In Neuroscience, the Reticular Activating System refers to a set of connected nuclei in the brain that monitors and filters information being taken in by the senses.[1] When the brain becomes familiar with certain stimuli or patterns of stimuli, the Reticular Activation System becomes more sensitive to that information. It is what allows a person …
Author Archives: Scott Attebery
Is Your Discipleship Whole?
Discipleship has been used and misused to the point that the word itself has become almost meaningless. It begs for clarification. Everyone would agree that discipleship should be transformational (Check out Transformational Discipleship by Geiger, Kelley, and Nation). But what exactly is being transformed? At this point I see three popular, yet incomplete, views: 1) …
God Equips When We Obey
I remember one of the first days I was pastor of Wyatt Baptist Church in El Dorado, Arkansas I called on a man to pray, and silence followed -much silence. Finally, I heard the man say, “I pass.” I was a little stunned to say the least. I didn’t know you could “pass” on public …
The Triple-Word-Score of Providence
Have you ever caught a glimpse of something God is doing? Maybe you’ve observed an experience where what once seemed to be coincidence was clearly providence. Perhaps you met your spouse in the most unlikely of places and later realized God had planned the entire event. Or maybe the kind soul who stopped when your …
4 Tips to Keep Great Illustrations From Ruining Your Sermon
“He’s fun to listen to, but very hard to follow.” A friend and I were speaking about a preacher we had both listened to. It was a legitimate critique, I agreed. At the same time, I’m afraid it could be describing me too. For many preachers, public speaking comes naturally. They are gifted rhetoricians with …
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Three Bad Reasons to Plant a Church
I am a supporter of church planting. I believe the Great Commission requires it. However, I’m of the opinion that church planters with the wrong motives should stop and re-evaluate. Don’t misunderstand, no church planter is perfect, and certainly all planters have some degree of selfsih motives they struggle with. But if the main impetus …
Does God Hate?
Does God Hate? This topic probably didn’t get a lot of airplay from your childhood Sunday school teacher –and understandably so. Generally speaking, it is wrong to hate. The issue of God’s hatred is not just a theological riddle. The way we answer this question cuts to the heart of our understanding of God and …
Did Jesus Battle Depression?
Did Jesus battle depression? Seems like a strange question at first, but consider Isaiah’s prophesy of the coming Messiah: “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). That certainly sounds like someone dealing with the symptoms of depression. So why do we immediately push back at …
There is No “I” in Church
The local church is God’s chosen vessel for working in this world. Christ founded His church, died for His church, and now empowers His church. Other organizations and entities may come and go, but Christ has promised that His church will stand (Matthew 16:18). The church is a called-out community of baptized believers. There is …
Road (Air) Trip: Nicaragua
The ministry of discipleship and church planting in Nicaragua under the direction of Oscar Gaitan has been a major influence in my life for many years. Shortly after graduating from college I took my first trip to visit the Central American country where I met Oscar and his wife Tami. Over the years, I have …