Blog (Page 16)
Motherhood Film
In addition to the global coronavirus crisis, did you know we are also in the middle of a global fertility crisis? It is happening all over our world. Women are having fewer children, or no children at all. In 1950, women had an average of 4.7 children in their lifetime. By 2019, the fertility rate had shrunk to half. Women are having an average of 2.4 children in their lifetime. In Taiwan, where I am from, women on average are…
Billy’s Update — April 30, 2020
Church in the Lobby Do you know how, at the end of a Sunday morning when you’d leave the church service (can you remember those days?), you’d stop for a while to hang out and visit with people you know, meet some new faces, and just be social? Those were the good ol’ days, weren’t they? In the current world of having everything streamed into our living rooms, we wonder when we’re ever going to get to do that again!…
Missions: The Third Pillar of Christian Living
The Three Pillars of Christian living are community, discipleship, and missions. When one is a part of a LifeGroup, then he or she brings to reality in the 21st century the three essential things 1st-century Christians set out to do soon after our Lord Christ Jesus ascended into heaven.
Keep Doing the Good
Now that we’re a few weeks into the Corona Quarantine (or Big Rona, as some of the youth like to say), I imagine that you, both parent and teen, have been struggling with patience. Close quarters, the fear of the unknown, frustrations about schedule and school, and all of the Zoom calls that everyone is doing has definitely helped to test our patience and our ability to hold onto joy in the midst of trials. So I want to offer…
This Week in KidVenture — April 23, 2020
Hello, KidVenture families! This week in KidVenture we are looking at Acts 2, which describes the very first Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit was given to all of Jesus’ followers. That same Holy Spirit lives in each of us when we choose to follow Jesus, and so as Christians we often say that God lives in our hearts. We don’t often talk specifically about the Holy Spirit. But this week’s story and our verse of the week help us…
When Will We Get Back to Normal?
We have now been in this new COVID reality world for more than a month now, and all of us are asking the same thing about our family, our business, our shopping, our school, our stock market, sports, social interaction, and church life: When will we get back to normal? The way I see it from here is that the question really should be, What will a new normal look like? There is no way that any of us can…
Discipleship: The Second Pillar of Christian Living
If I asked you what is a disciple, what would you say? Christians think of a disciple in many different ways. Some think of a disciple as a student of a teacher. Others think of a disciple as a sort of protégé, being guided by an older and experienced person. Still others think of a disciple as a follower or adherent of a master. Even though the ways one thinks of a disciple may be many, it is interesting Christians…
LifeWay Youth – April 23, 2020
Hey, parents! Are you wondering how you’re supposed to keep your student busy during this crazy time?! Well, we have a few things planned to help with that this week! Daily Zoom Calls Daily 2 p.m. Zoom calls are happening on Wednesday and Friday this week. We want to dial it back for this week to give the students a little break. Weekly Youth Group Live Streams For our Thursday youth group, we’d love to hear your feedback on what time…
Consistent, Fervent Prayer
I will admit that I am not the prayer warrior that I wish I was. I’m not really great at praying consistently, persistently, and with a great deal of faith. And yet all of these things are descriptions that the Bible uses to describe the way followers of Jesus should approach prayer. In Luke 18, Jesus describes the need for persistent prayer with a story about a widow and an unrighteous judge. In Mark 11, he says that whatever the…
When Are We Coming Back?
When do we come back to the church building? Are you asking that question yet? Well, if you are asking, here’s the answer: We just don’t know! But there are some things that we do know for sure, no matter what. We are learning a great deal about ministry with COVID-19. The following is a short list of some things we are continuing in these shut-down days, some of which we will continue after life opens up. NOW: We…
Community: The First Pillar of Christian Living
If it was essential to the Christians to live close lives with each other in the 1st century as they went and made disciples of all nations, and I do believe it was, it is and should be essential for you and me today.
LifeWay Youth – April 14, 2020
Hey Parents! Are you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, not knowing what to do with your youth? Need some extra resources to help? Check out what’s going on with LifeWay Youth! Daily Zoom Calls Daily 2 p.m. Zoom calls are happening Monday through Friday as a way for your student to stay connected with others in our youth ministry as well as have fun. We are doing daily devotionals, we have been playing games, and we’ve given away prizes every…
This Week in KidVenture – April 14, 2020
Happy Tuesday, KidVenture Kids and families! This Week In KidVenture I hope you all had a great Holy Week and Easter weekend! I love spending time remembering the incredible sacrifice Jesus made for us. If Jesus hadn’t gone to the cross, we could never go to Heaven! This week, we will spend a little more time looking at pieces of the Easter Story in Matthew 26-28 that show us that Jesus really is the savior who took the punishment for our sins.…
A Study of Romans 8
On Easter Sunday we launched a series of messages that we are calling Epic. I used the illustration of an epic journey, such as David Livingstone’s exploration of the middle of Africa, or Lewis and Clark’s trek across western North America. These epic journeys reshaped the future for millions to follow. To call the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus an epic event is an understatement. Everything has now changed because of what Christ has done. Romans 8 spells this…
Sunday’s Coming!
