church

If Acts 4:32-37 were printed (without the reference to “the Lord Jesus”) in our local newspapers or broadcast on the nightly news, immediately we would think this was another David Koresh or Jim Jones cult and shake our heads at these religious fanatics who mindlessly throw their lives away into the hands of some demented […]

Focus Take a few minutes to push the “pause” button on whatever is going on around you and be still with God. Read Psalm 22:25-31 (NRSV) From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek […]

Focus Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time. Read Psalm 84 (NRSV) How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for […]

Blog found at Salt Societywritten by Ruthie Grace Ruthie Grace’s dream is to help small churches overcome budget, skills and volunteering challenges and kickstart their communications. Whether it’s branding on a budget, welcoming with a flourish or strategizing on social media, you can find tips + advice on it on her website, saltsociety.org. What I’ve noticed is, no matter […]

Focus Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word. Read Acts 7:44-53 (NRSV) “Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to […]

How does the church treat its older members? Unfortunately, those who are no longer able to participate regularly in the life of the church may be forgotten. Often these people are the very ones who were instrumental in establishing and building the church—through their gifts of time, energy, and resources. This situation is not limited […]

Many of us grew up—or our kids did—in the time of a TV show called The Waltons. As you may remember, the setting took place during the depression when money was so tight it was hard to scrape up enough to buy a sack of flour at the neighborhood general store. The lack of money […]

Well, here we are again. As I write this column, our nation—and in fact, much of the world—reels from the news out of Orlando, Florida. Fifty persons dead. More than fifty wounded. Hundreds, if not thousands of friends and family members suddenly left without relationships they had cherished. I suppose one might argue that there […]

No one wants to deal with the painful reality of abuse, but it happens—and it happens to people who are in the church and by perpetrators who are also in the church. Sometimes it even happens at the church—and not just to children or youth! Abuse is not limited by gender, age, race, religion, education, […]

Focus Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time. Read Psalm 133 (NRSV) How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the […]