“And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road” (Matthew 2:12). What would a Christmas pageant be without the three Wise Men?
Who do you want to be? (Part 4 in the series, God moved into the neighborhood)
If you spend much time listening closely to modern pop music you will quickly come to discover that one of the themes of this age is “be true to yourself.”
The race problem: when you’re tired of eating elephant
By Starlette McNeill Someone asked the question, “How do you eat an elephant?” Someone else answered, “One bite at a time.” I don’t know who eats elephant or thinks that they can eat it all. I never have and don’t…
Light to live by (Part 3 in the series, God moved into the neighborhood)
Have you ever gotten unwanted advice? If you’re like me, you’re not much up for getting advice you didn’t seek. Unless, that is, the advice comes from an expert. Imagine that you were at a park somewhere cooking some hamburgers…
Epiphanic moments
By Bill Leonard “When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were 2 years old and under, according to the…
Time and eternity
We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. Things that…
On saying goodbye and saying hello
By Amy Butler Just the other day I was remembering 11 years of Christmas Eve services at my former congregation. I recall the first year I was there, trying desperately to come up with a unique idea for a service…
A box and one basketball offense does not work in congregations
Many years ago I discovered a style of basketball defense played by small high schools called a box and one defense. Four players would form a box near the basket they were defending, and the fifth player would follow whoever…
We all need a Seacrest
I hate New Year’s. And no, not just because I’d rather paint a terribly ventilated bathroom than attempt to stay awake until midnight only to watch Jenny McCarthy make halting small talk with people who’ve been corralled in pens like…
Choosing your own Jesus
The Christ child has been born of Mary, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid to rest in a manger. The angelic host has winged its way back to highest heaven. So, what do we do now?
A ‘Matthew’ kind of year
By Scott Dickison Yesterday was a lesser-known holy day tucked within this Christmas season. The 28th of December is kept within the church year as “Holy Innocents’ Day,” or more traditionally, “Childermas.” The “Children’s Mass,” remembers the account from the…
Let’s keep Herod in Christmas
By Brett Younger Twenty-eight Christmases ago I was the new pastor of Central Baptist Church in Paoli, Ind. I decided to have the church’s first ever Christmas Eve candlelight communion service. I wanted everything to be perfect. Snow fell that…