Teaching the joy of spiritual practices.
If you are anything like me, you have heard some interesting teaching on the spiritual disciplines. One preacher taught that all Christians had to pray for one hour on their knees every morning to have an acceptable devotional life. To this person, prayer was a transaction — we give God some prayer, and he blesses us. I have since learned that prayer is about spending time with God and letting his presence transform me. It does not center on a particular position, time of day, or duration of prayer. Rather, it is far more profitable to have a rhythm of turning towards God throughout our day. I also heard that a proper fast meant refraining from food and water for 24 hours. It is not advisable to... Read the article
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The ways in which we guide the misbehavior of young people says something about who God is to us.
When I worked at the South Boston Boys and Girls Club, there was a little girl named Jill who decided to be my shadow. This would be a sweet story except that Jill was an angry shadow. Due to the life experiences she faced during the seven years she was on the planet, she learned to express her fondness and need for attention with violence. As soon as she arrived at the Club, she would immediately run up to me and punch me. She would grab onto me until I did what she wanted. When I ignored her, she would ruin the games I played with other children. I wish I could say I was always loving in my treatment of Jill, but after weeks of this... Read the article
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It’s vital to give Gen Z the message that they are special in Christ.
Friends, I am sorry to bring you some sad news. After watching several commercials, I have learned that I am not living my best life. The drug commercial showed me that I do not have the right kind of friends — friends that will fly kites with me or laugh joyfully while making pottery. So, apparently, I need to start taking that drug. I also need to switch my deodorant. According to the commercial, all women are supposed to find me attractive, so something must be wrong. Admittedly, I do not think my wife is going to like it when I get that kind of attention. That’s why I have to buy new sneakers. I learned that I am not fast enough, but if I get the sneakers in... Read the article
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Even before he could say a word, Jesus was transforming lives.
This month, Christians from around the world will be celebrating Advent and Christmas. As believers, we rejoice in the coming of our Lord and Savior, marveling at the humble arrival of the King of Kings. Jesus not only came to earth as one of us, but he arrived as a helpless baby. It goes against all human logic for God to lower himself in that way. Yet, Jesus became one of us in every way to open the door for us to be like him.
During this time of year, we have an opportunity to meditate on the fact that, by the Spirit, Jesus had a profound impact on those around him without being able to talk. It was not only Christ’s ministry that changed lives, but it was also his... Read the article
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One of the most important things you can do to reflect the image of Christ is show up.
I have attended many awkward events. Some of them could be considered cringeworthy. I was an honored guest at a Quinceañera (a celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday), where I was one of only a handful of attendees who spoke English. Sadly, I have yet to learn Spanish, so for two hours, I did a lot polite smiling and muttering, “Lo siento, no hablo Español” (Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish).
I went to a football game where the player I came to see looked like he was being used by the other team as a practice dummy. I still shake my head when I think about how badly the game went for him — 2 fumbles, 3 dropped passes, and a net 0 yards gained... Read the article
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We do not need to be sinless to be examples of Christ.
Paul was bold. The outspoken apostle confronted his opposition seemingly fearlessly and continued to preach the gospel, despite very real threats to his life. He publicly chastised Peter when the leader of the disciples was caught turning his back on Gentile Christians to show favoritism to Jewish Christians (Galatians 2). Paul was not afraid to speak Christ’s truth to dignitaries and rulers, and he demanded to be brought to stand before Caesar himself. Yet I believe Paul was at his boldest when he wrote:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV)
Paul was so confident in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit working in him that he held... Read the article
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Recently, my wife Afrika Afeni Mills had her book Open Windows, Open Minds published. She affectionately referred to it as her “book baby,” because it truly was a labor of love. Despite the tremendous endurance it takes to bring a book into existence, I saw something inside Afrika come alive as she spent myriad hours writing, editing, and researching. My wife has been a teacher, coach, literacy director, director of diversity equity and inclusion, and a bunch of other things in between. However, I have never seen her more professionally satisfied than she is now. For me, it is wonderful and inspiring to see.
While Afrika is good at lots of things, her book represents the intersection of several of her passions. She believed that God... Read the article
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Let’s make Jesus real to our young people and get them involved in mission.
I recently went on a trip to Israel. The experience was life changing and I am still processing all that I learned and felt. Walking in the places that Jesus walked and standing where he stood deepened my appreciation for who he is and what he did. The journey made him more real and made the Bible come alive.
For example, the photo shows me touching the rock that the resurrected Christ sat upon when he restored Peter (John 21). Prior to that point, I imagined the story very differently. However, being there brought a reality to the story. No longer do I have to imagine the scene. While I still have to imagine the people in the story, the setting is no... Read the article
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Trigger warning: this article discusses the 9/11 tragedy. Please do not read further if it could exacerbate any pre-existing trauma.
On September 11, 2001, I was working for Boston Public Schools (BPS), and our central office was at the heart of the downtown area. My job was to coordinate the district’s afterschool programs, among other tasks. When the four planes crashed, taking the Twin Towers and part of the Pentagon with them, a new kind of fear gripped my heart. It felt like reality was unraveling, because the unthinkable was happening.
My wife is from New York, and we had close family who worked in the area — family we could not reach. Also, there were rumors that another plane was headed to Boston with a mission to hit a... Read the article
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To communicate God’s love effectively, it’s vital to know the language of the generation we are striving to reach. What questions do they need answered?
In June, we celebrate Pentecost, a day when we remember the public launch of the church. The church began in a way that signaled that all people were invited into the fellowship of believers.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now... Read the article
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