The great preacher and founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley (1703-1791), was once approached by a man who came to him in the grip of unbelief. "All is dark; my thoughts are lost," the man said to Wesley, "but I hear that you ...

These five signposts will tell you how to bring your church new strength.

Rediscover your purpose

Searching for the purpose Christ has for your church can counter the seemingly inevitable slide toward spiritual entropy.

One of the most observable principles ...

I'll always remember when my good friend, Sheri, called me on the carpet about my attitude problem. I'm thankful now, but at the time …

Sheri and I were sitting in her cozy kitchen sipping coffee and nibbling on bake-sale leftovers. ...

In the 20th century, women broke more glass ceilings than any other time in history. Horizons for us have broadened dramatically due to events such as the suffrage movement, World War II, and even the reality of modern-day economics. Women can do—and ...

We wrapped up our small group as we usually do, with a time for everyone to share their prayer requests. After we closed in prayer, Tom approached my husband and me. He was considering dropping out of our small group because he felt overwhelmed by the ...

No calling in life is tougher or more important than our calling as parents. Because of that, we've created numerous courses on how to raise our children with faith and wisdom. These are the top five that you have downloaded.

5. Fighting for Your ...

I was very nervous the first time I went for spiritual direction. I had never done anything like this before. I wasn't even sure I knew what spiritual direction was. And I'd never met Ed, the spiritual director I found through a brochure someone ...

There's an old joke among Meyers-Briggs users. Question: what happens when a passionate, hyper-expressive, exquisitely emotional feeler meets a logical, hyper-rational, Mr. Spock-type thinker?

Answer: they get married.

Too often deep thinking and profound ...

So often in the Christmas story, we focus on the main characters: Mary, Joseph, and, of course, Jesus. But through the short account in Luke 2:8-20, we can learn from the shepherds four things that should make the top of our to-do list this Christmas. ...

I am a third generation horse fanatic. My grandpa needed horses for the farm, and when they were no longer needed to work the land, he kept them for breeding and showing. Even though my mom died when I was just 19, she passed on to me her love of horses. ...

Admit it: you want to be cool.

On your way home from work, canned ghetto-rage from a neighboring car pounds syncopated coolness through your windshield. Suddenly you feel uncool and you hate the feeling. So you lean back in your seat and put a meaner ...

Seattle has its own smaller version of the Statue of Liberty. She gazes over Puget Sound, standing tall in a park that swarms with joggers and parents pushing strollers. From the rear she looks just like the statue in New York City with flowing robes, ...

I happened to catch a song on the radio a few months ago called "100 Years," by a group named Five for Fighting. It was the tune that caught my attention at first, but the words were just as haunting. The premise of the song is that if you've ...

It's easy to find evidence of God in the midst of extraordinary circumstances. It's not so easy to detect him during the ordinary events of our lives. But that's exactly where you and I live. Most of us will never walk on water, heal the sick, or cast ...

I love poetry: to read it, to write it, to get lost in the language and the pictures. To savor the fragment that doesn't seem big enough or long enough, and yet it captures everything.

I love poetry, and in honor of National Poetry Month—and ...

How do we learn the deep 'one another' community of Scripture without being in close proximity?
Karen Shepard, Wheaton, Illinois

Community in the New Testament sense of koinonia assumes and requires face-to-face communication, whether in a horse-and-buggy ...

When I go to a party, meet a neighbor, or am introduced to anyone, the inevitable question rears its ugly head: "What do you do?"

I resent that question. "Who are you?" or "What are your interests?" would be better questions. To be defined by how I earn ...

God has entrusted us with his most precious treasure—people. He asks us to shepherd and mold them into strong disciples, with brave faith, and good character. I would not give my life to any church that was not serious about this calling—the ...

Growing up I wanted to be Mr. T. What's not to love? Big muscles, innumerable gold chains, a nice Mohawk—he intimidated everyone. His power and ability to physically dominate almost any situation mesmerized me (with the exception of the cinematic ...