one mission
My husband and I often must act as referees while moderating the differences between our two offspring. They focus on what makes them different instead of what unites them. We frequently remind the two that they need each other—something that’s hard for them to see.
rough waters
Palmer Chinchen, author of True Religion, tells of the time when he went whitewater rafting down the Zambezi River. As he and his brothers were preparing to make their way down the watery roller coaster, the guide gave them some very helpful advice: “When—not if—the raft flips, stay in the rough water. You’ll be tempted to swim toward the stagnant water at the edge of the banks. Don’t do it, because it is in the stagnant water that the crocs wait for you. They are large and hungry. So when the raft flips, stay in the rough water.”
one morning
There aren’t many days that noticeably change the world. In my lifetime I would count 9/11, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and perhaps a few more. Even so, today we conduct our business much as we did before those events.
when sleep eludes
I tossed and turned on my bed. My heart was troubled and my mind disturbed. I was deliberating a decision that could set my life on a whole new course. In this scary time, I found myself praying: Lord, teach me how to pray!
follow Jesus
Grandpa was a gentle but firm primary school principal in Pretoria, South Africa. In my final year as a student teacher, he shared a few trade secrets with me. His advice on how to get a disruptive pupil out of the classroom and into isolation was most helpful: “Look the child in the eye and say with authority, ‘Follow me,’ then turn and walk confidently out of the classroom while not looking back.” I tested his advice when dealing with an unruly adolescent and, though I doubted it would work, I soon heard him reluctantly following me.
joy in the journey
The announcement of a family road trip is the quickest way to get our eager 6-year-old twins packed and in the car. As we drive down our road, around the corner and onto the highway, however, the standard travel refrain is soon heard from the little voices in the backseat: “Are we there yet?” It’s a question that’s often repeated, and although as parents we might tire of it, the children never contemplate giving up on the journey and heading home. They might get impatient, but they want to press on to reach the destination.
investing for eternity
Jesus said that those who would be His disciples must do three things: “Turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Then He raised the bar even higher: “You must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). Considering the hard realities of these requirements, why would anyone want to follow Him?
privilege of love
Three nights ago, my husband and I closed a chapter in our life. Youth ministry has been my niche for as long as we’ve been married (nearly 18 years) and even longer for my husband. As we prepare to lead a church plant, this fall has been a long series of goodbyes—our last youth retreat, Christmas banquet, youth service. This past Monday evening was our final, and most difficult, goodbye.
you choose Q: where were the disciples when the Holy Spirit came?
Q: Where were the disciples when the Holy Spirit came on The Day of Pentecost? —Pat
A: No one knows for sure where the disciples were gathered. Some have believed that it was the upper room mentioned in Acts 1:13. Others think that the place could have been a room in the temple, a synagogue, or the temple courtyard itself. The…
amenities
Amenities. Surprisingly, I heard someone use that word in describing a church they had chosen to attend. I understood that the individual was referring to the different ministries the church had to offer, but I was also reminded of the big difference between a fishing boat and a cruise liner.
leaders conference
British historian Arnold Toynbee once observed that the rise and fall of societies has a one-to-one correlation with the quality of its leadership. A recent study on the growth patterns of 60 churches seems to confirm this observation. It reveals that where the church leaders were positive, flexible, confident, cheerful, and goal-oriented, the church was growing.
Joshua understood that leaders…
new swimmers
In February of 2011, Andrew Wilson, an Australian fisherman was fishing off the coast of New South Wales when he was thrown from his boat by a large wave. Without a life jacket, but filled with adrenaline and tenacity, Wilson braved the shark-infested waters and simply kept swimming. “I wasn’t going to stop, so I just kept going.”
Wilson survived…
strong disciples
Matthew 4:23: Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed every kind of disease and illness.
What is the one message that church-goers have heard more than any other? If you said "the gospel message" you are absolutely correct. Paul tells us in his epistles that he preached…
master broadcaster
Jesus was a strategic broadcaster. Whenever crowds gathered around the Savior, it wasn’t long before He sat down to teach them about His kingdom. But how did Jesus teach the masses? He told stories. A farmer sowed seed in a field (Mark 4:1-8); a seed sprouted without anyone knowing how (Mark 4:26-29); a mustard seed grew into a tree that…
