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Reigning Lord Jesus, We declare that you sit upon your throne as our Ascended King. Yet, we lament that your power and authority is often hidden from our eyes. How long will you let death ravage your world? How long will you let Satan ravage people’s lives? How long will you let sin and sickness […]
Is this COVID-19 merely the equivalent of a blizzard? Or will it be a long winter? Or, worse, an ice age? Andy Crouch summarizes three perspectives and possible realities in his recent article on the need for our adaptation to what appears to be our new normal. When COVID-19 hit, most everyone was thinking in […]
The sociologist and historian Rodney Stark has written extensively on the early Christian church’s response to epidemics and plagues in the Roman Empire. In a culture where pity was viewed as a character defect, Christians spoke and acted differently. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, devastating plagues swept through the empire. Two responses were common: […]
What do we do when God interrupts our schedule as a church? Right now, it seems, like churches are scrambling to keep doing everything they were doing before. Technology is the savior who is rescuing us from our fear of deprivation. With the click of the button, you can listen in, sing along, comment in […]
How can you love and care for your pastor(s) well? In his book The Book Your Pastor Wishes You Would Read (but is too embarrassed to ask), Christopher Ash seeks to answer this question. Why should you consider how to love and care for your pastor? After all, isn’t that what he’s supposed to be […]
A Pastor’s Prayer for Our Church in 2020 Good and gracious Father, who sent Your beloved Son into this world to redeem a people for Himself, a Bride to love and cherish for eternity; who sent Your Spirit to enliven our hearts to love and cherish You for eternity, may our church bring You great […]
Have you ever started a New Year’s resolution only to only get two months in and then fall back into your old habits? Or maybe you thought about a New Year’s resolution but never even started? Well, as James K.A. Smith argues in his book, You Are What You Love, we are more than thinking […]
John Wesley, the 18th century leader of the Methodist movement, famously gave directions for congregational singing. These points were included in Methodist hymnals for many years thereafter. As quoted by Pastor Shane in his sermon this Sunday on Psalm 149, here are 7 relevant encouragements from Wesley for us today. Learn these tunes before you […]
One of the first topics we pray for at our Sunday evening service is the word ministry of our church. Why? We believe that the Scriptures are essential to everything we do. Our church is built upon Christ and His word. When God’s word is center, it communicates something about us: the power of salvation […]
Sunday evening church services aren’t exactly en vogue. They haven’t been for a few decades (at least). They certainly aren’t recommended by the church growth experts. For many, they’re seen as redundant, inconvenient, and unnecessary. We disagree. Sunday evening service is a great opportunity for the church. Here are 7 reasons why we have a […]