Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
ROGER WILLIAMS: WORSHIP AS A "RELIGIOUS FIX"
Roger Williams was thumbing through a magazine on a short flight from Sacramento to San Diego. He had taken his seat when two well-dressed, attractive 20-something-year-old women sat down next to him. Their conversation competed with his attention to
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Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
COULD IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY?
Jeff Ingle tells the story of spending four days with 75 other pastors in a Pastor's Prayer Summit in Wisconsin.
He writes, "In my time I've been to many camps, conferences and retreats but never have I been to anything like this. For four days, we met together with no
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Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
WHAT COMMITMENT?
When I was in my first year of ministry, I walked into our District preachers meeting at the same time as Bobbie Potter, who was pastor of Munholland UMC in Old Metairie. He asked if I preach last Sunday which I did. Then he asked, "What did you ask them to commit to?" I said I
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Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012
OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP
Don Chapman writes,
"Recently I visited a church where I had to jump over a few unnecessary hurdles before I finally took my seat in their worship service. There was no sign out front. I drove to the church's location and was surprised not to see a sign. Was I in the right
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Methodist
Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jul 25, 2012
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ERASED
When we lived in Poland, I walked through one of the cemeteries in one of the cities. And as I was looking at the stones I was surprised to see many of the smooth stones scarred with a roughness right in the middle. Later I found out that the names had been gouged out because they were
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Denomination:
Lutheran
Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 30, 2012
Jim Buskirk was pastor of Tulsa First UMC for many years. He’s been a mentor in my ministry. I listened to his sermon tapes for years. He once told this story.
A man named Henry got off the bus near his church. As he walked up the street, he noticed a young boy sitting by a flower bed near a
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Methodist
Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Aug 3, 2012
My son Peter was born in Poland and has a Polish passport and yet since he’s my son, he also has an American passport. Depending on the situation, he can use whichever passport he wants and claims he is a citizen of both countries.
Some people think that they can do the same with their life here
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Denomination:
Lutheran
Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Sep 13, 2012
THE BLUE AND RED SPIGOTS
John Michael Cussick (Surfing for God, 104) took out two brass spigots. One has a red knob and the other has a blue knob. The red knob represents how we often look at the Christian life. The assumption is that the source from which the water flows is a cesspool and so we
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Denomination:
Lutheran
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
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WORKING HARD TO EARN SALVATION
United Methodist Bishop Reuben Job writes,
"If we are just good enough, do enough, deny ourselves enough, we will be forgiven, redeemed, and reconciled to God. Following this path brings no peace, assurance, or sense of companionship with God. Rather than asking
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Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
Jaymalis Davis was highlighted in the Times-Picayne series entitled, “Louisiana Incarcerated.” He lives in central city surround by drugs, crime and unemployment. His mother is crack addicted and largely absent from his home and his father, who was in and out of jail for drugs and car theft and
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Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile Diabetes. Then he lost his
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Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012
THE STORY OF OPEN TABLE
Open Table started with a chance encounter with a homeless man named Ernie who simply asked a youth group serving him a meal if he could come worship at their church. The adult youth workers were moved to agree to come the very next day to bring Ernie to their church
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Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Tim Secrist on Oct 24, 2012
OUTA-ORDER
A man pulled into a gas station, walked over to a soda machine, and stared at the sign, which read, "Soda: $2.00."
"Two dollars for a soda--that’s incredible," the man said.
"Wall, it ain’t really two dollars," said the attendant. "That machine’s broke. I put up an outa-order sign,
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Christian/Church Of Christ
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012
"Jesus Christ asks each one of us, not for obedience primarily, not for repentance, not for vows, not for conduct, but for a heart; and that being given, all the rest will
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Baptist
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012
The Church of Christ needs servants of all kinds, and instruments of every sort; pen-knives as well as swords, axes as well as hammers, chisels as well as saws, Marthas as well as Marys, Peters as
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Baptist
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012
We are not simply to linger about the shrine of the resurrection, but are to go declaring the fact of it! Mary was changed from a mourner to a missionary when she met the
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Baptist
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012
A young man, after a revival service, came up to the visiting evangelist and they were getting ready to put up everything for the night. The young man had left after the invitation, under conviction, he had returned at the conclusion of the service and went up to the evangelist and he said, "Sir,
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012
Pilate made a choice. Rather than ask for God's grace, he asked for a bowl. Rather than invite Jesus to stay, he sent him away. Rather than hear Christ's voice, he heard the
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Baptist
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012
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Joanne Shetler spent years in the Philippines with the Balangao people, translating the Bible into their language and trying to tell them the good news of the Savior. But it was slow going. One day Ama, a man who had “adopted” her as his Balangao daughter, picked up an English New Testament from
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Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 4, 2012
Mary illustrates that hungry heart that wants to understand the depth of this great salvation. --John
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Denomination:
Baptist