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Posted in Church Administration | February 21, 2012, 10:41 am | 3 comments

Our church was hesitant to get into online giving, primarily because of some of the negative connotations associated with credit card giving. Our pastor asked us to explore the possibilities, and this is what we found: Read more »

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	A Closer Look at Principle-Based Small Groups Pt. 1 Posted in Small Groups \| February 21, 2012, 10:42 am For years CRHM encouraged churches to adopt the Principle-Based model/philosophy of small group ministry almost exclusively. I thought it was worth another look. This is part one of two. Read more »
	Watch Out for Stereotypes Posted in Disability Concerns \| February 21, 2012, 10:30 am \| 2 comments Jeremy Lin, a point guard with the New York Knicks, has been in the news. Thanks to his fine playing, people are taking notice of him, and with that extra attention some commentators have engaged in stereotyping resulting in racial jokes and slurs about Lin's Asian heritage. Read more »
	Touch Your World Through Prayer: Praying for God's Global Mission Posted in Webinars \| February 21, 2012, 8:48 am Missionary giant Hudson Taylor said, "When we work, we work. When we pray, God works." Discover ways to mobilize your church to pray for both local and global missions. Read more »
	Live The Good Old Days Now Posted in Deacons \| February 21, 2012, 2:19 am As children our lives are full of opportunities - and we seem to create endlessly in all sorts of ways. As we get older our lives change, our priorities and responsibilities look different and we may find ourselves idealizing those good old days, rather than living fully now. As deacons we can encourage hope and inspire joy simply by living truly. Read more »
	Legos in Sunday School Posted in Sunday School \| February 20, 2012, 5:01 pm \| 2 comments Sometimes the 9th and 10th grade students are not ready to engage with the Heidelberg Catechism. The answers to discussions questions are one or two words. This makes the Sunday School hour crawl by for everyone and the teacher feels like she hasn’t connected at all. It’s not much fun. Have you been there? Read more »
	Something New for Safe Church Posted in Safe Church \| February 20, 2012, 4:38 pm Is it true that we are never too old to learn? I’m testing that theory on myself as I plan for an upcoming Webinar – The What, Why and How of Safe Church Ministry. Read more »
	Church as Gift for Neighborhood Transformation Posted in Global Mission \| February 20, 2012, 10:01 am \| 1 comment In Asset Based Community Development, we talk a lot about church as asset for positive community change. In what ways can church be gift to neighborhood transformation? I wonder what you would add to this list? Read more »
	Followership Posted in Youth \| February 20, 2012, 12:54 am \| 1 comment I believe followership is just as important as leadership. I just wish we lived in a world where the gift of following was recognized and given value as an integral aspect of the Christian life. When was the last time you highlighted the work of young people who showed dedication, humility and a servant attitude in their followership? Read more »
	The 9th Commandment Posted in Pastors \| February 16, 2012, 10:14 am \| 1 comment Contrary to popular understanding, the 9th commandment is less about lying in general than it is about slander. The 9th commandment reads: “You shall not give false testimony about your neighbor.” It seemed to me as I listened to the political ads this morning that the purpose of these soundbites is to do exactly what the 9th commandment forbids – give false testimony about your neighbor. Read more »
	New Comment Guidelines Posted in News & Support \| February 14, 2012, 10:27 am We've introduced new comment guidelines for The Network. The best thing about our comment guidelines is how seldom we’ve had to enforce them. Members of The Network community tend to be a helpful bunch who come here to equip and encourage each other for ministry, not to pick a fight. Read more »
	A Picture is Worth . . . Posted in Global Mission \| February 14, 2012, 9:30 am International mission has been communicated most powerfully by pictures of people engaged in ministry and those hearing the Good News about Jesus. Ten students at Dordt College travelled to Mexico to shoot video of ministries going on in that country through Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries and their partners. Read more »
	Power and Love Posted in Safe Church \| February 14, 2012, 7:00 am \| 1 comment Power removed from love is, as Martin Lurther King, Jr. stated, “reckless and abusive.” Trace back almost any story of abuse – whether in churches, families, institutions, or society – and you will find corrupted power, a deadly force. Read more »
	Discipleship and Circles of Support Posted in Elders \| February 13, 2012, 3:22 pm Recently I read about Circles of Support and Accountability that helped many sexual offenders as they transitioned out of prison and into our neighbourhoods. It got me thinking not just about this particular engagement as a way of serving Christ in the neighbourhood, but more generally about discipleship. Read more »
	Worship in a Word Posted in Worship \| February 13, 2012, 4:18 am \| 4 comments Can you describe worship in a single word? In a high school class on worship, students were challenged to pick a single word that expresed their ideas of worship. Here’s what one of them said: Read more »
	Giving Up on Students Posted in Youth \| February 13, 2012, 12:49 am I’ve thought about writing this for a while, but it’s not particularly fun to write about some of my lowest moments as a youth leader. There have been times when youth have given up on our church and our youth group, and I’ve chosen, sometimes consciously and often subconsciously, to give up on them... Read more »

