“Tis impossible to be sure of anything but Death and Taxes,” said English actor and dramatist, Christopher Bullock in 1716. We can be even more sure of the resurrection. In 1789, Ben Franklin changed Bullock’s statement a bit and said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Theologically, Ben Franklin’s quote is … Continue reading "Resurrection Blessings" Read the article
Faith, hope and love keep our focus where it should be – on Jesus. By Bob Regazzoli, Pastor, Australia Editor’s note: When I was a pastor, I was intrigued with the words “inward, upward, and outward” to describe our calling and mission. Others used “belong, believe, become,” to help their congregation understand their mission and … Continue reading "Whose Acts?" Read the article
Incarnational trinitarian theology encourages us to take a new look at the 40-day season of Easter Preparation – what many call Lent. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” These are the words many priests and pastors will say on Wednesday, February 22, as they use ash to draw a cross on … Continue reading "A Season of Preparing Ourselves for Easter" Read the article
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2) I enjoy visiting caverns and being amazed at these immense carved out underground spaces. I’m amazed at the stalagmites, stalactites, channels, and underground pools. What always fascinates me during a cave … Continue reading "Epiphany: Bringing Things to Light" Read the article
Christmas is referred to as the season of joy, hope, peace, and love, and it is all that, but it’s also more. The incarnation is the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise. In most Bible translations, the apostle John starts his Gospel with the words, “In the beginning…” This is where we must start when we … Continue reading "The Incarnation and Me … and You" Read the article
It is our privilege to move from the shadows to participate in the reality of what the actions of Jesus mean in our life. By Glen A Weber, Regional Support Team, Central U.S. Ten days after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church. For the next two (plus) decades, the church … Continue reading "Growing from Shadows to Reality" Read the article
One of the greatest characteristics of a leader is to have a teachable spirit. Full disclosure: I love to be right, and I love to have the answers for people. No surprise to anyone: I am often wrong and am sometimes too quick with an answer. This is why I continually pray for a teachable … Continue reading "The Blessing of Being Teachable" Read the article
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” This quote, from Acts 15, gives us a good biblical example of working as a team toward good decision making. Full transparency, I used to be better at asking the Holy Spirit to bless what I was doing than to listen and watch to … Continue reading "The Holy Spirit and Your Team" Read the article
Participating in the Love Avenue doesn’t make us right with God—it shows we already are. I spent most of my life studying the Bible in an effort to get right with God. I studied the Old Testament so I could be faithful to some of the law, statutes, and judgments. I studied the New Testament … Continue reading "Faith is Not Enough" Read the article
What is it, and what does it have to do with me? When Greg Williams asked me to start focusing on the Christian worship calendar in Equipper, I thought, “Sure, that will be good for a couple articles. What else?” I had no idea of the depth of meaning and purpose we find in the … Continue reading "Ordinary Time" Read the article
