Last week I was Skyping with a good friend who is part of the leadership in the church in Italy we've been a part of. I mentioned him in a recent article that he was developing the Italian version of the BLESS acronym we've been using. Francesco told the story of a recent discussion with a...
Back in the olden days ... perhaps 15 or 20 years ago ... way, way back ... people used to make cakes out of things called ingredients. Ingredients could include ancient artifacts such as flour, butter, eggs, salt, baking power, vanilla, and other...
Cliff Coss continues his series of articles on finances and the church.
Times of simplicity. There have been a few times of simplicity in my life. When I was a kid, there wasn't much more to life than school, play, and chores. That's it. I didn't have to worry about budgets, healthcare choices, voting, jobs, car maintenance, the emerald ash borer, or a million other...
Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in D.C., is selling thousands of books and products related to his 2011 book The Circle Maker. It's based on an event in the life of a 1st C BC character named Honi Ha-Ma’agel, who might not even have actually existed. The products...
"Oh, you're a Christian? So, what do you think about the gay issue?" Have you heard this question? The moment someone finds out you're a Christian or a church-goer or a Bible reader, some form this question is often not far behind. It's the current litmus test. But what are they asking? Do...
A few weeks ago on a Sunday morning before Sunday school got underway, I was standing in the foyer talking with one of the women of our church family. Then Miss Loopy walked by with one of the grade schoolers at her side. The two of them were hanging up signs throughout the building for the...
I attended a webinar last week by the Barna Group on the state of pastors in the U.S., addressing a variety of issues, including race, technology, sexuality, economics, relativism, Millennials, and much more. Because it is Barna, everything was backed up by research. During one of the sessions...
We have studied the BLESS rhythms as a way to love our neighbors as ourselves, to bless them in the name of Christ without putting any conditions or expectations on them. To review: Begin with prayer (don't do anything before this)Listen (to the Spirit and to their stories)Eat (share a meal...