Category: Uncategorized

By Andrew Bors I was raised in a Christian family and grew up content within the routines of our religion. We went to church every Sunday. I went to Sunday School and recited Bible verses and said my prayers when it was time, but beyond that I did not seriously reflect. My belief was a...

By John Fryling “Connecting Your Work to God’s Work” is the subtitle of Tim Keller’s book on work, Every Good Endeavor. Many Christians – and for that matter, many churches – see little connection between Christian discipleship and work done outside the church. This big-time disconnect can lead to deep frustration both for church leaders...

By Joshua Earman Help! How do I talk to my young kids about God? What goes into bringing up a kid? Which of the following ingredients are you pouring into your child’s life: faith, love, family, traditions, education, sports, nutrition, friends, ethics, safety, fun, pizza? Other ingredients might include Minecraft, bullying, the environment, respect for...

By Bill Parr “Lord, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.” As I have become older, I find myself praying this all the time. Every day brings us reminders that we live in a very fallen and broken world. This past week, we had a very stark reminder of this when we heard the news...

By Ward Shope Remembering is what makes us human. We tend to think of it as a nostalgic activity, either prompting tears or promoting sentimentality. Those who live in the past have lost a sense of relevance. It can be seen as a sign of neurosis, the preoccupation of an unhealthy emotional state. The movers...

By George Caruso “I can’t do anything by myself. I can only do what I see my dad doing” Paul Miller, who led the “A Praying Life” seminar, wrote these words in front of the group, asking for a response. I had a similar reaction to others; either these are the words of a toddler,...

By Patrick Glowacki My road to knowing Jesus started when the Lord put a little doubt in my mind to stretch me spiritually. I grew up in a Catholic family, attended Catholic school throughout elementary and high school, went to Mass every Sunday, and said an “Our Father and a “Hail Mary” before I went...

By Marsha Petty It’s amazing that God can use US to make Jesus visible to the poor and oppressed! But that’s exactly what he’s doing! God has been so generous in his gift to us of his Son and then his Spirit. What a thrill for us to be like God and give to others...

By Jen Fauske My Life Verse: Jeremiah 29:11 – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord.” God works in mysterious ways. Yet his ways are always faithful and He is teaching me to trust Him more. After faithfully serving at a Christian camp for the last twenty years, that door...

By Annie Notary, our new Women’s Ministry Coordinator Part of Ron’s recent sermon on prayer (January 4 sermon) has really stuck with me. He said that the reason we don’t pray is because we think we can do life on our own and we think we don’t really need Him. I tend to rely on...

By Anthony Gammage “Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!” -Psalm 97:12 Since the Outreach Festival concluded in early February, I have had a chance to evaluate the time and to hear some of the stories that have emerged from it. Something I am trying to discipline myself...

By Ward Shope Few, if any of us, are satisfied with our private prayer lives. And if we are, the satisfaction is short-lived. The vital prayer warranty suddenly runs out and we find ourselves struggling again, looking for some sort of technical expertise for the productive prayer life. Going into a private prayer closet and...