Written by: Matthew Henson Over the past few years, my daughter, Sarafina has talked about wanting to plant a garden at our house. Through an initiative of our local Farm Bureau and 4-H, she received some seeds to plant and one of the 4-H leaders came to help her. As Sarafina and Debbie planted the […]
Expansive Fellowship by Brother Steve Rankin In 1 John 1:3, we find this word: “What we have seen and heard, we also announce it to you so that you can have fellowship with us” (CEB). To draw people together in Christ. To hold him in common. To orient our lives around Christ and, as the […]
by Brother Wade Paschal Sometime ago I totaled up the number of people Paul listed in his letters as “co-workers” or “fellow servants” of Christ. Some of the names are quite familiar—like Timothy or Silas or Barnabas. Others we might read without considering the implication of their relationship to Paul—like Epaphras in Colossians or Epaphroditus […]
by Brother Matt Henson I grew up in the church and through my travels, I have attended numerous local churches for Sunday morning worship experiences. I commonly hear the following statements: “After worship today, we will have a fellowship time (i.e. coffee, doughnuts, and juice).” After Sunday School today, there will be a fellowship meal […]
by Brother Brian Shimer Culturally, I live in a place which deemphasizes the importance of the group. We are individuals! We do our own thing! We are our own person. What I know matters more than who I know. This reality might be even more prevalent in the Pacific Northwest for the spirit of individualism […]
by Brother E. Stanley Jones (This week’s devotion is from our 2023 Book of the Year, Christian Maturity.) We would define a mature person as one who is able to function happily, usefully, and at her maximum capacity in a given situation. This definition needs correction at the place of “maximum capacity,” for it is […]
by Brother Matt Henson Maturation from newborn to adult moves through several stages where an individual is learning new concepts and coming to a better understanding of their identity and place in this world. For the past several weeks, graduation festivities have been at the forefront of my family’s life as we celebrate a high […]
by Brother Matt Henson “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart. Where?” This song brings back so many memories of camp, Vacation Bible School, and Sunday School. The excitement and volume with which we would sing these words proclaimed our understanding of God’s joy being alive in our hearts. That the […]
by Sister Cheryl Jacobs But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are […]
by Brother Wade Paschal One of the first scriptures I memorized was Jeremiah 17:9— The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? We read that, “the human heart is incorrigibly sinful and bad and there is no way we can change it.” To be honest, I didn’t think I […]