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	A Closer Look at Principle-Based Small Groups Pt. 1 Posted in Small Groups \| February 21, 2012, 10:42 am For years CRHM encouraged churches to adopt the Principle-Based model/philosophy of small group ministry almost exclusively. I thought it was worth another look. This is part one of two. Read more »
	Watch Out for Stereotypes Posted in Disability Concerns \| February 21, 2012, 10:30 am \| 2 comments Jeremy Lin, a point guard with the New York Knicks, has been in the news. Thanks to his fine playing, people are taking notice of him, and with that extra attention some commentators have engaged in stereotyping resulting in racial jokes and slurs about Lin's Asian heritage. Read more »
	Touch Your World Through Prayer: Praying for God's Global Mission Posted in Webinars \| February 21, 2012, 8:48 am Missionary giant Hudson Taylor said, "When we work, we work. When we pray, God works." Discover ways to mobilize your church to pray for both local and global missions. Read more »
	Live The Good Old Days Now Posted in Deacons \| February 21, 2012, 2:19 am As children our lives are full of opportunities - and we seem to create endlessly in all sorts of ways. As we get older our lives change, our priorities and responsibilities look different and we may find ourselves idealizing those good old days, rather than living fully now. As deacons we can encourage hope and inspire joy simply by living truly. Read more »
	Legos in Sunday School Posted in Sunday School \| February 20, 2012, 5:01 pm \| 2 comments Sometimes the 9th and 10th grade students are not ready to engage with the Heidelberg Catechism. The answers to discussions questions are one or two words. This makes the Sunday School hour crawl by for everyone and the teacher feels like she hasn’t connected at all. It’s not much fun. Have you been there? Read more »
	Something New for Safe Church Posted in Safe Church \| February 20, 2012, 4:38 pm Is it true that we are never too old to learn? I’m testing that theory on myself as I plan for an upcoming Webinar – The What, Why and How of Safe Church Ministry. Read more »
	Church as Gift for Neighborhood Transformation Posted in Global Mission \| February 20, 2012, 10:01 am \| 1 comment In Asset Based Community Development, we talk a lot about church as asset for positive community change. In what ways can church be gift to neighborhood transformation? I wonder what you would add to this list? Read more »
	Followership Posted in Youth \| February 20, 2012, 12:54 am \| 1 comment I believe followership is just as important as leadership. I just wish we lived in a world where the gift of following was recognized and given value as an integral aspect of the Christian life. When was the last time you highlighted the work of young people who showed dedication, humility and a servant attitude in their followership? Read more »
	The 9th Commandment Posted in Pastors \| February 16, 2012, 10:14 am \| 1 comment Contrary to popular understanding, the 9th commandment is less about lying in general than it is about slander. The 9th commandment reads: “You shall not give false testimony about your neighbor.” It seemed to me as I listened to the political ads this morning that the purpose of these soundbites is to do exactly what the 9th commandment forbids – give false testimony about your neighbor. Read more »
	New Comment Guidelines Posted in News & Support \| February 14, 2012, 10:27 am We've introduced new comment guidelines for The Network. The best thing about our comment guidelines is how seldom we’ve had to enforce them. Members of The Network community tend to be a helpful bunch who come here to equip and encourage each other for ministry, not to pick a fight. Read more »
	A Picture is Worth . . . Posted in Global Mission \| February 14, 2012, 9:30 am International mission has been communicated most powerfully by pictures of people engaged in ministry and those hearing the Good News about Jesus. Ten students at Dordt College travelled to Mexico to shoot video of ministries going on in that country through Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries and their partners. Read more »
	Power and Love Posted in Safe Church \| February 14, 2012, 7:00 am \| 1 comment Power removed from love is, as Martin Lurther King, Jr. stated, “reckless and abusive.” Trace back almost any story of abuse – whether in churches, families, institutions, or society – and you will find corrupted power, a deadly force. Read more »
	Discipleship and Circles of Support Posted in Elders \| February 13, 2012, 3:22 pm Recently I read about Circles of Support and Accountability that helped many sexual offenders as they transitioned out of prison and into our neighbourhoods. It got me thinking not just about this particular engagement as a way of serving Christ in the neighbourhood, but more generally about discipleship. Read more »
	Worship in a Word Posted in Worship \| February 13, 2012, 4:18 am \| 4 comments Can you describe worship in a single word? In a high school class on worship, students were challenged to pick a single word that expresed their ideas of worship. Here’s what one of them said: Read more »
	Giving Up on Students Posted in Youth \| February 13, 2012, 12:49 am I’ve thought about writing this for a while, but it’s not particularly fun to write about some of my lowest moments as a youth leader. There have been times when youth have given up on our church and our youth group, and I’ve chosen, sometimes consciously and often subconsciously, to give up on them... Read more »