8 times when church is just ‘fun’
I want church leaders to think about times when church really is fun – and to long for that to happen in their own congregations.
I want church leaders to think about times when church really is fun – and to long for that to happen in their own congregations.
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I’m not what you would consider a man of the outdoors, but I did my fair share of fishing during my teen years.
Adobe Stock Photo. Do not publish.
The 20th century political anarchist Edward Abbey loved the desert and once observed, “What draws us into the desert is the search for something intimate in the remote.” Abbey was not the only person who discovered intimacy in the solitude of the desert. The same could be said for some of the most influential people of prayer mentioned in Scripture. God originally created man in a garden, but He frequently recreates them in a desert.
a golfer blasts his ball from the sand trap
I have tried really hard to like golf, but I prefer hobbies that do not tempt me to say or do things I will regret later. One thing I do like about golf is the mulligan—a do-over stroke that doesn’t count. They make those terrible shots disappear into thin air.
Gateway Seminary is experiencing significant transition. We are preparing for a new president, implementing a hand-off model of leadership change, and saying goodbye to a long-time leader. My unexpected candidacy to be the president of the SBC Executive Committee has further complicated the process.
Many years ago, when I stepped out of pastoral ministry into executive leadership, I was overwhelmed and knew I would not survive without spiritual support. I decided to write a column in the Northwest Baptist Witness asking for people who were already praying for me to form a prayer team. Note the careful qualifier – people who were already praying for me.
The music at Christmas is special for several reasons. First, the familiarity of frequently repeated hymns and songs means dozens of them can be sung from memory. Second, the biblical content is strong – particularly focused on themes like faith, hope and love.
ONTARIO, Calif. (BP) – Massacre. Atrocities. Carnage. Those were some of the words used to describe the results of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians. Infants were mutilated. Women were raped. Senior adults were beaten. People were murdered, indiscriminately slaughtered in their homes, at work and at public events. Pure evil – on stark display on terrorist-produced social media sites broadcast around the world.
In the Bible, there are many examples of anonymous believers bringing people to Jesus. One of the most dramatic stories involved four unnamed men who helped an invalid friend drop in on Jesus.
In the Bible, there are many examples of anonymous believers bringing people to Jesus. One of the most dramatic stories involved four unnamed men who helped an invalid friend drop in on Jesus.
In the Bible, there are many examples of anonymous believers bringing people to Jesus. One of the most dramatic stories involved four unnamed men who helped an invalid friend drop in on Jesus. The Lord was teaching in Capernaum when “so many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word to them” (Mark 2:2).
A few years ago, Nigerian Baptist leaders welcomed me at the airport with these words, “Thank you for sending Thomas Jefferson Bowen to bring us the Gospel.”
The Western Elementary School District, which covers parts of Glendale and Phoenix recently ended its contract with Arizona Christian University. The agreement facilitated student-teacher training, which created a pathway to employment for ACU graduates.