There is no shortage of Christian content today.
We can listen to sermons, read books, subscribe to newsletters, follow teachers, watch videos, and scroll through an endless stream of Christian encouragement.
But more information isn’t necessarily what we need.
We need a foundation.
Jesus told a story about two people who built houses. From the outside, the houses may have looked much the same. The difference wasn’t what could be seen on the surface. The difference was underneath.
One built on rock.
The other built on sand.
When the storm came, the foundation made all the difference.
That is the heart behind Foundational Christian Living.
Why Foundational Christian Living?
We live in a confused and upside-down world.
Ideas about truth, identity, morality, relationships, the Church, and even faith itself are constantly changing. What was considered obvious yesterday can be questioned today.
And Christians can easily find themselves overwhelmed by all the competing voices.
So how do we know what is true?
How do we know what to believe?
How do we live faithfully when the culture around us is pulling in another direction?
We go back to the foundation.
God’s Word.
Not the latest trend.
Not the loudest voice.
Not whatever happens to be popular.
The Word of God.
The purpose of this publication is to help us think clearly, live faithfully, and continually return to the truths that form the foundation of the Christian life.
What You’ll Find Here
There are several themes you’ll see throughout Foundational Christian Living.
Faith
What does it mean to genuinely believe God and live by faith?
Faith isn’t simply agreeing with a set of doctrines. It changes the way we see God, ourselves, our circumstances, and the world around us.
Grace
Grace is at the heart of the Gospel.
But grace is often misunderstood—either reduced to a vague idea of God’s kindness or separated from the transformed life it produces.
We’ll explore what biblical grace actually means and how it changes the way we live.
Discipleship
Jesus didn’t merely call people to believe in Him.
He called them to follow Him.
That means Christianity is more than a decision we made at some point in the past. It is a life of learning, growing, obeying, and becoming more like Christ.
The Church
The Church belongs to Jesus.
We’ll consider what Scripture says about the Church, its purpose, its mission, its health, and what happens when we lose sight of the things that should be foundational.
Restoration
Sometimes the way forward begins by going back.
Throughout Scripture, God’s people repeatedly needed to return to what they had forgotten, neglected, or abandoned.
Restoration isn’t about returning to a particular tradition or trying to recreate the past.
It is about returning to truth.
This Isn’t About Having All the Answers
I don’t write because I have everything figured out.
After more than 50 decades of ministry, teaching, preaching, church planting, leadership, and walking alongside people through the realities of life and faith, I’ve learned that following Jesus is a lifelong journey.
There is always more to learn.
More to understand.
More to surrender.
More room for God to change us.
So I want Foundational Christian Living to be a place where we can think deeply, ask honest questions, open the Scriptures, and allow God’s truth to challenge and shape us.
Sometimes that means being encouraged.
Sometimes it means being corrected.
Sometimes it means discovering that something we assumed was biblical was actually nothing more than a tradition, habit, or cultural idea.
That’s okay.
Truth doesn’t need to be afraid of honest questions.
Where Should You Begin?
If you’re new here, I recommend starting with these articles:
Reformation Starts Here: Restoring the Church From the Inside Out
A look at why genuine restoration begins within us and within the Church—and why we can’t restore what we’ve never established on a solid foundation.
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian?
Being a Christian is more than carrying a label. Scripture calls us to something deeper: a life transformed by Christ and lived in relationship with Him.
What Are You Building Your Life On?
Jesus’ teaching about the wise and foolish builders raises a question every Christian needs to answer: What is actually holding up my life?
A Word About This Publication
My hope is that Foundational Christian Living becomes more than another publication in your inbox.
I hope it becomes a place you return to when you need to think.
When you need to be reminded of what is true.
When you need to step away from the noise and come back to Scripture.
When you need to examine what you’ve built your life upon.
And most of all, when you need to be reminded that Jesus is still worthy of being followed wholeheartedly.
If that sounds like something you need, subscribe and join me here.
New articles will explore faith, grace, discipleship, the Church, restoration, and what it means to live faithfully in an increasingly confused world.
Thank you for being here.
Let’s go back to the foundations—and build from there.
— Dean Hackett