Articles Tagged 'Challenge'

In Everything Give Thanks... in EVERYTHING!

And there I began hunting out places of worship through tears of joy in pain.

Melissa Troyer reminds us that giving thanks -- and finding reasons to give thanks -- is a decision we make every day in all circumstances, especially when it is hard to be thankful!

Don't Settle for a Small Destiny

What do we let define us, call or catastrophe?

Max Lucado from his book "You'll Get Through This" encourages us to not let our disappointments define us but instead let God's destiny for us define us.

Live Beyond

I invite you to join me in living beyond the horizon of our children's faith!

Phil Ware writes about leaving a legacy with his children and grandchildren to pass on faith and be passionate disciples of Jesus.

ToGather: X > ! (December 6, 2020)

Jesus won't let us classify him as just another good teacher: He challenges us to decide if he is Lord, liar, or lunatic!

Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos to honor Jesus as greater than anything or anyone.

Leaving a Multi-generational Legacy

As fathers, we can leave behind messes for our children and grandchildren; more importantly, we can leave behind a lasting legacy of faith!

Phil Ware reminds us that as fathers and grandfather, we will leave behind messes but we can also leave behind a legacy of faith that lasts for generations.

Who Is God?

Moses wanted Pharaoh and the Egyptians to see that only Israel's God was truly God. Anything in addition to God was less.

James Nored and Phil Ware look at Moses' showdown with Pharaoh to remind us that this was really a showdown to show who was truly God and our need to choose to follow him.

Living My MUSD #4: Shared Prayer through Empowering Missionally

I get done only what I pray for!

Phil Ware shares some practical ideas on how to stay on mission even while practicing social distancing.

Living My MUSD #3: Shared Prayer through Communicating Purposefully

My prayers for others mean much more to them when they know what I have prayed for them!

Phil Ware shares some practical ideas on how to stay on mission even while practicing social distancing.

Experiencing God on Our Journey of Faith

No matter how comfortable we feel we are with God, a genuine relationship with the Almighty goes far beyond a few religious rituals, like making time for him at Christmas and Easter.

James Nored and Phil Ware challenge us to be open to God's work in our lives while we continue on our journey of faith.

For the Unseen Heroes

How do they do it? I see them, am amazed by them, and want to be more like them.

Tom Norvel sees the folks who face uphill challenges and yet keep on keeping on and is amazed and thanks them and affirms them and wants to be more like them.

Jesus, Be Born in Me

Like Mary, we don't know fully what we are committing to do, but we know that our ultimate destination is Jesus.

Phil Ware reminds us of the gritty reality of Jesus' birth and Mary choosing to accept the challenge of being Jesus' mother and reminds us of our need to commit to have Jesus born in our lives.

Pray and Help!

Practical information on how to help after Harvey and the devastation left behind.

Phil Ware reminds us that compassion isn't compassion until it is turned into action just as faith without compassionate works is dead.

I Will Pursue Unity

For the sake of making 'every effort to pursue the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace' (Ephesians 4:3).

Rubel Shelly gives us a practical, yet very challenging, set of practices to help us pursue unity with other believers without compromising our own faith and commitment to Scripture.

Dinner at Levi's House

They're unsettling. They're uncomfortable. They're troubling. So, we don't ask, at least not out loud!

Phil Ware asks a bunch of troubling questions as he looks at the story of Jesus and his call of Levi and the party Levi had at his house afterwords.

Simple Oil Changes

Why is it so hard to let our Father help us?

Max Lucado reminds us that God wants to help us through our hardest challenges.

Ancient Wisdom, Today's Grace: Singing the Jesus Song

What can reach our hearts and call us to be like Jesus with power and emotion?

Phil Ware continues his series on 'Ancient Wisdom, Today's Grace' and challenges us to follow Paul's example of using our songs to call us back to Jesus.

A Great Reconstruction

God promises us a sacred blessing and a sacred delight in these words of Jesus!

Max Lucado reminds us that while the Beatitudes are demanding, they are also life-giving and a privilege to live as an answer to God's call in our lives.

After the Crowd Has Gone

Thanksgiving is over; so what do we do now as we return to the challenges of life?

Phil Ware reminds us that Jesus gave us a great example on how to deal with the challenges we face after a great thanksgiving feast.

Live Beyond

I want to invite you to join me in living beyond the horizon of our children's faith!

Phil Ware writes about leaving a legacy with his children and grandchildren to pass on faith and be passionate disciples of Jesus.

Re-Mastered!

What is really mastering us?

Phil Ware gets personal about the idols in his life and wanting to be re-Mastered by Jesus.

A Way Through the Ice Fall

How do we avoid magical thinking and shortcuts that dangerously risk our doom?

Phil Ware continues his series of articles on churches facing the challenges of the interim season and uses the imagery of high mountain climbing to help us appreciate the challenges.

Your Bible is Not Safe

Be careful, reading this can lead to all sorts of changed behavior!

Rubel Shelly reminds us that the Bible is far from safe and is dangerous to read because it challenges us and changes us and brings us to Jesus to be transformed.

Don't Settle for a Small Destiny

What do we let define us, call or catastrophe?

Max Lucado from his book "You'll Get Through This" encourages us to not let our disappointments define us but instead let God's destiny for us define us.

A Prayer about Things We Cannot Change

Sometimes life is not fair with us, so what are we going to do about it?

Rubel Shelly shares an important reality about dealing with the hand we are dealt and living life recognizing that there are many things we cannot change but have to do the best we can with.

What Time Is it in Your Church?

Can your church tell time?

Tim Woodroof shares the final post or article in his series Change in the Life of Church, and talks about a time to be born and a time to die and asks what time is it in our church?