Bernard of Clair Vaux once said, “Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a servant, what you need is not a scepter but a hoe.” The symbolism should be obvious: A scepter is all about ruling and having others serve you. A hoe is about humbly working for the benefit of others. To anyon...
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Regardless of how you feel about the pandemic or what you believe about it, one thing is for sure: we all want it to go away. Whether it will is itself a matter of debate, and the divisiveness created by COVID is likely to continue. As Christians, many of us will simply have to agree to disagree ...
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The innovative ideas of John Wanamaker, commonly known as the father of modern advertisement, continue to influence business practices today—even though he died in 1922. Wanamaker is credited with creating the department store and served as Postmaster General under President Benjamin Harrison. Bu...
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When James and Cephas [Peter] and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me. -Galatians 2:9
Growing up in church my understanding of being a “pillar” within the congregation came to be those stodgy deacon...
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One of the greatest impacts of COVID-19 is the disruption of interpersonal communication—which is the heartbeat of all gospel-centered churches. Indeed, communication is the engine underlying every ministry’s strategy at Faith Family Church. Over time, limited interpersonal interactions will erod...
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As badly as I would like a return to our previous “normal,” I’m beginning to think a “new normal” is inevitable. Will crowded venues and salad bars become a thing of the past? Will hesitant hugs and awkward handshakes persist? More importantly, will Sunday mornings ever be the same?
The Barna ...
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While many churches have adjusted quickly during the pandemic, the effects have sadly taken a toll on many of those in smaller, rural communities. I recently spoke with Larry Steen, the Director of Missions for the Mid-Maryland Baptist Association, who mentioned that many of these churches have e...
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I got married on a Friday afternoon and was in church on Sunday morning. In fact, we even went back for the Sunday evening service…on our honeymoon! I’m not sure if that was just old school or stupidity, but I’d like to think it was neither. Rather, we attended church on our honeymoon because we...
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In a New York Times article, Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant reported that women who speak out in professional settings are “walking a tightrope.” According to their research, when a woman speaks, “Either she’s barely heard, or she’s judged as too aggressive. When a man says virtually the same thi...
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In a recent article in Christianity Today, Griffin Paul Jackson states that the largest mission field in Europe is made up of those who “call themselves Christians but exhibit few, if any, signs of faith.” They are what we call “nominal Christians,” whose faith doesn’t go beyond being identified ...
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