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the harvest

by K. T. Sim on May 19th, 2013 | no responses
Christians observe Pentecost Sunday as the day the Holy Spirit was given to the church. Some celebrate it as the church’s birthday. Contrary to popular belief, the Day of Pentecost didn’t begin with the church. Pentecost is a very important ancient Jewish festival—the fourth of seven major... read more »

good religion

by winn collier on May 16th, 2013 | 10 responses
As a pastor, I get interesting responses from people when they discover my vocation. Some will immediately apologize for the language they’ve used. Some offer a forced smile and then come up with an excuse to change the subject. One line I hear often is: “Well, I like Jesus, but I don’t like... read more »

if My people

by mike wittmer on April 17th, 2013 | 6 responses
I was speaking with three friends about the lamentable condition of our country. They mentioned the continued practice of abortion, the rise of homosexual marriage, and the debt crisis. One friend cited 2 Chronicles 7:14, and said that our nation’s problems will only be solved when our country... read more »

God’s garden

by regina franklin on April 16th, 2013 | 6 responses
Last spring I planted an herb garden, even though I don’t have a “green thumb.” In fact, I only sporadically watered the plants when their environment reached desertlike conditions. But, fortunately, I was able to enjoy cooking with the fresh fruits of my labor throughout the summer. A year... read more »

correcting blind spots

by marvin williams on March 1st, 2013 | 4 responses
In The Call to Joy and Pain, Ajith Fernando, a Christian leader from Sri Lanka, wrote: “The church in each culture has its own special challenges—theological blind spots that hinder Christians from growing to full maturity in Christ. . . . I think one of the most serious theological blind spots... read more »

experiencing community

by tom felten on February 25th, 2013 | 5 responses
Respondents to a recent Barna Group survey listed the following as key elements of their church life: connecting with God, experiencing transformation, gaining new insights, and feeling cared for. All of those things happen as individual believers come together and use their gifts to bless and edify... read more »

lawn libraries

by jennifer benson schuldt on February 21st, 2013 | 3 responses
Nancy Johnson went for a walk and discovered a little library in a neighbor’s yard. It’s estimated that there are now between 300 to 400 small libraries lodged in people’s lawns around the world. Each has a take-a-book/leave-a-book policy. Nancy commented, “I like the sense of... read more »

pray for them

by marvin williams on February 19th, 2013 | 2 responses
In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer states: “A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses. I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me. His face, that hitherto may have... read more »

Christmas anytime, anywhere

by an odj community member on January 2nd, 2013 | no responses
The year has come and is almost over, yet, the end of the world is still not here— from mishaps, God helps us to recover to enjoy His season of yuletide cheer.   We need not meet the Lord face to face to thank Him for His amazing grace; still, the mercy He showered upon us can also be shown... read more »

the comfort of God

by Jeff Olson on December 14th, 2012 | 4 responses
Sometimes I wish life was like more like an episode of the television drama House. The show is about an egotistical but genius medical sleuth (Dr. Gregory House) who diagnoses and treats mysterious, life-threatening illnesses. During one episode, the doctor and his cohorts eventually determined that... read more »
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