BCNE News
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Good theology for bad days
God, You're so good. / God, You're so good. / God, You're so good, / You're so good to me.
I choked the simple chorus out on Sunday morning despite a lump rising in my throat. Weeks of waiting for the results of a major medical test numbed my ability to belt out the lyrics with the same gusto as those around me. Instead a pitiful, broken string of truth fell quietly from my mouth, each word a salty tear.
The generational ripples of sin
Have you ever given much thought to how your life impacts others? I remember the last funeral we had in town for a young life that ended far to early due to self-medication. Seeing the sorrow and hurt left behind after this death crushed my heart.
When relating to folks deeply entrenched in their sin there is a phrase that is all too common: “I am only hurting myself.” This is a lie straight from the father of lies. Have we truly stopped to ponder the effect our sin has on those around us? Have we ever considered the ramifications our supposedly small or inconsequential act of disobedience toward the Father might have for future generations?
Welcoming international students into our lives — and our church
It wasn’t all that different than every other year. My plate overflowed with turkey, gravy, and stuffing, followed by pumpkin pie—and more pumpkin pie. In many ways my twenty-six previous Thanksgivings all blend together into a blur of food, family and football. But this year was different. My twenty-seventh Thanksgiving aligned with another group’s first Thanksgiving, creating a moment that was so much bigger than food or football. It was truly a unique family moment, even though I was not related to a single person in the room.
An almost lost church history
During early 2019, my home church was getting ready to celebrate our 40th church anniversary. As one of the earliest church members, I was asked to put together a church history. At first I was really excited about the challenge ahead. I had this vision of assembling a comprehensive, chronological history that included pictures and all of the notable milestones along the way.
The challenge of those who won’t believe
I had known Calvin for many years. Although he lived in the small community where I served as pastor, he was not part of our church. In fact, Calvin publicly proclaimed he was an atheist.
Narnia and spiritual warfare
We may understand that we face battles, but why does Aslan say to Peter, “And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword”? I believe there are two reasons that Christians ought to remember to wipe our sword.
Resting in Christ
As a pastor or church leader’s wife, it sometimes feels like your life is on public display. It’s easy to put pressure on yourself – as well as accept it from others – about what you should look like, sound like, dress like and even how you should decorate your home.
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.
Who are you promoting?
In the world of church planting, planters are occasionally told that we are the brand and therefore must promote ourselves regularly. Just as a musician, an athlete or an artist might attempt to increase their own profile, we, too, must accept that it is necessary for people to know us and see us as a central element to the ministry. The idea is that people who are like us will see us, relate to us and then join us in our new church.
However, a year before starting my church planting journey, Jeff Bass, a mentor of mine who serves as the executive director for the Emmanuel Gospel Center in Boston, shared a very different perspective on how I might pursue ministry as a church planter.
Who’s influencing you? (Or five reasons to read a missionary biography this year)
Have you recently put together a creative charcuterie board? Traveled to an unusual vacation spot? Have you donned a casual hat, some new hipster eyeglasses or matching family pajamas? Begun a new health or beauty routine? If so, it may be due to the influencer who shows up in your social media feeds on a daily basis. I opened a new set of resistance bands for Christmas, because, hey, if they work for Tom Brady and Kira Stokes, maybe they’ll work for me, too.
Hearing voices
I find deep beauty in the hush that falls over my heart and home after the holiday chaos has ebbed. Décor is stowed until next year, surfaces are reordered, and a gentle blanket of silence fills the previously riotous internal and external spaces of life.
Here in the pause, the first part of Isaiah 30:15 expands in real time, a banner of peace spread triumphant — “For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’”
How does ESL help spread the Gospel?
The goal of the church-based ESL ministry is to intentionally share and demonstrate the Gospel as we help people learn to speak English. But how can we do this?
After Christmas, what?
After the anticipation of the holidays, it’s easy to feel uncomfortable or restless as we try to settle into a new routine. So, what’s a person to do after Christmas?
In Luke 2:21-40, we get a glimpse at some of the things Jesus was doing after the very first Christmas. Perhaps they can lend us counsel as we start off the new year.
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.
Starting fresh with God
Several years ago when I was a college student and home for the holidays, my parents held a New Year’s Eve party at our house. My younger teenage brothers invited some friends over, some of my college friends joined us, and my parents had some adult friends there, too. At some point during the evening, my brothers and their friends headed to watch the ball drop on the TV in the den while the rest of us stayed in the living room to watch the other TV.
Starting points for church revitalization
Did you know that most churches have a 30-year life cycle before they start to decline?
That’s why revitalization is so important. But be warned, the process does not come naturally to churches. As a matter of fact, leading a revitalization effort is one of the hardest things you can do, so understanding the process of revival is crucial
If your church needs to work on revitalization, here are some starting points for you to think through.
How should Christians treat illegal immigrants?
Caravans of migrants marching toward our southern border. President Trump promising to build a wall. Sanctuary cities refusing to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Politicians calling to decriminalize the illegal crossing of US borders. Congress’s frustrating failure to reform immigration laws, making a path to citizenship next to impossible for the 11.1 million illegal immigrants currently living in the US.
These events have pressed upon us a question that evangelicals need to answer: How should our churches treat the people who live in our communities without legal status?
Your first week of revitalization
Your first week of revitalization is essential. Knowing this, you must immediately begin to think proactively and plan to build alignment for future success. You will never get this time again, so it is important to focus on the most urgent task: assessing the situation by talking to people.
When Jesus doesn’t cure your mental illness
When I became a believer in Christ, I automatically thought my life would get better, that all my problems would go away because Jesus died on the cross for me. Don’t get me wrong, things changed. In fact, I became radically different. But since knowing Jesus, I have still struggled through depression and anxiety.
While wrestling through the whys, I spent a lot of time asking God if I was really a believer because there were days where I could not get out of bed, days that I was lying face-down on the floor battling anxiety, and days where I thought it would be easier to end my life.