Tomorrow morning, we leave on a mission trip. Twenty-four of us are heading into New York City to offer compassion and support to people living on the streets and those struggling to get by. We are partnering with existing ministries that are invested in their communities, which will allow us to assist those serving on a daily basis. We are not going to be saviors, […]
I hear it frequently, and have many times over the past 30 years of ministry, “We just cannot get enough volunteers.” It seems like most churches wrestle with this issue. How can we get more people to volunteer for the various ministries we offer? Sometimes, this leads to a place of great frustration where leaders begin to believe that nobody cares about the ministry of […]
We exercised our right to vote and now we face an even bigger responsibility: supporting our leaders and becoming a part of the solution. Our commitment to God and country reaches far beyond a day here or there when we cast an informed ballot. We are called to build community, work together for the common good and seek God’s direction on how to lift up […]
Throughout the Scripture we find places where the people of God built altars. Sometimes, these were directly connected to houses of worship, but often, they were places of remembrance. When individuals and communities experienced unique encounters with God, an altar would be set up to remember that experience and honor God in the future. Occasionally, people would erect standing stones, large stones placed in an […]
There are so many reasons to be thankful, including so many people that bless our lives. Several days ago, I was visiting with a friend at his home. He and I were sitting on the front porch talking and watching the neighborhood activity. Children were riding their bikes along the sidewalk, several couples were strolling together, and people were coming in and out of their homes. Occasionally, […]
“The idea that the service to God should have only to do with a Church altar, singing, reading, sacrifice, and the like is without a doubt but the worst trick of the devil. How could the devil have led us more effectively astray than by the narrow conception that service to God takes place only in Church and by works done therein… the whole world […]