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A heart for prayer
What’s the point of prayer? Today on Discover the Word, we will discuss Paul’s heart for prayer and how it fueled his heart for others. It’s a conversation that comes out of our look at Paul’s letter to his friend Philemon—a short note, with a big message. Don’t miss a second of the conversation that […]
A letter from Paul
Don’t you love getting mail from a friend? When you see a loved one’s name on the return address, or in your e-mail inbox, you’re filled with joy and anticipation. And today on Discover the Word, we’ll hear about a personal letter the apostle Paul wrote to Philemon—from one friend to another. But it was […]
We are not meant to go it alone
The wisdom of Ecclesiastes tells us that “a cord of three strands is not easily broken,” and that “two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” We were never meant to live life without others. And today on Discover the Word, we’ll see that not even the apostle Paul could go […]
The message of Philemon
Odds are your Bible never just flips open to the book of Philemon. It’s only one chapter and at most a page long. But as we’ll see today on Discover the Word, it’s a little book that packs a big message. Join us on Discover the Word to learn more about the compelling story behind […]
The Words of Others
The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic seems like a woeful tale of inevitability. But the truth remains that the demise of the massive ship could have been prevented had its crew listened to others. Ships in the area had tried to warn the Titanic that they were steaming into a field of ice, but the radio operator was so overwhelmed with work that he disregarded these messages and famously wired back, “Shut up, shut up. I am busy . . .” (a comical response had it not been for its catastrophic consequences).
“The ministry of presence”
According to Ann Voskamp, “When pain is the deepest, words are the fewest.” Today on Discover the Word, the team and special guest Ann Voskamp consider how sometimes we’re called to say nothing. Listen today to hear about “the ministry of presence” on Discover the Word!
Shared Responsibility
In 2013, a jet crashed in San Francisco, resulting in three tragic deaths. One young woman died not from injuries caused by the crash, but from being run over by a rescue vehicle that rushed to the scene. City authorities conducted an investigation and determined that the death was accidental and that the driver would not face criminal charges. But the board of the airline involved took a very different approach to this tragedy: They called a public press conference and bowed low in apology. Even though they may not have been individually responsible for the girl’s death, they felt…
Approaching Prayer
At times I’m hesitant to invite others to pray for me. If, for example, I say, “Please pray for me, I’m experiencing a spiritual attack in a certain area,” do I sound arrogant? Do I sound as if I think I’ve done something so important the enemy’s trying to stop me? Am I possibly calling something a spiritual attack that’s actually a consequence of something I’ve done or haven’t done? Will friends and ministry partners grow weary of repeated requests for prayer? Are my prayer needs too personal to share?
Winning Wars
Yesterday, someone wrote and asked me to help with a large event she’s overseeing. Time constraints made it easy for me to reply, “Sorry, but I’m unavailable.”
Blinding Blue Pants
Oh, Dad . . . Dad,” he said with equal parts love and horror. Pointing at his father’s shocking blue pants, he went on: “It looks like you’re an aging youth pastor trying to look young.”
US Election Results: Letter to All American Christian Voters
So now, the election is over. ______________ won and you could be experiencing a variety of emotions. Maybe you’re overjoyed because your candidate is now the President of the United States. Or maybe you’re overwhelmed with anger and fear, believing that we are in what you would call a “nightmare” situation. Or maybe you’re a little like me—wondering how we even got to this point in the first place.
We Had No Idea
Volunteers from a local church spent a frigid evening distributing food to people in a low-income apartment complex. One woman who received the food was overjoyed. She showed them her bare cupboard and told them they were an answer to her prayers.
As the volunteers returned to the church, one woman began to cry. “When I was a little girl,” she said, “that lady was my Sunday school teacher. She’s in church every Sunday. We had no idea she was almost starving!”
Clearly, these were caring people who were seeking ways to carry the burdens of others, as Paul suggests…
Talking While Doing
Our best conversations sometimes happen while we’re doing something else. It can be awkward to say, “Tell me about your deepest joys and fears.” But such important topics as these can arise naturally while we’re traveling together, building a shed, or even washing dishes. The task somehow helps us converse more freely. Perhaps we’re less stressed because we’re not focused solely on the conversation.
Church: A Gathering of Sinners or Saints?
Each week when I step into church, at least one person will ask, “How are you?” or “How have you been?” My response is often short, and almost always accompanied with a smile, “I’m good, how about you?”
How are followers of Jesus different?
You don’t have to believe in God in order to be a good person. So how are followers of Jesus different from everyone else who’s trying to do “the right thing”? Well, today on Discover the Word, we will look for the answer. And we’ll find it in a chain of virtues in Second Peter chapter 1, […]
