I recently sat across from an international friend I've known for a while. As we talked about the upcoming holiday season, she stopped me and said she wanted to talk about Thanksgiving. I told her about the history, when the holiday was declared, some modern traditions, and that Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful and generous. Then, I said that it was a season for recognizing there was once a group of people who wanted to worship God in openness and by choice. So, they risked it all to go to an unfamiliar land to find that kind of … [Read more...]
4 Realities of Marriage That Young Adults Need to Hear
Ministry to young adults can be challenging and fun. Marriage is one of the topics that often comes up with them that is both of these things. For whatever reason, many young adults have lots of questions about marriage. It may have to do with their desire to be married, the relationships that they or their friends are in, an elevated view of marriage in the church, or even seeing marriage as an outlet to help them with a particular sin struggle or identity issue. No matter the reason, the topic of marriage comes up often. So, how we … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Why Your Ministry Might Not Be Going Anywhere
I don't know about you, but I want to be part of leading a ministry that's on the move. I want to be part of leading a ministry that's being used by God to change the world around me. So, what do you do when it seems like your ministry isn't going anywhere? What do you do when your ministry hits a plateau? For many of us, we probably pull out our notes from the last conference we went to or maybe we pick up a book on church growth. Before you do that though, I want to suggest you first ask yourself 3 questions that might help you … [Read more...]
Why It’s Important to Embrace New Seasons
Color-changing leaves on trees in autumn are my love language. Gray, blustery days and the sound of leaves scraping the sidewalk—mixed with the scent of bonfires and pumpkin—make my heart the happiest. Almost every year, my husband and I take a road trip. The destination is never the point. The point is that we take scenic highways to get there so that we can enjoy the changing colors of the trees. For this reason, fall is my favorite time of year. The change of seasons from summer to fall is one that I look forward to with great … [Read more...]
The Savior Who Challenges Our Assumptions
Jesus, Mary and Joseph’s boy, had been out making a name for Himself, but now He was coming back home. Nazareth was abuzz. The excitement was palpable. The people were whispering to each other and the synagogue was packed to the brim. Standing room only. Everyone had piled in to hear from Jesus. The service began with the traditional reading from the Torah, the Law, what we know as the first five books of the Old Testament today. This was a prescribed reading; the reader did not choose the text they wanted but instead read from … [Read more...]
5 Things Your Church Can Do to Reach and Impact College Students
A church does not have to be a "super church” or have hundreds at a weekly student gathering to reach and impact college students for faith in Christ. Your church might just have 35 every week or that might be the core that will broaden your impact. But, each individual student has the possibility of being a world impact person. I've never forgotten the story about the church that had a two-week revival and only one little boy came to faith in Christ. Whatever happened to Billy Graham anyway? Regardless of the size of your … [Read more...]
Are You Managing Well What God Has Entrusted to You?
Admit it. Nobody likes a bad manager. When things are poorly managed, everybody suffers. Things become disorganized. People get confused. Information gets lost. Productivity wanes. All in all, poor management can lead to mass chaos. Good managers place priority in taking good care of the people or tasks assigned to them. They model service. They are selfless. They set a standard of excellence for others to follow. In reality, we’re all managers. Yes—even young adults who may not feel they are entrusted with … [Read more...]
Are You Living a Life Worth Imitating?
There’s a really good chance that you are where you are today because people invested in your life. Here’s the deal: You’re not too young to start investing in the lives of younger guys and girls. When I was a sophomore in high school, my friend Jamie (who was a senior) asked if she could meet with me one morning a week before school started and mentor me and two other girls. Jamie picked me up every Wednesday morning and invested in me that year. It meant the world to me that she would spend time with me, and, more importantly, she … [Read more...]
Opening One Door At A Time
Scripture clearly calls us to care for others—to open our doors to those in need. So, would you consider that ministry or just genuine hospitality? Or both? Isn't that for people with spacious homes and plenty of time on their hands? Read on to learn what Tony Merida, pastor of Imago Dei Church, has to say about this: Opening your door means that there is something inside worth inviting someone in to see and experience. Opening your door means that you don’t desire to keep it all for yourself but that sharing with others is a … [Read more...]
Encouragement from Jeremiah for Mid-Semester Slumps
I don’t know about you, but every year around this time, I feel like I hit a wall. Its that mid-semester slump. We have celebrated our way through the beginning of the semester and now are privately wondering if we are going to have enough energy to make it through until Christmas. It lacks the glamour of newness that marks August/September or the poignancy of the November/December days. Maybe I am just a secret hater of routine, or maybe it’s the midterms that have started up, but I always feel as though my battery has just about run … [Read more...]
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