By Bill Leonard In an essay posted on Christianhistory.net on July 1, 2007, Scott Manetsch writes: “Before dawn on the morning of August 24, 1572, church bells tolled in the Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois quarter of Paris. Just moments earlier, soldiers under…
Vision casting is the responsibility of all congregational leaders
By George Bullard Matt Carswell, pastor of Mountain View Church, is a gifted preacher and a warm, caring pastor. Spiritual formation through worship and in-depth pastoral care are places where he excels. He is loved by his congregation. At the…
The downside of diversity
By Amy Butler For some time I’ve been of the conviction that cultivating diverse communities of faith is critical to living the gospel. Some tell me creating a diverse community is just not a reality for their church; the community…
Seminaries forging a future
By Ron Crawford A response to “Seminaries reluctantly selling their souls,” by Brett Younger. So, I bought the microwave oven anyway! Typically, my wife and I reach a consensus before we make major purchases; in the early 1980s a microwave…
Now thank we all our God
By Scott Dickison It was around the year 1636, in the town of Eilenburg, in present day Germany, during what is now known as the Thirty Years’ War — the longest and what many believe is still the most destructive…
Thankful for praying communities
By Nora O. Lozano La versión en español está disponible aquí. As we approach Thanksgiving, Christmas and the end of the year, I normally start reflecting on the year and the major events that happened. This year has brought its…
Agradecida por las comunidades de oración
Nora O. LozanoTraducido por Cristina Rodríguez Alejandro An English version is available here. A medida que nos acercamos al Día de Acción de Gracias, a Navidad y al fin de año, regularmente comienzo a reflexionar en el año y en…
Seminaries reluctantly selling their souls
By Brett Younger When I was 16, I inexplicably got a job as a mechanic. I was assigned to tires and batteries — the kindergarten of the automotive world. Even in the department in which I could do the least…
We can make it on the broken pieces
By LeDayne McLeese Polaski It was hot in the church that steamy New Orleans night, but the members of the congregation were far more focused on the fact that this was their first revival since Hurricane Katrina — a significant…
It’s not about the ‘thank you’
By Corey Fields It’s a story that has stuck with me ever since I heard it. When I was in high school, I had a mentor and Bible study leader who went to Honduras every year with her undergrad students….
A sweet fragrance rising before the throne of God
By Joe LaGuardia Reflecting on the fragility of life and the significance of gratitude, the poet of Psalm 39 wrote, “Hear my prayer, O Lord … for I am your passing guest, a sojourner, like my ancestors” (v. 12). This…
Being content
By Jonathan Waits Have you ever been in a place where you were totally content? That’s a hard place to be. It goes against our natural inclinations. Our natural lean is to constantly reach and strive for whatever is the…