When our church began a sermon series a few Sundays ago, I shared about the significant correlation between a church’s spiritual health and the health of a church’s giving by using the example of giving as a spiritual thermometer. Our giving says something about our faith and our relationship with God. The story of the widow’s… Continue reading sacrifices and offerings and tithes…oh my!
Category: Events
More than enough
It is said that giving is the spiritual thermometer of the church. A healthy congregation will experience healthy giving because it is tied directly to our understanding of God and our relationship to him. And yet, it seems to be a difficult topic for us to talk about. A few years ago, I had the… Continue reading More than enough
Why I want to be a player in the cosmic drama
In the midst of teetering economies, droughts in Africa, and the grief stricken city of Oslo, we may wonder how we as Christians can contribute anything of significance in God’s cosmic plans for the earth. How can Pastor Harry’s suggestion of focusing 400 hours even begin to make a dent? And yet, I am reminded… Continue reading Why I want to be a player in the cosmic drama
What are you running towards?
Recently, I took the time to reread the Easter texts and allow them to sink in more deeply. During Holy week, I often enter the story from a worship planning perspective thinking about how I might aid the congregation in entering the story. That day, as many pastors often do the week after Easter, I… Continue reading What are you running towards?
When the going gets tough
I think that we as Christians skip over the immense pain and suffering that Jesus experienced the week leading up to his death. Though there are many stories in between, we tend to move from the shouting Hosannas in church on Palm Sunday to the Hallelujahs of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Yes, many of us do… Continue reading When the going gets tough
the inspiration of others
There are moments in our lives when God uses people to inspire us and till up some of the hard soil in order to prepare us for the new growth that he is bringing about. I will never forget attending a recent homecoming event at Eastern Mennonite University and hearing the recipient of the Distinguished… Continue reading the inspiration of others
more thoughts on the gift of time
One of the reasons I feel we misunderstand and misuse our time is because we do not view it as a gift. We generally move from day to day with the assumption that there will be another. The consequences? We move from activity to activity, meeting to meeting, shopping spree to movie night, barely able… Continue reading more thoughts on the gift of time
making it through the storm
As Harry preached this past Sunday on Jesus walking on the water, I was deeply moved as I realized that recently I had been weathering my own storm… it is hard to know where these storms originate and why. Sometimes they arrive as quickly and as unexpectedly as they subside… like a squall on a… Continue reading making it through the storm
The spirituality of place…
During his ministry on earth, Jesus would often steal away from the crowds to reconnect with God. I am keenly aware that if Jesus needed this in his ministry, it is a good idea for me also. But it is not just because Jesus did it. I am aware that I can quickly get caught… Continue reading The spirituality of place…
Help my eyes to see
Another cup of coffee and another invitation from God today… I am beginning to see beyond circumstances and recognize just how hard God works at getting through to this overly intellectual, worrisome head of mine! Today’s reading of A.W. Tozer sparked more thoughts on last weeks post, “Are there ladders in your life“. Tozer writes,… Continue reading Help my eyes to see