The Way Home Podcast: Ronnie Martin on The Christmas Season

Today we have Ronnie Martin joining us on The Way Home podcast. Ronnie Martin is a songwriter, recording artist, author, and Lead Pastor of Substance Church (EFCA). His most recent solo albums are From the Womb of the Morning, the Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours (Velvet Blue Music, 2022), and Bells Merrily: The Christmas Recordings (Velvet […]

Repeat the Sounding Joy

Have you noticed lately that it’s the Christians who are often most cranky during the Christmas season? Complaining has almost become required. We hear sermons on how to deal with the stress of Christmas. We read ominous-sounding emails and Facebook posts on the so-called “War on Christmas.” And of course, cable news shows ramp up […]

What Advent is and Why We Should Celebrate

There is something really wonderful about the word, advent. When you Google the word, one of the definitions you get is: the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. We know this word from other contexts besides religions. We say things like, “Since the advent of the automobile . . . .” Or “Since […]

Finding Christmas Joy

I’ve always loved the Christmas season. When I was a kid, my parents always made the season great. Our traditions were simple, but wonderful. I especially enjoyed the two weeks off of school. Usually we chilled out at home or would go to a Christmas party or two at friends’ homes. When I was in […]

Return to Christmas Joy

I had the privilege of writing a piece on Christmas Joy for New Hope Digital. There is a tendency to either be cranky about commercialism or be caught up in it at Christmastime. Here’s an excerpt: I think both approaches miss the majesty of Christmas. Yes, the Western world is increasingly secularized and dismissive of Jesus. But that’s why […]

What Are We Singing?

This is a quote from my message for Sunday, “What the Angels Saw.” – From Luke 2: Christmas is an interesting time, because it is the time when suddenly the entire world is singing songs about the birth of Christ—and yet they don’t know it. You often walk into a supermarket or drugstore and you […]

Christians and the War on Christmas

Thanksgiving was last week, which means we’re two weeks into the Christmas season. Feels like we’re starting Christmas sooner and sooner aren’t we? I think next year everyone will just dress up like Santa at Halloween and start in October. Count me as someone who loves the Christmas season. I just love that in 2010, […]