In our earlier article [May/June 2009], we set out the big picture of the good news of the gospel. We showed how countercultural the gospel is both in overt examples and more subtle ways. At the same time, there are texts in Scripture, when taken out of their first century context, which appear to run against the grain of the countercultural direction of the gospel. In some Christian traditions, a few of them are used as proof texts to exclude women from ministry.

What are we to make of these texts?

The year 2005 brought catastrophic weather, natural disasters, Nazarene compassion in action, and record increases of 1,009 new congregations worldwide, and 100,000 new Nazarenes. ¡Gloria a Dios! Praise the Lord!

As I watched the news about the conflict in Iraq, I wondered if I would get a phone call. Sure enough, it came in January 2004: "Colonel Morsch, sir, we've received orders on you, and you're being sent to Iraq." I met with my co-workers to prepare for my deployment.

Desperation is not often a good thing.

For instance, we should never fill a position in the church or even in a corporate setting out of sheer desperation. This can lead to a short-term fix that causes great disruption in the long run. Desperation can give way to a fear-based approach that sets a dire tone for the direction of an organization.

However, there is a kind of desperation that is positive and can lead to a sharp focus and a tenacity that seeks to quench spiritual hunger and thirst regardless of the cost.

"If You Aren't Careful, I'll Have To..."

On a recent trip, I entered a city filled with billboards and posters advertising religious events. One especially caught my eye. The bright red headline screamed, "Rapture or Rupture: Your Choice!" It included the time and place of teaching on biblical prophecy. I was intrigued. I realize the rapture is often taught in the context of biblical prophecy. But though I know what "rupture" means, I had no idea what that conference on biblical prophecy would teach.

My friend loves his church, deeply. Usually when I talk to him about the church, he does not focus on the good times of the past or the exciting present. Instead, he mentions his concern for the future. Looking at the church through his granddaughter's eyes, his heart beats with a passion to know it will always be a vibrant place where she will experience Jesus' life-changing power.

On Sunday, April 13, 2008, the Peniel Church of the Nazarene in Greenville, Texas, celebrated its 100th anniversary. This church was organized in April 1908, six months before the merger in Pilot Point, Texas, which marked the beginning of the Church of the Nazarene 100 years ago. The Peniel church has averaged less than 100 in attendance throughout its history.

"If I really connect, I bet I could hit the ball into the ocean."

When I was a child, many things frightened me: junkyard dogs, lurking shadows in my bedroom at night, and most of all, big bullies. Those threatening guys at Walthall Elementary School, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, stalked me and made my life miserable. Evidently my experience is not isolated.