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Dec, 01, 2009 0
My mouth was dry . . . my palms were sweating . . . I wasn't sure I really wanted to do this—but before I knew it, I was on my feet. My pastor, Fleming Parmer, immediately pointed in my direction and called my name. It was too late to back out now. Over the deafening thud of my own pounding heart,…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
John was in exile for his fidelity to the Word of God, and his faithful testimony to Jesus Christ. The place was Patmos; that sterile, desolate island in the Egean Sea. He, seated near the rocky shore, looking toward Ephesus and Smyrna, was in the Spirit when he heard behind him a great voice.…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
In 5,600 years of recorded human history, humans have fought over 15,000 wars, averaging about two and a half wars per year. Our world continues to face religious zealotry and ethnic cleansings that slaughter millions of people, with women and children suffering as collateral casualties.
An…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
The faith community places a lot of emphasis on family, but at times seems to do so at the exclusion of single adults. How can single adults feel welcome in the faith community without being 'singled out' for their status?
Many unmarried people (and some of their parents) ask this question every…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Throughout the summer months, I've enjoyed the special honor to participate in district assemblies. This has given me opportunities for special reflection and expectation.
Recently I was especially privileged to preside in the Centennial Assembly of the Chicago Central District. Superintendent…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Paint, candles, disco lights, Starbucks cups, a double-decker bus-in recent years, prayer among British Isles South District (BISD) youth has taken on a whole new life. While decorating a bus or constructing a faux coffee shop for prayer may seem unconventional, an emphasis on prayer has…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
"What does diversity mean from the perspective of holiness theology?" This question caught my attention when I attended the Global Theology Conference in the Netherlands in April 2007. The theme focused on unity and diversity, and this question arose during a plenary discussion.
It is easy to…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
At a conference, I heard a speaker say that he has stopped using the title "Christian" because it has too much cultural baggage. He has gone to using the phrase "disciple of Jesus." Is this something that should get our attention?
Bethany: The very nature of the statement is meant to get our…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
At a conference, I heard a speaker say that he has stopped using the title "Christian" because it has too much cultural baggage. He has gone to using the phrase "disciple of Jesus." Is this something that should get our attention?
Bethany: The very nature of the statement is meant to get our…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
At the University of South Florida in Tampa, one frequently encounters a simple, yet profound marketing statement: Big Dreams—Bold Future. It's a marketing piece aimed at recruiting and attracting students who are looking for a place to step out of the ordinary, into something larger, bolder, and…