Joseph Mattera
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7 Signs You Are in a Counterfeit Church
The words “Christianity” and “church” trigger many thoughts in people’s minds. Some of the ways these words are defined contradict or compromise the faith, as described in Jude. Jude 1:3: “Beloved; when I gave all diligence to write to you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write to you, and exhort …
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10 Signs of the Lack of a Biblical Worldview
Throughout the years, I have discovered that the average Christian and a large number of church ministers lack a biblical worldview (BWV). BWV refers to interpreting every aspect of life through the lens of Scripture, i.e., your view of politics, the sanctity of life, marriage, economics, education, science, and law derived from biblical principles. Here …
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15 Ways the Cross Inverted Worldly Kingdoms
The cross, a symbol so deeply etched into our consciousness, has, in modern times, become a mere accessory, a piece of jewelry worn casually. Its current representation is akin to someone donning a replica of an electric chair or a guillotine as a necklace. This trivialization overshadows the profound impact the cross had on human …
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6 Reasons Why the Church Should Embrace the Cross of Christ
Preaching on the cross of Christ has fallen out of favor in recent decades. Dispensational “hyper grace” teaching even dismisses passages employing Christ followers to take up their cross as not applicable in the church age (Mark 8:34). However, the cross of Christ holds eternal significance for Christians, representing sacrifice, redemption and the ultimate expression …
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7 Reasons to Believe in a Pre-Gospel Covenant Between God and the World
The concept of a pre-gospel covenant between God and the world highlights the belief that God had a covenantal relationship with humanity even before the advent of the gospel. In this article, we will explore compelling reasons that support the notion of a pre-gospel covenant, shedding light on God’s interaction with the world before the …
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10 Primary Pain Points for Pastors
Pastors play a vital role in shepherding and caring for their congregations. While much attention has been given to the rare instances of abusive pastors, it is crucial to recognize that most pastors are among the most loving, sacrificial, and dedicated individuals one could encounter. However, even these remarkable individuals face numerous challenges that can …
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7 Types of Men from Godless Cultures
Emotionally emasculated men deviate from their inherent male role and identity, rendering themselves ineffective or weaker due to insecurity or being dominated by a boss, peer pressure or their spouse. In Job 38, God exhorted Job to stand up like a man so He could address him, emphasizing specific masculine traits that God expects men …
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7 Areas Where the Church Must Bridge Critical Gaps
Since 1980, I began serving God in leadership. I have observed severe gaps in the church in at least seven major areas If not corrected, the critical gaps in these areas will significantly limit the ability of the church to fulfill the Great Commission and our preparation for the bodily return of Jesus. 1. The …
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Why Love Does Not Define God
Today’s preaching from Christian pulpits is filled with compromise, often because of the wrong presentation of biblical love. Since love is a powerful motivating force that can drive people to the limits of their abilities and existence, it needs to be defined correctly in the church lest believers fall into grave error regarding our teaching …
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7 Spiritual Consequences From Breaking God’s Boundaries
When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they separated themselves from God and became semi-autonomous (Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-8). This sin opened up the proverbial “Pandora’s box” since their actions created an innate propensity for humans to cross forbidden boundaries. To illustrate, one of the words …
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6 Reasons Why Revival is Not the New Testament’s Focus
The Asbury revival has garnered the attention of many. As a result, some pastors and young leaders are looking at this phenomenon as the norm and primary goal of their ministry. However, we must look at revival as a means to an end, not the end itself. Historically, charismatics have been “all in” on revival. …
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7 Reasons Why the Church Should Celebrate Weekly Communion
Note: In this brief article, I will not deal with the various historical views regarding the essence of Holy Communion. Nowadays, many evangelical churches interpret “sola scriptura” to mean that they can do whatever they want as long as there’s some adherence to the Bible. We fail to realize that the early church observed certain …
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7 Forms of Functional Cessationism
In this article, cessationism refers to the doctrine, practice or belief that the ascension ministry gifts and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit ceased with the early church and do not function in the present church age (Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12: 4-11). The charismatic and Pentecostal world believes in all the gifts of the …
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5 More Reasons Personal Stress and Depression Can Haunt You
Read Time: 4 Minutes 9 Seconds Last week I began a series regarding reasons for your personal stress and depression. For the first five points, please refer back to that article. Here are five more reasons you may find yourself buried in personal stress and depression: 6. Stress management and the “Ball in a box …
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10 Reasons for Personal Stress and Depression
Read Time: 3 Minutes, 40 Seconds Many people are entering a new year with anxiety because of general societal uncertainty, financial instability, relational instability, and challenges with their physical and emotional health. According to The American Institute of Stress: “About 33 percent of people report feeling extreme stress. 77 percent of people experience stress that …
