What is the first word that pops into your mind when you think of church? Fellowship? Potluck? Sermon? Worship? Communion? God? Hope? I’ve been blessed to travel to many countries around the world and meet people from several cultures. I’ve rubbed shoulders with the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh and Nepal, and with people … Continue reading "Church = Hope" Read the article
By Bill Hall, National Director, Canada I have been blessed to meet many people who have been an inspiration to me. One person I met on several occasions was a well-known Canadian actor who, unbeknown to many of his fans, once lived on the streets of Winnipeg, Canada. Because he is no stranger to poverty … Continue reading "Are You Willing to Change “That?”" Read the article
Part of being a healthy church is consistent communication. To support our local congregations, we have developed a local congregational branding kit. These resources are a starting point that can be edited and developed to reflect the unique context of each of our congregations. We pray that these resources will support you in joining with … Continue reading "Local Congregation Branding" Read the article
Sermon for July 28, 2019 Watch Listen Download/Subscribe Thumbnail Watch on YouTube Program Transcript + Discussion Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHOnjIf7sBQ Program Transcript Readings: Genesis 18:20-21 • Psalm 138:1-8 • Colossians 2:6-10 • Luke 11:1-13 This week’s theme is God knows what he is doing. When Abraham barters with God over Sodom and Gomorrah, God … Continue reading "Sermon for July 28, 2019" Read the article
Sermon for July 21, 2019 Watch Listen Download/Subscribe Thumbnail Watch on YouTube Program Transcript + Discussion Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESxXPitUR_0 Program Transcript Readings: Genesis 18:1-10a • Psalm 15:1-5 • Colossians 1:15-28 • Luke 10:38-42 This week’s theme is The righteous (those who believe) will not be shaken. The Lord appears to Abraham, who asks if he has … Continue reading "Sermon for July 21, 2019" Read the article
Sermon for July 14, 2019 Watch Listen Download/Subscribe Thumbnail Watch on YouTube Program Transcript + Discussion Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhlJqq_JfkU Program Transcript Readings: Deuteronomy 30:9-14 • Psalm 25:1-10 • Colossians 1:1-14 • Luke 10:25-37 This week’s theme is God’s goodness leads to praise. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites are told they can obey, and when … Continue reading "Sermon for July 14, 2019" Read the article
Loving community begins with seeing the neighborhood through the eyes of Jesus. By pastor Sam Butler. After his resurrection, Jesus reached out to his followers with genuine love and concern. He met them in the midst of their brokenness, fear and longing. By looking at Jesus as our model we can learn a few things … Continue reading "Loving Your Community" Read the article
Sermon for July 7, 2019 Watch Listen Download/Subscribe Thumbnail Watch on YouTube Program Transcript + Discussion Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COhhwheCH20 Program Transcript Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-14 • Psalm 30:1-12 • Galatians 6:1-6, 7-16 • Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 This week’s theme is Our invitation to participate in restoration. The story in 2 Kings is about Namaan, who … Continue reading "Sermon for July 7, 2019" Read the article
God has uniquely gifted you and your congregation for community involvement. By pastor Sam Butler. We have established in previous articles that the motivation behind community engagement is love. Love flows from God to us through Jesus Christ and now through the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, love that flows from us out … Continue reading "Community Involvement" Read the article
Several years ago, I had two individuals in one of my congregations who monopolized my time. Every week they came up to me sharing their woes, asking for advice and just wanting to talk—about anything. There were several occasions when I missed other important conversations because one of these individuals was bending my ear. I’m … Continue reading "Seeing Through God’s Eyes" Read the article
