BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Jesus lived, Merry Christmas!
Christmas is right around the corner! We as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as God coming, crashing into our world, in history and clothed in flesh. There is a growing objection to Christmas that goes something like this: “We don’t even know if Jesus was a real person. He may have been a myth made up by the Church.” The good news is this is a question we can answer without too much difficulty, since our faith is a historical one, rooted in God’s work within time and space.
Christmas: God with us
We are getting close to that time of year when our social media and photo apps will offer up our “Year in Review,” allowing us to see the highlights of one year all in a few minutes. I love being reminded of the good days, the moments of laughter, and of the Lord’s faithfulness stretching out over another year of my life.
Light of the world
I love living in New England. I love the history, the ocean, the people. But there’s one thing that I just do not like. I hate that in the winter the sun goes down so early and the days are so short. I find myself really looking forward to the Winter Solstice. It may be the shortest day, but I know from that day forward each day will get a bit longer and include a little more daylight. It’s a bit easier to face the shorter days, when I know we are one step closer to spring and sunshine.
10 suggestions to keep Jesus first
There are only 10 commandments. God alone makes commandments that can transcend times and cultures. We aren’t so audacious to think we could come up with similar commands for keeping Jesus first in restoring people to Him through outreach ministry. But, these principles have helped us greatly and God has used them mightily in bringing true & lasting restoration to people.
Staying hydrated
The room where I teach Barre at my local YMCA is sweltering in the summer. With no AC and what feels like perpetual humidity, I remind students to drink lots of water, though that’s usually a given. During breaks, I find that we all naturally reach for our water bottles.
The woman who clings to Jesus
Another busy summer is wrapping up, and the school year is beginning. As a ministry family, summer is a whirlwind of outreach, events, and visitors. And as a homeschooling mom, the responsibilities of the school year are tremendous.
Filled with hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13) Hope. It is a weighty word that carries deep meaning, but it is also a word that is thrown around in everyday language without the true meaning attached to it. “Hope you have a nice day!” “Hope you feel better.” “Hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow!” We find ourselves saying these phrases without much thought and primarily as pleasantries.
Are you celebrating the Gospel?
What would you expect Jesus’ first miracle to be? Healing the sick? Raising the dead? Walking on water? Jesus’ first miracle was to make 120-180 gallons of exquisite wine. Jesus attended a wedding in Cana. His mother was also there and playing an official role when a potential disaster happens—they ran out of wine. That doesn’t seem too cataclysmic, but for the custom of that day, weddings would last a week and to run out of wine would be a serious social embarrassment. Lawsuits could be brought against the groom’s family!
The encouragement women (actually) need: Part 2
Christian women are starving for encouragement that leads to greater and deeper love of Jesus. We are exhausted of platitudes and cliches. Examining Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well in John chapter 4, we can glean four biblical truths to encourage all women. In The encouragement women (actually) need: Part 1, we discussed the first two biblical truths: Jesus chases after us and Jesus calls us out of hiding. Here, we will look two more encouraging truths from this passage:
The encouragement women (actually) need: Part 1
Messages targeting Christian women, whether from books, podcasts, or even (some) pulpits, are often confusing, contradictory, and sometimes even simply unbiblical. Sometimes light hearted attempts at encouraging women result in vague, silly, or unintentionally condescending platitudes.
Making Easter memorable
Our family makes a conscious effort to emphasize the joy that comes from gathering with the saints on Sunday mornings. From counting down throughout the week to picking out dresses the night before, these simple habits have shaped in them an exciting anticipation for the upcoming Lord’s Day.
The good shepherd
Throughout Scripture, the metaphor of sheep and shepherd are used to paint a vivid picture of God and His people. Psalm 23 begins with the line, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and Jesus affirms this in John 10. While few of us today know the intricacies of agrarian labor, we have read stories, watched films, and driven past enough farms that the realities of these statements are within the realm of imaginative meditation. Let us dust off the redeemed imagination so that the goodness may hit us afresh, so that we may ingest the treasures of truth to be found within the living Word.
No one left behind
Recently, as our government decided to close the long chapter on the war in Afghanistan, our nation (and, indeed, the entire world) looked on with much concern and trepidation as the hasty evacuation process unfolded.
The humble king
If you could ask God for one thing, and know that He would give it, what would your request be? Assuming you couldn’t ask for more wishes, what would you say? I believe our answer to that question reveals a lot about our own drives and desires in life. Maybe you would ask that God bring back a loved one who has passed away. Perhaps you would ask for better health or a more stable bank account. Maybe you would request the salvation of a wayward child.