Blog Archives

Real hope for tough times

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Barry Howard — No Comments ↓

You can sustain a lot of losses in your lifetime, but when you lose hope, life can become depressing and your previously strong faith can become as weak as stump water. During tough times, hope becomes the fuel that energizes…

Tagged with: Discouragement, hope, Israel, Micah
Posted in Blog Posts, Faithful Living, Suffering

Bill and Ted’s excellent Lenten journey

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Brandon Hudson — No Comments ↓

Our church partners with a rehabilitation organization in town with whom I occasionally have the opportunity to worship. At the beginning of all of their worship experiences, they sing a song that repeats this same opening line – “I woke…

Tagged with: Bill and Ted, Christopher Moore, Excellent Adventure, hope, journey, Lamb, Lent
Posted in Blog Posts, Humor, Media & Arts, Movies, Theology, Worship

Church matters

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Peggy Haymes — No Comments ↓

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved church. About the only thing I ever resisted was singing in the children’s choir because I considered the robes with their big floppy bows as an affront to my eight-year-old…

Tagged with: abuse, Church, churches, community, congregation, God, Grace, healing, hope, ministry
Posted in Ministry

Green Day: on Holiday

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Chris Aho — No Comments ↓

The holiday season has reached its peak. Decorations, parties, calories and music abound. Some of this music is soul inspiring. I am warmed each time I hear Sheryl Crow’s “Blue Christmas”, The Barenaked Ladies’ “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” or…

What’s your story?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Ircel Harrison — No Comments ↓

After I watched the Heisman Trophy presentation on ESPN last Saturday night (my selection did not win, by the way), I stayed on the channel and saw the documentary “You Don’t Know Bo” about athlete “Bo” Jackson. Although I was…

Tagged with: faith, hope, spiritual formation
Posted in Faithful Living

When Christmas isn’t the ‘Most Wonderful Time of the Year’

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Barrett Owen — No Comments ↓

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! Only it’s not. Not for everyone. Not when he’s still…

Tagged with: Christmas, hope, Hurt
Posted in Death, Faithful Living, Grief, Health & Wholeness

Hope is my friend

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Peggy Haymes — No Comments ↓

I was cruising through the list of notification on the GoodReads web site when one caught my eye. “Hope is your friend.” Of course, it was a notification that someone named Hope and I had made a social media connection,…

Tagged with: change, Christianity, Church, community, Counseling, faith, Grace, hope, mental health
Posted in Health & Wholeness, Healthy Living, Mental Health

Long, long ago in a time far, far away…

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Tommy Deal — 1 Comment ↓

I remember a day when one would get in trouble for passing handwritten notes in class! I also remember the first time a girl passed me one—be still my heart! Yes, I also remember black and white TV with a…

The drawing board

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Susan Rogers — No Comments ↓

When I was discerning the next step in terms of pursuing vocational ministry, a kind pastor friend suggested that I keep a notebook with me at all times. Strange advice to one just considering going to seminary, I thought. He…

Tagged with: Dreams, hope, Ideas, Imagination, missional
Posted in Faithful Living

Asking Good Questions

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Barrett Owen — No Comments ↓

“[And] they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” (Luke 2.46, NRSV) This month hundreds of thousands of students flock back to school ready to learn, ready to read, and ready to…

Worlds colliding

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Peggy Haymes — No Comments ↓

As a pioneer in the field of grief, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross used to hold workshops all over the world. In these workshops people didn’t just learn about grief; they had a chance to do deep grieving of their own. A friend…

How spaces become places

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Barrett Owen — No Comments ↓

Have you ever thought about the difference between places and spaces? A place (as I would define it) is a location with determined boundaries. A space is the opposite; it is a location with undetermined boundaries. Examples may help here.…

Church: The unwanted product

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Elizabeth Evans Hagan — 1 Comment ↓

Image courtesy of Ayla87, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1348524

I was having a conversation recently with our pastoral intern and he told me with some frustration on his face,“Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to push a product that no one wants.” (He was referring to the Church). During…

Tagged with: church life, community, frustration, hope
Posted in Leadership, Ministry, Young Baptists