2013

Giving Others the Freedom to Leave

Letting go requires compassion and self-discipline

She was leaving. I stood in my kitchen, away from the laughter ringing in the living room, and listened as a woman from our small group explained her decision. Six months earlier, she and her husband had jumped into our group, eager to connect and serve. But now they'd decided to go a different direction.

I could embrace her decision and encourage her onward. Or I could withhold ...

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Women Leading in a New Era

An interview with leadership consultant Nancy Ortberg

Formerly on staff at Willow Creek, leadership consultant Nancy Ortberg—also a speaker and author—is currently leading on staff at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. She talked with GFL about being in churches that don't recognize women in leadership, the intersection of passion and humility, and gracefully shifting the reigns of leadership to the next generation.

Have you noticed ...

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Understanding God’s Heart for Justice

An interview with Stephan Bauman, President & CEO of World Relief
Understanding God’s Heart for Justice

Since its inception, World Relief has been a convening organization of the Justice Conference, which seeks to impact a generation for justice. It was my pleasure to sit down with World Relief's CEO, Stephan Bauman, to discuss justice, the way we perceive people, and our contributions to the world.

I had the pleasure of hearing you speak at the 2013 conference. One of the ...

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Lead Me On: Dodging Dogma

Like Moses, I must resist the temptation to add my own requirements to God’s
Lead Me On: Dodging Dogma

Over a holiday dinner once, I heard one family member tell another that drinking wine was forbidden by Jesus.

"Forbidden?" the first person asked.

Here we go, I thought.

"Forbidden," the second person said.

"Wasn't Jesus' first miracle turning water into wine?" the first asked.

"Oh yes," said the second person. "But it was weak ...

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Odd Woman In

God has a plan for everyone, even broken and hurting people like me (and you)

Most of the last two decades of my life have been spent as the "odd woman out": out of love, out of hope, and out of control. As the "odd" one, I found myself either ignored by others or noticed, but regardless, I found pain waiting for me. Thankfully, I did not remain "out." God's mercy, hope, and love found me, leading me to become the "odd woman in."

Webster's Dictionary ...

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Multicultural Ministry at Work

An Interview with Vancouver Pastor Joèl Adrienne Amzil

Joèl Adrienne Amzil is an associate pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Vancouver, a congregation known for its rich multicultural ministry. We wanted to hear more from Joel about Trinity, her role there, and how this multicultural congregation worships together.

Joèl, tell us a little about TBC.

Trinity Baptist Church has been serving the west side of Vancouver for 99 years. ...

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What the Church Needs to Know about Immigration

An Interview with Jenny Yang, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy for World Relief

Immigration was one of the hot-button issues of the last presidential election, and it continues to be a divisive issue in the halls of Washington DC today. Unfortunately, far too many Christians and evangelical churches are uneducated on this important issue or taking their "facts" from opinionated and unresearched political and media sources that do not have a holistic Christian ...

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A Master Class in Grief

When I lost my mother, I learned a lot about how to (and how not to) comfort grieving people

Losing our parents is an inevitability. If it hasn't happened to you already, it will. It's how life works.

Perhaps I should reframe that. We don't "lose" them; they pass away, depart this life, go on ahead, are called home, are promoted to Glory, are no longer with us. Oh, so many ways of not saying it. They die.

At least, their physical bodies cease functioning and life ...

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Healing Wounds from Sexual Violence

There’s power in men and women working together

The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) posters hanging all over Ryerson University's campus caught 17-year-old Miranda Hassell's eye. "Make up…or concealer for bruises?" read the text on one poster, images of a compact and a brush.

Started by men for men in the 1980s, WRC works to engage men in ending men's violence against women, while inspiring them to be the best versions of themselves. ...

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How Should the Church Handle Adultery?

God’s mercy provides a way out…do we?

Have you been marred by the sin of adultery? Has your heart ever ached for a friend's or relative's marriage that has been battered by adultery? The church has ways to handle adultery, but do we handle it as Jesus did? Have you seen the church mishandle people affected by adultery? How do we extend mercy for such a despicable sin that disrupts so many marriages, homes, children, ...

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