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Dec, 01, 2009 0
In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet claims that Romeo’s family name should not matter, even though her family and Romeo’s family are feuding. To her, such a small thing is not as important as the love they share. However, both of these star-crossed lovers soon learn that names do have…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
In my last pastorate at Nashville, Les Parrott Sr. was a parishioner. One Sunday he said to me, "Bill, every time you preach you emphasize some truth of the gospel!"
Les had it right. From the beginning of my ministry my endeavor has been to proclaim some aspect of the gospel, which in 1935…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, NIV
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, NIV
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
I stared at the phone in stunned silence.
A pastor had just told me about his experience. When he encouraged his congregation to pray for the persecuted church, he'd encountered skepticism at best. A member had even expressed doubt that the problem was "that serious."
Over time, I've heard…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
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…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
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.
I serve as president of Heart…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
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!
The Board of General Superintendents salutes valiant pastors, laity, evangelists,…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
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…
Dec, 01, 2009 0
Before E-mail, or air travel, or television, or computers, or the Internet, or the concept of furloughs, people responded to God's call on their lives and left the comfort of everything familiar to tell citizens in other countries about Jesus. They dealt with war, danger at sea, little preparation…