Author Archive
Posted on April 30, 2010 - by Admin2
Moral Earthquakes
By David Sutton
In 1989, an expectant crowd was listening to the national anthem at beautiful Park in San Francisco. The stadium was filled to capacity, and everyone was there to have a good time watching the Oakland As and the San Francisco Giants compete in game three of the World Series.
About halfway through the national anthem, the ground beneath the stadium began to shake furiously to the shock and dismay of the crowd. Thousands of crazed fans, fearing the stadium might collapse beneath them, stampeded from the stands. In the following moments, all around the San Francisco Bay area, bridges were falling, freeways were wobbling, homes toppling, and entire neighborhoods were set ablaze. (more…)
Posted on April 20, 2010 - by Admin2
Political Outrage: Balancing Social Ills and the Gospel Imperative
By Brent Nix
I just got off the phone with someone who tried to convince me that I should be outraged enough about a recent political scandal to send money to support an effort to do something or other about it.
After listening for a couple of minutes, I hung up. Rude, you say? Perhaps, but I’m growing weary with these kinds of calls. The sad part is that I’m generally in agreement with the groups who are calling. I guess that’s why I’m on their lists. This small episode brings to mind a question I’ve been contemplating for some time. What is the responsibility of the Iocal church and individual Christians with regard to social reform? (more…)
Posted on April 20, 2010 - by Admin2
Guidelines for Digital Ministry
By Jeff Crabtree
The Church is in the world…of computers. Most church leaders realize the Internet and other forms of digital communication hold great potential for personal ministry. Ministry updates take seconds instead of weeks. Urgent prayer requests, devotional materials and good humor can be shared with a few keystrokes. As you dive into the world of digital ministry, consider the following practical suggestions. (more…)
Posted on April 20, 2010 - by Admin2
Memorable Media
In this information age, when the church competes with Internet, television, video games, and smart phones for the attention of the congregation, how can you capture the attention of your readers? The church must develop attention-grabbing, high impact material that meets the following criterion. (more…)
Posted on April 12, 2010 - by Admin2
What Are You Looking At?
By Keith Burden
It had been a long week at graduate school. I was attending a modular course on the Free Will Baptist Bible College campus. The class had been practical and challenging, but 32 hours of instruction and interaction left me exhausted.
The session concluded Friday at noon. I decided to skip lunch and hit the road immediately. I slid under the steering wheel of my Dodge Colt station wagon and began the 12-hour trip home. If everything went well, I would arrive by midnight. (more…)
Posted on April 12, 2010 - by Admin2
Providential Train Wreck
By Keith Burden
It was a normal part of his daily routine, something he had done a thousand times. He could almost do it with his eyes closed.
Charles would rise early, shower, shave and then make his way into town to buy a newspaper before joining his friends for coffee and doughnuts. His rural home was only a few miles from a sleepy little community. (more…)
Posted on April 12, 2010 - by Admin2
Keep the Cat in the Bag
By Keith Burden
Woodworking is one of my favorite hobbies. Through the years I’ve accumulated a variety of hand and power tools. I grew up in a carpenter’s home, so I guess I came by my interest in building things honestly. My biggest challenge today is finding time to invest in this craft.
As Christmas 2002 approached I was trying to decide what gift to give my six-month-old grandson. After some time and consideration, I settled on what I thought would be the perfect present—a hand-made, wooden rocking horse. (more…)
Posted on April 12, 2010 - by Admin2
Do You Know Who I Am?
By Keith Burden
Some things are worse than dying. That was the conclusion I reached after watching my mother suffer from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. For years I erroneously believed this condition affected only the mind. Our experience proved otherwise. (more…)