By Marv Knox Mission projects often require volunteers to do all kinds of activities. During Stella Perrin’s recent trip to serve Ukrainian war refugees in Moldova, she did what she does best. She listened. Perrin participated in typical mission-trip projects—caring for children, cleaning up after meals, attending worship and even landscaping. But she also ministered … Continue reading
Author Archives: Daniel Potter
Esau McCaulley, Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit
Hair wasn’t a big deal for me personally until it started receding. Then, I debated joining the throngs of my guy friends who had shaved the noggin and sported the Mr. Clean look. And yet, outside of the trench warfare I’m having with my hairline, I recognize that my relationship with hair is drastically different … Continue reading
Why bringing in young families is not a magic bullet for your congregation
By Laura Stephens-Reed I have heard it many times in congregations experiencing stagnation or decline: If we could just bring in more young families… This is an understandable thought. For churches with nurseries that once burst at the seams or with memories of youth choirs that went on tour in the summers, bringing in more … Continue reading
For Jeff Lee, being present sometimes means staying away
By Grayson Hester North Macedonia (commonly referred to as simply “Macedonia”) doesn’t loom large on the radars of many Americans. In the shadow of much larger and more influential European countries, this small nation near Albania tends to get overlooked. Whereas France and Germany, for example, contain internationally renowned metropolises, Macedonia by and large, features … Continue reading
Becoming a hybrid congregation
By Laura Stephens-Reed Two years ago the world locked down, seemingly overnight, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. Many congregations went from having a website and a minimal social media presence, which sometimes included recordings or livestreams of worship, to creating online community wholly through previously utilized and new-to-them media. Churches pivoted again and … Continue reading
Greg Mamula, Table Life
I can remember the headline like it was yesterday, “President Bush Vomits on the Japanese Prime Minister.” But, I mean, that’s not the kind of the thing you see in the newspaper every day. But it’s not the first and certainly will not be the last historical moment at the dinner table. Supposedly the pack … Continue reading
Dominion Graphic Novels, Featuring Barron Bell and Daniel Hancock
I’m always a bit skeptical when it comes to Christianese film, tv, and written stories. Okay, more accurately, I am a bit cynical. Why? In a long history of trying too hard to be relevant, most of the content is just not very good. Not Dominion, a new graphic novel series. Based on the story … Continue reading
Presence, Perseverance, Prayer and a Project: Lucien’s story
By Grayson Hester Lucien, better known by his church community as Dyak (“deacon” in Haitian Creole) has witnessed enormous change in the three years since his story was featured on the CBFblog. For one, Lucien’s home of Haiti has endured crisis after crisis in the last year alone—from the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moïse, … Continue reading
The Flag and The Cross, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry
Words matter. They really, really do. A couple of years back, French President, Emmanuel Macron, was on a dignitary trip to Australia, meeting with the country’s Prime Minister. President Emmanuel began to thank Turnbull and his wife in a public address, saying, “Prime Minister Turnbull, I just want to thank you and your delicious wife … Continue reading
That’s enough!
By Nell Green I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in the middle of a horror such as the one unfolding in Ukraine daily. If you are like me, you find it hard to listen to the news reports each day. Yet, I am compelled to do so. I do not want … Continue reading