Friday's Catch: 'What is good about Good Friday?' And More

What is good about Good Friday?
Good Friday is when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus. But what is good about Good Friday?

Jesus’s Burial Defied All Expectations
All four Gospel writers tell good news before the good news. They tell of an unexpected triumph before the unexpected triumph. There are many important details in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that only one or two of the Gospel writers tell. So we should take notice when all four heralds draw our attention to the same story.

Jesus set the example of service and care, says King Charles in Maundy Thursday message
King Charles III has spoken about the importance of showing care and kindness to others in a message that was specially recorded for Maundy Thursday. The King was unable to accompany the Queen to a Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral as he continues to receive treatment for cancer.

3 Core Values of People Who Actually Make a Difference in the World
In 1955 a forty-two year old black woman, exhausted from a hard day at work, refused to sit in the back of the transit bus. The southern bus driver warned her that her defiance would be cause for him to call the police and have her arrested. But she had had enough of white bigotry. She resented being judged by the color of her skin instead of by the integrity of her heart, so she steadfastly refused to move. Her name was Rosa Parks. 

Why We Don't Have a Formal Greeting Time
Many churches have this allotted time for the sake of visitors. After all, we don’t want to risk someone walking through our doors and not be greeted with a friendly face. What better way to assure this happens than to have a 3-5 minute time during the service to do just that. But it doesn’t work. In fact, church health guru, Thom Rainer, found that almost 90% of guests were uncomfortable by the practice. (Source) It might be one of the reasons a visitor doesn’t come back to your church.

Can You Pass the Timothy Test?
Toward the end of the apostle Paul’s final letter, he gave his protégé Timothy four challenges. Greg Stier has come to nickname these challenges the “Timothy Test,” and he beieves that they are essential to effective ministry, especially youth ministry.

How to Follow the Spirit Like an Apostle
"God doesn’t offer a map, but he usually provides a compass," writes J. D. Greear. "With a map, I can be in total control. With a compass, I have only the right direction. But along the way, I still need God to open and close doors for me. And sometimes he changes the trajectory altogether."