I have been impressed with the wide and deep participation of our church in Immerse: Messiah. Since September, well over half the church has read the New Testament and joined together for engaging and theo-logically challenging discussions on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. What a joy it is to read God’s word and allow the…
During Advent, I will preach a sermon series called “Jesus Came for Us” about why Jesus came into the world and who He came to save. Of course, Jesus came into the world to save sinners, to rescue people like you and me who would be forever lost without God’s grace offered through Jesus Christ….
As we approach Thanksgiving, I am reminded that gratitude nourishes our souls and expressing thanks, espe-cially in public ways, brings honor to our Lord and edifies our brothers and sisters in faith. In other words, it’s good for us and it pleases God when we give thanks. We will take time as a congregation to…
Sweet nectar pools deep in the heart of an angraecoid orchid, a flower so intricately designed that only one species of long-tongued moth can reach the nectar and thereby transfer the orchid’s pollen. Deep in the human heart dwells a soul, so wonderfully made that only its Creator can reach its depths and know perfectly…
Jesus asks a lot of His followers. Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Give to those in need. Pray for those who persecute you. Following Jesus leads to blessing, but it’s still hard. Love one another. Remain in Me. Forgive. Yes, Jesus asks a lot of us, but He doesn’t expect us to do it…
We love the Bible and don’t make excuses for that. We believe in the life-transforming truth of God’s word. We believe the stories told in the Bible are both real and meaningful. We read, study, teach, preach, pray, memorize and obey scripture, because we have found it beautiful, powerful and inspiring. This fall we will…
For almost 30 years, I have carried my grandfather’s obituary folded up in my wallet. He was a remark-able man, and that little slip of paper, tucked behind my driver’s license, reminds me of him and how his life impacted mine. I haven’t read the obituary in years, but I know it’s there. Maybe it’s…
Who do you know who doesn’t know Jesus? Are you praying for them? Have you ever asked if you could pray with them? Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). By God’s grace, we used to be lost but now have been found by the one and only Savior….
No one can do it all, and in the church, no one person can handle every issue and need that arises. We depend on lots of willing and able hands to accomplish all the many tasks required for our ministries. From small jobs to large, from up-front ministries to behind the scenes efforts, from administrative…
Covenant church pastors and members will gather April 26-28 in Glen Ellyn for Celebration 2018, the Central Conference Annual Meeting. I know that doesn’t sound terribly exciting to most people, but I hope you will join me in praying for the work of our conference and the decisions that will be made at the annual…
