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Dec, 01, 2009 0
Holiday seasons are times to contemplate future plans while looking back on past experiences. In fact, the Advent itself serves to help us maintain a spirit of reflection. As healthy as that may be, there comes a point when we need to think ahead, not look back. God's Word recounts an angel…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
The Holy Spirit comes to the lives of believers to give them His power to fulfill the mission of God. The Holy Spirit is the indispensable source of the effectiveness and fruition of ministry. The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to bear witness to Jesus Christ and the power of the resurrection.…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
As he takes on the mantle of Canada National Director for the Church of the Nazarene, Clair MacMillan provides some insights into his life and ministry.
Q. Where were you born and raised?
A. I was born in Prince Edward Island and relocated to Ottawa, Ontario, as a child. My primary and…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Jeff Carr, an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, has had a unique career. He spent 17 years in Los Angeles (L.A.) working with youth and later became executive director of Bresee Foundation. During that time, he made connections in civic organizations-police, schools, city council.…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
When my brother-in-law fell off his roof and cracked his skull on the cement, within minutes his church was galvanized. The hospital waiting room filled with support people. An email solicited prayers and his restored health was a miracle. Eventually, the congregation raised funds for the bills…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
During the first century of Christianity, a key value of the Roman Empire was hospitality; however, it was a rather “closed” hospitality. It was to be extended primarily to those in the same family and the same social class.
First century Jewish people were called to a higher standard, but certain…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
If our eyes, ears, and hearts are open, God can teach us powerful lessons in such unexpected ways. I have a feeling that in my busyness, I miss many teachable moments completely, but I am amazed at His way of speaking to us, personally and so uniquely, through things that are special to us. To me,…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Try as hard as they will, society and culture cannot ignore the Church. Statistics report that 43 percent of Americans and 20 percent of Canadians attend church at least once weekly. The Gallup Poll has repeatedly questioned, "How important would you say religion is in your own life: very important…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Mary* was a familiar face at the neighborhood dry cleaning business. She was outgoing, attentive, and courteous. During our regular stops there, I began to build a bridge of friendship with her. I learned that she had two kids, was divorced, and—as you might guess—found life difficult.
Long…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Lent is the approximately forty day period leading up to Easter Sunday. It is meant to be a time of preparation and reflection that is patterned after Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness at the beginning of His earthly ministry (Mark 1:12-13; Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). As we prepare to enter this…