It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming! This is a line from a famous sermon that has been passed around for years. But it’s not only a famous sermon—it’s a forever truth. This is Easter week; today is Good Friday, and Easter is this Sunday. I have been carefully reading the story and contemplating Jesus’ last few days of earthly life. This year we’ve been doing nightly Passion Week devotions that have helped us walk through the story. (You can watch them…
Behind the Scenes
Join Heather by video this week as she updates us on ways to engage in God’s mission and reminds us that God is doing exciting things behind the scenes, just as he did during the original Easter weekend. Find out how you can help at and around LifeWay here.
KidVenture – Holy Week
Happy Tuesday, KidVenture Kids and families! I hope you are continuing to dig into God’s word this week. Here are a few things to help you do that. This Week In KidVenture This week, we will check out Matthew 21:1-11, the story of Jesus coming triumphantly into Jerusalem. This took place about a week before Easter. In this story we learn that Jesus was fulfilling the words of the prophets of the Old Testament because he truly is the Messiah! Here…
Passion Week: Preparing for Easter
We are now in the middle of a week that reflects the last week of Jesus’ life before his crucifixion and ultimate resurrection on Easter Sunday. I hope you have been able to join in the 7 p.m. devotional readings and reflections on the significance of each particular day. I have celebrated Easter Sunday all my life, but I have never taken the time to contemplate and remember the significance of each day that led up to the cross, the…
Spring Break & Holy Week
Hey, Parents! Happy Spring Break and Holy Week! We are in week four of our new way of life. I just wanted to give you all another little update of some things for this week in youth ministry! Daily Zoom Hangouts We are continuing our Monday-through-Friday 2 p.m. Zoom Hangouts. Zoom has been in the news lately for some security concerns, so I just wanted to let you know that since we’ve started, we have been taking as many measures…
Easter Cookies
We made these nutty meringues with our children every Easter for years. It’s a wonderful object lesson for Easter and you get yummy cookies to boot. I wish I knew who to credit for the original recipe; it was passed to me by my Aunt Robin a very long time ago. Ingredients and Supplies: 1 C whole pecans 1 tsp vinegar 3 egg whites Pinch of salt 1 C sugar Ziploc baggie Wooden spoon Tape Bible Wax paper 1. Preheat oven…
How Can I Help?
I have asked this question so many times over the last couple weeks. I want so much to serve God in the midst of this crisis. I want so much to help LifeWay serve our community in the midst of this crisis. I want us to take advantage of this opportunity to live out our faith and be the body of Christ. The funny thing is, for the last couple of weeks, every opportunity I pursued to get LifeWay involved…
Passion Week Begins
In the midst of business shutdowns, school closures, and a global pandemic that is affecting every country and corner of the world, we are about to enter Passion Week. We have always taken time on Good Friday for a reflective service, followed by a joyful Easter Sunday service. A few times I have led or participated in an Easter morning sunrise gathering. But I am not sure that I have ever taken the time to follow the traditional church calendar…
LifeGroup
I wrote two weeks ago that one of the features of LifeGroup is that it is a safe place. LifeGroup is where no one is afraid to ask the questions he or she really wants to ask. People ask because they know no one would look at them in a funny way or laugh at them. People hear the answers to the questions they really want to ask. And they grow. Even though LifeGroup is a safe place and people…
Fear
I recently started reading Genesis for my devotions. I say this because it has been at least a few years since the last time I did that…not devotions, but Genesis for devotions. In Genesis 15:1, it said the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you.’” If I am correct, this marked the first time in the Bible God said to someone to not be afraid. Check this…
Virtual Prayer Meetings Launch Next Week!
The Prophet Isaiah introduced a King in Isaiah 61 who would rule in a glorious kingdom. He went on to say that the destruction of Jerusalem would come to a stop. The people of God would restore the city back to its former greatness. More importantly, the people would be restored to a right relationship with their God. Then in Isaiah 61:6, it said, “But you will be called the priests of the Lord; You will be spoken of as…