I have a problem. Well, actually, many problems, but only one that I will discuss here. When I pick up a book about people like Saint Francis of Assisi, and I read about his extraordinary life, I often feel frustrated and paralyzed by my circumstances, my inability to pursue life with such abandon. I’m married with two … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: June 2011
A first time for everything
Jeanne Walker is my hero. Each May, Jeanne calls me to ask about the production of materials to promote the CBF Offering for Global Missions. A member of College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, Jeanne and her husband, Graham, are former missionaries who served in Singapore for 28 years. They are the embodiment of a … Continue reading
Where were you?
In my family we have a sort of unspoken tradition around birthdays. On each of our birthdays, my siblings and I expect that at some point in the day – maybe during a phone call or over dinner – my father will, as he does each year, tell us the story of the day of … Continue reading
Dang, Clarissa is funny
Clarissa Strickland is my friend. She is my co-worker. And, she is one of the funniest people I know. Clarissa has a well-honed sense of humor that Fellowship Baptists turn to again and again in our hours of reminiscence and celebration. This evening, she and McAfee School of Theology professor Brett Younger performed a comedy … Continue reading
Ambiguous Mysteries and Confounding Certainties
Yesterday in my Sunday School class we talked about Paul’s address to the Greeks concerning their unknown God. The question was then asked, “Why do we need God?” There was a long period of silence as the class pondered how to respond. A few of them were… We need God to have a relationship we … Continue reading
Grateful for Volunteer Feedback- Grand Goave, Haiti
In January 2011, Deborah Carter took her team from the First Congregational Church in Hanover, MA to do medical work and construction work with the Haiti Housing Network site in Grand Goâve. She has been to Haiti several times and she loves meeting other groups, worshiping with them, interacting and working with the Haitians, and … Continue reading
Partnering with South Korean Christians
At Sungrak Church in Seoul, South Korea, what a difference 40 years can make. In the late 1960s, Ki Dong Kim started a church with just a handful of people. Now, the congregation has more than 150,000 members. Kim’s son, Sung Hyun Kim is the assistant overseer of the church, helping his father lead one of … Continue reading
Pray and Think Before You Act!
Often times, leaders get caught in the tyranny of the immediate, act hastily, and find themselves cleaning up the mess. This “Ready – Fire – Aim” approach does no one any good. My advice, even when up against impossible deadlines, pray and think before you act. Feelings are immediate and we often act them out (badly). … Continue reading
A History of New Church Starts?
Oftentimes, when we think about starting new churches, we’re focused on the present or the future. But, of course every established church was once a church start. CBF of Georgia’s newsletter this month focuses on their work with lay-led new church starts over the past ten or more years. It provides a few brief reflections … Continue reading
Trips That Make a Difference!
Trips That Make a Difference are sponsored and coordinated by CBF. Staff and field personnel serve as hosts and guides. The trip participants will have the opportunity to have personal interaction with field personnel and to hear and see how God is working through the Fellowship’s ministries. We will also take advantage of sightseeing, which … Continue reading