New England news & perspectives
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Victory in the Battle
As followers of Christ we are faced with many challenges, including difficult or destructive people and circumstances. This is not new to believers. In fact, the early church experienced so many difficulties that the Apostle Paul taught them how to overcome by leaning on the Lord’s strength and taking up His spiritual armor. This same remedy is available to us today.
When the Fight Calls, Part II: Weapons for Warfare
In the last article, we spoke about the reality of spiritual warfare in our lives as followers of Christ. We saw that even as we experience attacks, we fight from a place of victory because of Jesus’ victory over death, sin, and Satan.
Dream bigger
"How could we bless you?"
He looked at me intently as I gathered the courage to reply: "I'd love to go to seminary."
"Done," he said. "You should have dreamed bigger."
Let me tell you, friends—those are some haunting words.
Let us pray, Church
It is time to get real serious about prayer. If our churches don’t pray, we have lost the battle already. If we want to see something spiritually significant happen in our congregations, we have to lead them to the green pastures and still waters of prayer. Let them know that even in the dark valleys, the Good Shepherd offers His ear to His people.
How should we pray for Ukraine
Just a few weeks ago, Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. There have already been thousands of casualties and more than a million refugees. Meanwhile, the US and NATO have condemned the invasion, but are being exceedingly cautious in their response, fearing another world war.
Dr. and Mrs. James Wideman: A lifetime of service, prayer, and generosity
James (Jim) Wideman, a native of Texas, and his wife Sandy, a native of Florida, invested much of lives in New England, first moving to the region in 1970. After dating at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, in the summer of 1970, they were assigned as short term missionaries to Screven Memorial Baptist Church (now called Seacoast Community Church) in Portsmouth, N.H. Jim later returned to Texas to finish his seminary studies but in 1979, a growing sense of call to New England led them back to Portsmouth where Jim became pastor of that church.
Keep asking
Several years ago, I was speaking at a conference to church planters. At the end of the session, one of the attenders came up to me and said sarcastically, “I heard you are a hot shot church planter. What do you think has made you successful?” I thought about his question and answered seriously and yet simply, “I didn’t give up.”
Hope for a dying church
Troubled times for America: We had never been more divided politically. Battles raged over conflicting visions of freedom and justice. The country was on the brink of civil war. Business had been booming, but there were signs of impending economic collapse. Even more troubling, American Christians were in a spiritual malaise: discouraged and disillusioned. Many were falling away from the faith and checking out of church. The light of the world seemed to be fading…
Desperate measures
Our church has a long-standing partnership with several churches in Durban, South Africa, and we are deeply concerned about the current state of affairs there. In the last few weeks, hundreds of people have been killed and dozens of malls and businesses have been looted and burned by those protesting the imprisonment of former president, Jacob Zuma. The already struggling economy (over 40% unemployment), locked down due to another spike in COVID, has taken another blow. If they can restore order, it will take years to recover in any meaningful way. Even worse, this has further enflamed racial tensions that have put many of our dear friends of Indian heritage in great danger.
Praying for the most strategic mission field
This fall students will attend college on the campuses of New England: students from the region, the Northeast, every state in the country, nearly every protectorate of the country, and nations spanning the globe. As students live, study, recreate, and make friendships on a localized campus community, they crystalize the worldview, habits, and relationships that will propel them for life. On campuses all across our New England region, nearly one million students will be making decisions that will guide their lives — and eternities — in real time.
An appeal to Heaven: Christ is the only hope for our nation
If we are to truly believe God’s Word, then we must realize that God created us “for such a time as this.”
We say this often, but do we live it out? These are definitely strange times in our culture, and the opportunity to serve God has never been greater. Being a Baby Boomer, I remember well the last big period of upheaval we saw in this nation. There was so much confusion during the 1960s that both a president and a godly man who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ were assassinated in plain sight.
What to do when we don’t know what to do
Everything is changing. The ways we live, learn, work and play are all up in the air, and no one knows how things will land. Between the lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings, ongoing riots and protests in our cities, rising crime and racial tensions, it feels like we are lost in the wilderness without a guide. No one knows anything!
Having a Kingdom impact by praying for other churches
Praying is biblical. Praying for other churches is biblical. Yet for almost 20 years, I’ve noticed a trend of competition among pastors and churches. Does God really want His churches to be in competition with one another – or does He want us unified in Christ? Here are four ways to pray for other biblical churches in your community, based on Ephesians 1:15-20.
Five ways to pray for your pastor
Pastors have one of most stressful jobs in the world, and any Kingdom battle worth fighting calls for more resources than the pastor has on his own. Your pastor can’t lead the church without God’s help and your help. He needs love, grace, support and prayer from your congregation. Here are five ways to pray right now.
Six ways to cultivate prayer in your small group
Small groups are very important to the health of any church. They are places for individuals to grow in their faith and to build relationships with others. One important aspect of any small group should be prayer, but many small group leaders share their concern that prayer time sometimes becomes stale.