Geriatrician Louise Aronson believes there is a “disconnect between the reality of old age and our beliefs about it.”[i] She describes society’s negative view of old age: “to look at old age and see only bodily decline, forgetting that inside the body is a fellow human being.”[ii] Aronson invites us to foster a worldview toward older adults that says: “We still see you, and we still like, love, respect, admire, and are inspired by you, both for who you were and who you are….”[iii] When older adults believe that they are seen, known, and loved, they live fully and graciously as they age. Aronson is not a Christian, and yet, her words challenge Christians to consider what it means to age graciously in an anti-aging culture.
Hearing loss advocate urges churches to 'learn from Jesus' to reach deaf communities for Christ
An advocate for the d/Deaf community challenges churches to re-evaluate their approaches to fellowship and evangelism to better serve the distinctive needs of this sizeable people group, which has its own cultures and languages.
4 Simple Ways to Build Momentum in Your Organization
Who Is Your Mephibosheth?
We aren’t children on account of our genes or deeds but solely by grace through faith in Christ.
Is Your Preaching God-Centered?
Our preaching is a reflection of our theology. If the Word is theocentric (God-centered), how can our preaching be anything other than theocentric?
7 Ways to Make Church Visitors Comfortable in Worship Services
Making church visitors feel comfortable about visiting and attending your church is a key ministry component to consider. While the pastor is responsible for delivering the sermon and possibly helping with the service order, the worship director handles the sound, music selections, and stage designs, the communication director handles the website and communication on stage–all these things work together to make church visitors comfortable in worship services. In this article, we’ll look at seven ways to make church visitors comfortable in worship services....
9 Ways A Worship Leader Can Become More Sensitive To The Holy Spirit
One of the most important aspects of effective worship leading is cultivating our responsiveness to the Holy Spirit’s guidance during a worship set. If we don’t care about having a collaborative experience of worship that invites God to bring his “in the moment” touch to what we are doing on a Sunday, then we are song leading – not worship leading.
Helpful Principles for Writing Public Prayers
Begin with Christ. How does one best begin writing? Start with a posture of humility. Light a candle. Seek the mind of Christ. Pray to be ushered into the mystery of co-creating with God, a grace-filled process surpassing our understanding. Acknowledge this as a holy privilege to which God has called us.
Prayer Is the End of Preaching
My goal is to show that when “Praying’s the end of preaching,” prayer is not an escape from the terrifying realities of here and now to a privatized piety, but rather prayer is a different mode of being and doing that engages us with the world in ways that can start and sustain the impulses of transformation.
Living Prayer
God’s best for us goes beyond the prayer elements of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication–beyond simple listening, and into the kind of living, breathing prayer that is life itself. Let’s explore how to take the apostle Paul’s words seriously and practice praying “without ceasing.” The following five points come from Michael C. Voights’ book, The Fourth Degree of Prayer.
Everyday Monks: Holding the World in Grace
Over the last ten years, I have adopted the practice of praying daily a form of the prayer hours. I don’t do seven offices each day, nor do I get up at 3:30 a.m., but I am consistent with two, morning and evening. I use a simple liturgy along with daily Psalms and scripture readings. I have a journal to write gratitude and concerns, and then finish with the Lord’s Prayer. It is first thing I do each morning, after getting my cup of coffee, and if I have something scheduled for early morning, I get up earlier. My morning prayer office is the threshold of the new day.
A Guide to Praying the Daily Offices
n this article I offer a basic guide to praying the Daily Offices. The four offices with which Anglicans and Episcopalians in North America will be most familiar are the services of Morning and Evening Prayer, the service of Noon Day Prayer, and the service of Compline, or Prayer at the End of the Day. Some may be familiar with the Lucenary, or Lamp-Lighting Service, called the Order for Worship in the Evening in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer; others may be familiar with the Litany, or General Intercession, used as a separate service.
Clean-Up Campaign Ideas for Youth: Help Teens Practice Their Serve
Clean-up campaign ideas are for more than just service hours. These projects guide teens toward lives of service and caring. When kids serve, they give back to their communities and churches. Plus, they develop teamwork and grow in faith.
Set the Pace!
The best way to get kids and teens to share their faith is to show them how it’s done.
No comments:
Post a Comment