Fear threatens to undermine the mission of God. How are Christians to handle this in practical ways? The Psalmist David, the Avett Brothers, and preacher Phoebe Palmer offer some advice.
Jesus and The Powers
Wright and Bird ground their response in Jesus’ primary message about the kingdom of God. They argue that in a time of fear and fragmentation, amid carnage and crises of various kinds, Jesus is King and Jesus’ kingdom remains the central object of the Church’s witness and work.
Book Review: Josh Ross’ Coreology: Six Principles for Navigating An Election Season Without Losing Our Witness
Ross’ principles are valuable and speak to the pastoral heart Ross holds towards Kingdom-people. Ross desires to remind Kingdom-people of the calling of God and the imagination of Kingdom-living available to each person in light of that calling.
Reflections from the Past that Suggest a Future
When churches preach Jesus Christ, call people to discipleship, welcome all to community and shared life, practice hospitality and care for others, then churches continually find opportunities to live into a simple Christian witness.
Self-Care or Selfish?
Your body, mind, and soul respond in gratitude when you care for them. The people in your world appreciate being around you when you are fully who you were created to be instead of a dried-up, used-up, depleted version of yourself.
Communication Lessons from my Dad
It strikes me that any one of these communication qualities that I listed is a game-changer for the people around us. There are the rare people, like my dad, who have many admirable communication habits, but if you have any one of these and are maybe working on another, then you are in a strong position to show Jesus to others.
My First Honor Walk
An honor walk is a day when a person has gone to be with the Lord. This person had chosen beforehand to donate their organs to others waiting for these precious gifts. It is an extremely profound day for the organ donor’s family, and also a day of rejoicing for the recipients.
Crisis Care in Disaster
Imagine receiving a call telling you to evacuate your home due to a fast-moving fire in your direction and there’s only one road out. What do you take with you? Where do you go, and how much time do you have? Such was our situation on September 4, 2011. I was in shock and had no idea what to do.
The Prayer of Indifference
As followers of Christ, we ultimately want what God wants. So how do we figure out exactly what that is? While neither I nor anyone else knows exactly what that is every time, there is time and space to discern and arrive at what that could be.
Calling All Creatives
God created us to be creative, and if co-creating is a way that we can experience the divine—well, God is making things beautiful in their time. And God allows us to join him in that endeavor so that the world will see him, know him, and come to glorify him.
Why I Live by the Ridgell Rules
I developed these rules several years ago to help me live in a way that honored God. My rules are not spelled out in the Bible, though they very much reflect my understanding of Biblical principles and practices.
Chosen, Ephesians 1:3-4
To be “in Christ” means to be united with him like a branch to a tree; it means belonging to him, participating in his life and divine nature. We are God’s chosen people because we decided to be “in Christ.”
We Know Not What We are Doing
What do I not know about my sin? Every time I sin, it is like a rock that is thrown into the middle of a body of water. A pebble makes small ripples, while a boulder makes big ones. My sin may not seem to be an undersea earthquake that causes a tsunami… but the ripples are undeniable, and it is impossible for me to see them all.
Man is Not Made for the Bible
It is the task of the preacher is to ensure that the Bible exercises the right kind of authority in the lives of those gathered within the hearing of the Word.
Moving Beyond the Labels!
Story after story unfolds and it becomes so abundantly clear that what makes for health and vitality is that in every new moment there is the space to look for God’s arrival and to name it!
It Was Just Nice
There is something so holy about being with a small group of friends who know me and who care enough to be supportive during such a drastic transition.
The Pursuit of Purpose: How it Shapes Individuals, Impacts the World, and Cultivates Discernment
The pursuit of purpose, particularly for Christians, transcends individual spiritual alignment; it is a societal imperative giving rise to discerning, disciplined, and transformative individuals.
Does God Provide Miraculous Escapes?
Perhaps God’s miraculous rescues, when and if they happen, aren’t easily verifiable. Maybe they depend on faith to see these divine interventions.
What is Your Relationship with Fear?
The goal in effective leadership is not to eliminate fear but to make it a worthy partner. Fear is designed to be your friend until you make it your boss.
Control
“Come to me.” How gently he summons us to him. The tool, or yoke, is used to join two creatures for the purpose of working together or sharing a load.