February 11, 2010 – 10:58 am
C. S. Lewis may have been the first to tell about the little boy who was asked what God is like. The boy responds in words like these: “God’s the sort of fellow who goes around looking for someone who’s having fun—and tries to stop ’em.”
This picture of God, mistaken though it is, nonetheless captures [...]
By Jane Fryar
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Posted in Devotions, Easter, Free Resources, Lent/Preparing for Easter, Ministry, Sermon Ideas
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Tagged Care and Comfort, devotion, Easter, Encouragement, Fat Tuesday, Lent, Pastor, Pastoral Ministry, Sermon Ideas|
February 9, 2010 – 9:26 am
We love because he first loved us.
Short. To the point. Powerful in its simplicity. First John 4:19 is all that and more. I call attention to this verse as I work with my kindergarten students and as I talk with my own children each year whenever we focus on Valentine’s Day.
Looking around at the flowers, [...]
February 3, 2010 – 11:31 am
It’s a truism in marketing. Customers must see an ad 5–7 times before it has any potential for changing their behavior. That’s why Nike puts its “swoosh” everywhere, positioning it prominently in televised sports and other athletic venues.
It’s also why more and more churches have begun to look for ways to “theme” major celebrations—like the [...]
By Jane Fryar
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Posted in Devotions, Easter, Free Resources, Lent/Preparing for Easter, Ministry, Pastor, Sermon Ideas
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Tagged children's Easter ideas, Easter, Easter preparation, Lent, Lent theme, Lenten theme, Pastor, sermon helps, Sermon Ideas|
February 1, 2010 – 12:35 am
As regular readers know, I serve on the faculty of a Christian preschool. As I teach, I love taking students into our church on sunny days. Among other things, they enjoy seeing the way the light shining through the stained glass windows casts a colorful shadow on the walls and floor. The children love seeing [...]
By Debra Kreienkamp
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Posted in Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Devotions, Encouraging Volunteers, Epiphany, Men's Ministry, Pastor, Women's Ministry
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Tagged Christian, devotion, Encouragement, men's ministry, Pastor, Women's Ministry|
January 18, 2010 – 9:03 am
We are now several weeks into the New Year, and I find myself reflecting on New Year’s resolutions and another new year in my own life.
Here in Minnesota, it can be hard to think of January as a time of new beginnings. We are in the heart of winter; everything is covered with snow and [...]
January 6, 2010 – 2:25 pm
January 17-24 has been designated “Sanctity of Human Life Week.” In light of that, we offer a few devotional thoughts church leaders may want to share or adapt, based on Psalm 139:13.
Recently, a popular cable television channel began airing a series based on what happens to animals in utero. Week by week we watch as baby [...]
January 4, 2010 – 7:38 am
I feel like screaming, “It’s not over!”
True enough, the Christmas music in stores is gone, decorations and trees have disappeared from the malls, and few people are jumping up and down with excitement at the prospect of buying ½ price Christmas merchandise for next year. Most everybody is headed back to work or school.
But the Wise Men won’t arrive [...]
December 15, 2009 – 12:06 am
Christmas is everywhere. How many times this week do you think you’ve heard or shared the greeting “Merry Christmas”? At the very least, you’v probably hummed a few cheery fa-la-la-lala’s. Bells have jingled across the country for several weeks now, as Christians everywhere sing “Joy to the World.” Carolers remind us that “it’s the most [...]
By Tim Wesemann
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Posted in Christian Worker, Christmas, Devotions, Encouragement, Free Resources, Men's Ministry, Ministry, Sermon Ideas, Women's Ministry
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Tagged Christian, Christmas, devotion, Encouragement, men's ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Women's Ministry|
December 7, 2009 – 8:51 am
Celebrate the Gift of Jesus!
This time of year, many of us give gifts. In fact, most of us probably give more gifts at Christmastime than at any other time of the year. Gift giving has its own protocol. If we fail to follow it, that failure can lead to some uncomfortable moments—for us, for our [...]
