https://network.crcna.org/ The Network en Fri, 26 Apr 2024 22:00:37 +0000 Tue, 02 Jan 2018 18:39:25 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/impoverished-new-year It’s 2018. Yippee! (please read that “yippee” in a dead pan voice). Not being cynical, (though it is the nature of my generation) but we only went from December 31 to January 1. We do the same thing every 30 or so days. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/impoverished-new-year Tue, 02 Jan 2018 18:39:25 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/entering-solitude Solitude is hard for me. I’m an extreme extrovert. I need to be around people. Like a lot. I recharge when I’m around people. And yet there is a need for solitude. I’ve tried solitude in the past. I really have. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/entering-solitude Thu, 06 Oct 2016 12:41:30 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/construction-season In Michigan you have two seasons: winter and road construction. But who am I kidding? This is true throughout the Midwest. I got caught in it this Sunday heading to the Chicago area to take my DMin class for the summer. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/construction-season Mon, 25 Jul 2016 12:53:24 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/ask-ancient-paths To be honest, there’s a lot of wondering and wandering going on right now. There’s the old adage that not all who wander are lost. That might be true. At the same time, there are many who wander that ARE lost. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/ask-ancient-paths Thu, 07 Jul 2016 13:08:41 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/vision-mission-living-god Sometimes I wonder how often we truly have a clear vision and mission in our own lives. How many times do we just go day to day lacking a mindfulness of why we're doing what we're doing? Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/vision-mission-living-god Mon, 18 Apr 2016 14:09:27 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/beige-spirituality There's something about coming before things that are different, distinct, other worldly, and dare I say holy. As human beings there is a craving for spirituality. We are spiritual beings who were created in the image of God and who truly crave to be in the presence of God. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/beige-spirituality Tue, 08 Dec 2015 14:14:58 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/faith-mirth-drink-and-chatter How do we "do" faith formation? Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/faith-mirth-drink-and-chatter Mon, 16 Nov 2015 20:21:31 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/forming-men-faith What is a man? Does hunting in the woods hours on end make men men? Does working on classic cars make men men? Does knowing baseball teams and stats or football teams and players or basketball players and teams by heart make men men? What makes men men? Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/forming-men-faith Mon, 05 Oct 2015 17:23:08 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/power-and-need-rest Rest. It’s needed. It’s very much needed. But how often do we truly rest? Honestly, not enough. To many of us in North America, to rest is to be lazy. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/power-and-need-rest Mon, 14 Sep 2015 17:03:21 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/seeking-holy God is holy. To this, I don’t think any follower of Jesus would deny. He is holy other. To this, I don’t think any Christian would deny. In fact, because of God’s holiness, we need the blood of Jesus Christ to make it possible for us to approach such a holy God. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/seeking-holy Mon, 03 Aug 2015 15:17:17 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/taste-buds-new-foods-and-prayer It started off with a simple idea from my wonderful wife. We were doing our usual meal planning for the coming week. We plan meals that meet what we have budgeted for groceries for the week. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/taste-buds-new-foods-and-prayer Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:54:31 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/pressure My goal is to study my Bible almost every day. Usually I do pretty good at it. Other times I don’t get around to it. When I don’t read even just a small passage and pray just a little bit in the morning, my whole day feels off and not right or complete. It’s something I’ve been doing for years. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/pressure Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:32:58 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/bravo-bravo It was the sweet summer of 1999. I was in Hungary and Ukraine teaching English at church sponsored English language camps. We’d come in for a week or so and teach English, sing some songs, visit churches, and then go to the next town. Joshua Benton https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/bravo-bravo Tue, 20 May 2014 14:53:59 +0000