Me: Hey God. God: Hello. Me: I’m falling apart. Can you put me back together? God: I would rather not. Me: Why? God: Because you aren’t a puzzle. Me: What about all of the pieces of my life that are falling down onto the ground? God: Let them stay there for a while. They fell […]
I am not sure what God considers the last days, but to me, it sure seems that we are approaching those days rather quickly. As I read 2 Timothy 3:1-5, it appears that the Apostle Paul is describing our time: But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men […]
My childhood memories of many sermons in church were from men who seemed angry about a lot of things. They preached long and hard about world conditions and the imminent battle of Armageddon. I greatly feared the nations of Gog and Magog! Late at night, I thought I could hear those evil armies crashing over […]
I can’t go in there, I thought as I turned away. The ramshackle outhouse I stood in front of teetered on the edge of a ravine, with just a scrap of cloth serving as the door. Village children, stray dogs, and small pigs observed me with interest as I edged away. My husband and I […]
Does the church have a mission to fulfill in this increasingly chaotic time? Can and should we make a difference in the world today? Yes, yes, and yes! Then what is the mission of the church? 4 purposes that make up the mission of the church: to worship God (John 4:23-24; Rom. 14:11; Rev. 7:10-12) […]
At twenty-five years old, Phil Vischer had a simple goal. He wanted to blend the love of his faith with his love of filmmaking. Each profitable VeggieTales video meant he could afford to delight children with a new Bible-inspired story. Then his goal got bigger. Captivated by the concept of adopting a goal so big, […]
The theme of reconciliation is as old as humanity itself. Because of sin, humans damaged their relationship not only with God but also with their neighbor. Because of the Fall, communion between Adam and Eve was lost, giving rise to individualism. Both covered themselves with fig leaves, which they had not needed before: “I was […]
“I’ve Got This!!!” (Borrowed with permission from the Southwest District Superintendent’s Blog) Said Someone Who Was Clueless But Wait… Are things not going according to Plan? Oh, the treasures we have learned from the 2020 pandemic. Number one among those is to “Focus on Jesus and follow his plan.” Number two among those is, “We […]
Editor’s Note: This was my original First Word for the May-June BA, written in February before the COVD-19 outbreak. It was replaced with a more timely editorial just prior to publication. Written with “The Ministry” theme in mind, the original is offered to you here as an online exclusive. ….. We have another beautiful cover […]
Recently while I was reading Psalm 42, verse 4 took on new meaning for me. It reads: These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. This […]
