July 2016

I Don’t Agree

Posted in:
Editorial

Christian believers belonging to the Church of the Nazarene do many things well. We respond quickly to people in need through such ministries as local compassion centers and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. We educate more than 50,000 college and university students annually through our 52 higher education institutions.

We share the gospel effectively through local evangelism efforts and via our missionaries serving in 159 world areas.

Intimacy: A Better Story

Posted in:
Our Relationships

The dreaded “sex talk.” I think this is a right of passage for every person who dares to embark on the journey of parenting. It wasn’t long ago that my wife and I entered into this awkward exchange of adult realities matched with our child’s innocent view of the world. Determined to beat his school to the punch, we pulled together our best material, which mostly emphasized body parts and how they worked together to make a baby. Though awkward and filled with many moments of silence, my wife and I felt like we had done a decent job.

Bringing the Story to Life

Posted in:
Our Story

My kids got their good taste in music from me. They’re a little obsessive about it, though. Every time we get in the van, they want to listen to one particular bluegrass album over and over and over: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder’s Live at the Charleston Music Hall.

One song, “A Simple Life,” proclaims, “My favorite book was wrote about a man that died to save my soul.” Whether he realizes it or not, Skaggs makes a profound claim with this simple lyric: the Bible is story.

Q&A: Catechism

Posted in:
Q & A

Q: I hear our pastor talking about beginning a catechism class. What is catechism anyway? Isn’t it for Catholics? I thought we were more interested as a denomination in getting people sanctified, not just memorizing cold facts about religion. ?

Q&A: General Assembly

Posted in:
Q & A

How important is it for the global church family to gather, such as at a general assembly? Is it worth the expense?

Kitty Voges: It’s priceless. My first general assembly experience was an eye-opener on the church. You don’t realize, until you attend, how people come from all over the globe.

Loreal Higgins: It’s always good to know that you’re part of a bigger family, a greater body, and to see the diversity. At a general assembly you get to experience it, and that’s what’s amazing.

GOD, the SEED-PLANTER

Posted in:
Our Story

I have the uttermost respect for farmers. I am privileged to have some great farmer friends in North Dakota and they are among the most incredible people I know. The dedication and love they put into what they do, their outstanding work ethics, and their ability to fix machinery as big as a two-story house cause me to feel deep admiration for them.

Hallowed Be Your Name

Posted in:
Our Faith

In ancient Hebrew culture, a person’s name was synonymous with their nature. To know the name was to understand his or her personality. The nation of Israel believed this was also true of God. They held one name for God that was deemed so sacred it was spoken only once a year by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies. When they wrote the name of God, they did not use any vowels, only consonants, out of reverence to The Name (YHWH).

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