the new covenant should be applied at birth or the new birth. ...
Keep ReadingThe importance of our practice of gathering each week for worship...
Keep ReadingSharing the gospel with others...
Keep ReadingA short guide to help us connect regularly with the sacred Scriptures. ...
Keep ReadingIn God's grace and kindness he has given his people certain rhythms and spiritual practices in life in order to transform us and develop deep relationship with Him and one another. ...
Keep ReadingEach year a peculiar celebration takes place among many people. Green clothes are worn, green beer is imbibed and strange stories about snakes being chased out of Ireland are told. Shamrocks abound and leprechauns seem to jump out from behind every bush. People are pinched for not participating in the fashion of the day and parades are thrown in the name of a man who live...
Keep ReadingIt is clear from Paul's letter to Titus that the church was not to be a chaotic mass of people without guidance or leadership. In fact, Titus' very mission on Crete was to "set what remained in order and appoint elders in every town." (Titus 1:5) God has graciously gifted his church with leadership so that there might be a proper order to its life together. Although the si...
Keep ReadingA short summary of the life of the pioneering African American preacher Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)A short summary of the life of the pioneering African American preacher Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)A short summary of the life of the pioneering African American preacher Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)...
Keep ReadingLong ago a young man was charged to continue to push forward the mission of Jesus on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The communities that Jesus established were to bring his message and manifest his Kingdom throughout the earth. This would happen as the Words of God were proclaimed faithfully and good works were done in his name. In this introduction I want to orient ...
Keep ReadingLooking at the teaching of Scripture regarding the use and abuse of alcohol...
Keep ReadingAn introduction to the wisdom literature and the book of Proverbs...
Keep ReadingWhy do we not always do what we want? Or do we? ...
Keep ReadingA brief look two views of life, consequences and eternity...
Keep ReadingThe Old Testament cleanliness codes point forward to the coming Christ who would sanctify a people for himself. Jesus is crucified outside of the camp to bring people to God and call us forward in sacrificial mission. ...
Keep ReadingA biblical meditation on being rich or poor in light of the Kingdom of God. ...
Keep ReadingLooking at the identity of Jesus and how we encounter him in the gospels......
Keep ReadingA biblical meditation on marriage....
Keep ReadingHow should we use our words? Good question, read on. ...
Keep ReadingAn Essay on the Imitation of God......
Keep ReadingThree tough questions when wrestling with God...
Keep ReadingWhat is the Church? This article looks at the church as a people called to God through the gospel, transformed with him as they grow together and sent into the world on mission to represent for Jesus....
Keep ReadingA wrestling with the biblical practice of prayer...
Keep ReadingA short introduction to the biblical book of Ephesians for contemporary readers....
Keep ReadingA look at the historical reality of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
Keep ReadingThroughout history, followers of Jesus have served faithfully under various forms of government and political regimes. This essay is a small treatment encouraging us to remain faithful to Christ in whatever circumstance or rule we find ourselves under. ...
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