I can honestly say that I’ve never experienced a week quite like the one we just had in America. The coronavirus is changing our lives on a daily basis.

First, the CDC recommended no large group gatherings of more than 250 people, then 50 people, and last

Travis Stephens

 

I am a husband, father, and executive pastor of a small town church that went big. I have a passion for helping pastors grow themselves and the churches they serve. You can find out more about me and my ministry at http://travisstephens.me

Wow, talk about a loaded question! Unless you have been living in a proverbial cave, it’s no secret that we are living through, probably, the most life altering crisis we have ever seen In our lifetimes. Many in our grand country are locked in a debate over how much of this crisis is health and how much is hype. It probably depends quite a bit on where you are located and the...

John C. Adams, New Life Church, Sandusky, Ohio

The Old and New Testaments teem with God encounters: Abraham serving three strangers, Moses taking his sandals off to approach the burning bush, Elijah watching the Almighty pass by at Horeb, Gideon putting out his fleece as a test, Balaam’s talking donkey, Jonah’s wilted plant, Job and his desolation, Gabriel robbing Zechariah of speech, and Mary believing Gabriel when he said, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

Austin L. Church

nxiety is an out of control thought pattern.  It settles over the mind like a severe weather system, spewing thunderclouds and casting lightning bolts.  Life feels like an airplane in a tailspin.  It feeds on what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

By Max Lucado

First COVID-19 meant we cancelled gatherings of 500 or more. Then fifty. Then ten. Now some cities are near lockdown. Normally, the church gathers as an expression of our love for God and for one another. But in this moment we must do the opposite—for the same reasons. So, many churches that have never done live streaming are scrambling to offer services online. And while it’s one thing to figure out the technical side, what about pastoral and theological considerations? Here are a few suggestions:

Dr. Sandra Glahn, a professor in Media Arts and Worship at Dallas Theological Seminary, is the author of more than 20 books, including the Coffee Cup Bible Study series.

“We left our former church, in part, because they had a security team with guns!” I was told. I respected their decision and them for following their convictions. The only problem was, we had a security team with men and women carrying guns; they’re just not an “in your face” cowboy type of team. So, just what is it with churches thinking they have to assemble a security team? Is it anti-biblical? Is it anti-peace? Aren’t we supposed to trust God for protection? Church isn’t a right place for guns, is it? Isn’t having guns in church kind of a radical right-wing, crazy thing?

Helping parents who’ve lost a child must be one of the most difficult things pastors and church leadership teams must face. I am one of those parents. In 2008, when our three-year-old son died from strep throat, I did not know the Lord, nor go to a church. I had been “church shopping” in the months before our son passed away on a Friday morning. On Saturday, we knocked on the door of a church I had visited only two or three times.

KIM ERICKSON began following Christ after the death of her three-year-old son in 2008. Kim began a writing and teaching ministry to help other women, which can be found at www. KimAErickson.com. She is the author of Surviving Sorrow: A Mother’s Guide to Living with Loss and His Last Words: What Jesus Taught and Prayed in His Final Hours. Kim is also an attorney and practices immigration law. She lives in Florida with her husband, Devin, and son, Ethan.

“Triangles are special because they are exceptionally strong.” “Any structure requiring a strong and rigid construction depends on triangles to achieve that goal.” “Triangles hold large loads without collapsing or having their structure altered.” These are just a handful of statements that come up under a google search that explores the strength of triangles. If triangles...

Kirsten McClain serves in church missions mobilization as a church missions consultant for OMF. She has been serving churches and mission agencies for the last 20 years. She has a heart to see the church realize her potential in missions and is driven to be a mobilizer to this end. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three children, and she is ready to direct pastors to the various resources that OMF uses to come alongside churches and individuals so that they can do missions well. [email protected]

God is the gift giver. God is our gift giver. And all too often we are like hesitant, nervous children, questioning the gifts under the tree. We leave them lying idle, gathering dust.

Our Creator, our heavenly Father, the ultimate parent, has lav¬ished on us a generous wide range of incredible gifts, talents, skills, and abilities.

Jo Saxton is an author, speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneurial coach. Born to Nigerian parents and raised in London, Jo brings a multicultural and international perspective to her leadership training for women. A sought-after speaker, Jo has a diverse calendar addressing universities, churches, national conferences, nonprofits, and corporations, including Q, Catalyst, Evereve, NoonDay Collection, LakeShore Media, and internationally in the U.K. and Australia. She is co-host of the podcast Lead Stories and the founder of the Ezer Collective, an initiative that equips women in leadership. Jo is the author of three books, including The Dream of You.

Third grade started out very badly. I hated my new teacher, and to make matters worse, I was sure that she hated me. Some of the blame goes to my second grade teacher. She was nice - so nice. In fact her name was Miss Nice - really.