Winter Retreat

The training provided through SWSBS is comprehensive but by no means exhaustive. We only have two years to introduce the fundamentals of study and practice. With limited time, not everything can be covered. Our instructors often leave more “on the table” of their studies than they put into their lectures. (The same is true of faithful preachers everywhere!) However, we never leave out of classes or curriculum the reality of sin, and we are sure that our graduates are prepared…

In Galatians 5:19-21, the apostle Paul lists the various works of the flesh. Of the seventeen sinful works, the final two listed by the apostle are drunkenness and revelries (carousing, NASB) (v. 21). What is drunkenness, or more importantly, how does the Bible define the term? What does God’s word say about social drinking? God’s expectation of His people is very clear – Christians are to be sober. This article will examine Paul’s and Peter’s instructions to the church regarding…

Can’t we all just get along? Well, that certainly is how it ought to be, especially in God’s family. Long ago the Psalmist said, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” If Jesus brought peace to this earth (Lk. 2:14) and Jesus instructs His followers to be peacemakers (Mt. 5:8), why do Christians sometimes struggle getting along? This article will explore a practical understanding of this matter especially through considering three words in Galatians 5:20.…

I t started with something small—a teasing remark at a Sunday potluck that struck the wrong chord. Within a week, two friends who once laughed together were avoiding each other. What began as a lighthearted moment turned into bitterness and silence. Moments like this show how quickly small offenses can snowball when left unchecked. Paul warned against the “works of the flesh”— “hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, [and] envy” (Gal. 5:20–21). These are more than attitudes; they are heart diseases…