book/books
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Posted on April 16, 2012, 5:38 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Spiritual Formation
Good daily habits are harder to maintain in a disruptive culture. The daily habit of Prayer and scripture reading at the table ... The weekly habit of church attendance ...Yet good habits are essential for the good Kingdom orientated life.
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Posted on March 5, 2012, 2:41 pm
Topics: Organization
A couple weeks ago a church called and asked for information on what annual filings are required by churches. In response to that, I referred the church to a great resource from the IRS, "Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations." On p. 22 of this resource you will find filing requirements including a list of the forms to file and due dates.
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Posted on March 4, 2012, 8:46 pm
Topics: Curriculum
When Sunday School curriculum focuses on morals and good behavior we are missing an opportunity to teach children about God. Should we be surprised then when teens are Moralistic Therapeutic Deists?
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Posted on January 30, 2012, 10:12 am | 1 comment
Topics: Supporting Volunteers
Trying to summarize the Bible in just a few words could be an interesting activity to use in Sunday School with adults or teens. Older children and teens could rewrite the Bible story they studied that day using just nouns and verbs. Could a Bible story be reviewed by summarizing it in ten words?
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Posted on November 8, 2011, 11:08 am | 25 comments
Topics: Network Buzz, Caring
Recently, Max Lucado published a book which included a devotion with reflections on disability and disease called "We Shall Be Like Him." Although he intends to encourage the reader, the language used and assumptions made in the devotional diminish people with disabilities.
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Posted on October 31, 2011, 12:03 pm
Topics: Supporting Volunteers
The October 18, 2011 issue of the Christian Century magazine has a list of five essential books on Children’s Ministry. I think the list is a good one and it includes two Christian Reformed authors. As you look at the list, what books would you add? What other favorites of would be on the list if you had made it?
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Posted on October 24, 2011, 4:38 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Getting Started
On 27 July, 2011 the Church lost one of its greatest leaders, Rev. John Stott. He contributed so much in so many areas that it is hard to overstate his significance. He was called "a Renaissance man with a Reformation theology." Indeed. He made a number of important contributions in the area of mission that deserve
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Posted on October 18, 2011, 2:32 am | 2 comments
We want to help people. We want to do the right thing, the good thing, the Godly thing. Often we discover that we need to learn how to help well. ABCD is a method of offering assistance which empowers those we are serving and, as it continues to grow in popularity, it's worth paying attention to.
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Posted on October 15, 2011, 1:58 pm
Topics: Global Partnerships
Sometimes a short-term mission trip is just a beginning. At least, that’s what it was for Carol Van Klompenburg.
In 2008, a team leader asked members of a 2008 service and learning team to the Nehemiah Center in Nicaragua what each of them was seeking from the trip. Carol answered, “A bigger world—mine is too small.”
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Posted on June 30, 2011, 4:34 pm | 1 comment
Topics: Organization
Some churches like to talk about volunteers serving the church. I would prefer to think of it as members serving the church. My pastor challenged me to think this way. If we are members, we don't have a choice of serving, we are the body that serves the church. How do you empower members for ministry?
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Posted on May 17, 2011, 1:14 am | 5 comments
Topics: Spiritual Formation
In a given week there are probably more Christians listening to the words of Oprah than the words of God. More people probably pay attention to TV makeovers than pay attention to God’s invitation to transformation. Elders – in working for God – have a tough job.
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Posted on April 20, 2011, 4:22 pm | 10 comments
Topics: Serving
One of the biggest challenges of mission service, whether in North America or internationally, is support raising. Some see this as a great opportunity to connect with people, tell ministry stories, and call people to faithful use of the resources that God has given them. Others consider it “begging,” and see it as demeaning to the missionary. What do you think?
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Posted on April 18, 2011, 1:34 pm | 3 comments
I have two books to recommend for churches who already have small groups or who are considering starting new groups. They are challenging yet practical but extremely insightful and will be a valuable resource for any church who take their small group ministry seriously.
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Posted on April 5, 2011, 10:08 pm | 3 comments
Topics: Preaching
With a delightful sense of irony and reality, Stan Mast calls his 110 page book Someday You’ll Be a Good Preacher. The way he stakes out the career-long tension between his own nagging thoughts and the few spoken (and probably many unspoken) comments make this book a compelling read.
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Posted on March 23, 2011, 2:39 pm | 4 comments
Topics: Books and Book Reviews
Over the last month or so Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell’s Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived has garnered much pre-publication attention. A colleague told me that it has been discussed on page one of CNN.com and that it is vying with none other than Justin Bieber for attention.
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