In a short article entitled “Minimize Maintenance to Maximize Ministry,” Rick Warren states, “Maintenance is church work: budgets, buildings, and organizational matters. Ministry is the work of the church.” Warren insists that priority must be given to the “work of the church,” rather than “church work.” The primary work of the church is to “make …
2011 marks the 30th year of Vallejo International. The initial stirrings that led to the formation of the church began in the early 1970’s. But it was in January of 1981 that the group formally organized itself to become a local church, and became a legal entity in March of that same year. In 1999, Vallejo …
Many of the latest video appliances and gadgets have a component that has become a common, even standard, feature. They are “Internet-ready.” Internet-ready means that an appliance (such as a disc player or TV) is made with the capability to access the Internet. When such an appliance is set-up the owner is able to enjoy …
Within a short time, it appears that advancement in practically all areas of human endeavor has been on the fast track. In electronic technology alone it’s amazing how new and improved gadgets are released with amazing frequency. It’s quite a task to keep up with the latest technology. All these advancements appear to testify to …
A recent episode of Nightline had a segment on the “culture of cheating” in college campuses. The primary focus was the alarmingly common practice of hiring someone else to do the research and writing of required course papers. It is reported that there are companies that offer this service. And many are willing to spend …
FoxNews.com reports that the politically correct greeting “Happy Holidays” is on the decline. “In window displays and newspaper circulars, on websites and sometimes out of the mouths of sales clerks, more retailers are saying ‘Merry Christmas’ this year.” Also reported is the failed attempt in a city in Philadelphia to change the name of a …
Anyone who studies literature on the devotional life would soon become acquainted with the person known as Brother Lawrence. He was a “lowly” monk in 17th century France. His primary duty in the monastery was in the kitchen—cooking meals, washing dishes, scrubbing the floor, plus a host of other chores and errands that his superiors …
I recently overheard a group of folks engaged in an informal competition to establish who had the most knowledge of a popular series of books. It was quite impressive how information tidbits were somehow catalogued in the memories of the participants, who were quite adept in accessing the relevant info when their knowledge of the …
Scottie May, associate professor of Christian formation and ministry in Wheaton College, was recently interviewed by Leadership Journal. The topic had to do with children’s ministry and in the discussion May identified three approaches to ministry defined by the prepositions to, for, and with. Ministry to children operates according to preset expectations, whether theological or …
I recently came across an article entitled “Top 10 Must-Have Apps for the iPhone, and Some Runners-Up.” It got me to thinking about this matter of “must-haves,” for I have come across similar lists for different contexts or products—like household devices, or carpentry tools, or music gear, or church equipment. What makes something a “must-have”? …
