Church Life
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Is It Still Happening?
When the wise men were seeking Jesus after His birth, who was it that told them where He would be born? What group became some of the fiercest enemies of Jesus during His ministry on earth? What group leveled accusations against Jesus and also helped to incite people to demand His crucifixion? As many who read this probably already know, the answer to all of these questions is the chief priests. On some occasions, these men were also joined by others, but that was not always the case. The purpose of this post is not to get into a detailed discussion of who these men were, how they came to their position, or…
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The First Rooster
I’m sure we have all heard the story about the man praying for God to save him from the flood who continually turned down everyone who tried to help him. He sent the early responders away, then the rescue boat, and finally even the helicopter. When he reached heaven he was confused and asked God why his faith wasn’t rewarded for he had told each of his would-be rescuers that he had prayed and he knew God would save him. The story says that God simply asked, “What was wrong with the helpers, boat, and helicopter I sent?” We all usually chuckle and make a promise to ourselves that we…
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ReConnect: A Retreat for the Preacher and His Wife
In the Fall of 2019, we were honored to help host the first ReConnect retreat, along with our friends Josh and Amanda Ketchum. The attendance was very small (our two couples and four others, plus one additional speaker) but those who came were greatly encouraged. The plan was to have the retreat annually… …then 2020 happened. Of course, we had to cancel. But we are so glad to let you know that ReConnect is back in 2021. In fact, we wanted so much to have it that we are not waiting for the Fall. Instead, we have moved this year’s retreat up to May! Already, we have more couples registered…
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Wisdom and Knowledge
Various attempts have been made to distinguish between wisdom and knowledge. I suppose that one of the more common efforts is to suggest that knowledge is the acquiring of information while wisdom is understanding how to use that knowledge. This may be the reason for one of my favorite illustrations between the two: Knowledge is understanding that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting a tomato in a fruit salad. While what I write here will by no means settle all of the questions that may come to mind about the difference(s) between wisdom and knowledge, I think that one passage of scripture may provide a good starting place for…
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Episode 147: Building an Active Youth Group Calendar with Families in Mind [Podcast]
https://media.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/content.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/Legacy_Podcast_147.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS (Player not displaying or working? Click here to listen.) Having a youth group schedule is never easy, and there is no way to have one that will make everyone happy. However, using experience both in youth ministry and as parents, Adam and Leah take this week’s episode to talk about how a congregation of any size can build a basic yet active youth ministry calendar without straining the schedules of families. Find our podcast on… Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Stitcher TuneIn Radio RSS
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Declutter and Organize
I don’t know about you, but I have seen article after article and post after post about the title of this post – declutter and organize. I understand that at this time of year, many think that the first of the year is the time to declutter your house and organize your belongings. After all, it’s been cold outside and many of us have spent the bulk of our time indoors. When ice and snow and below freezing temperatures were added to the mix, we all hunkered down in our homes. Added to that, during this last year the Coronavirus has kept us at home even more. The thought of contracting Covid-19…
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It Sticks With the Kids
Last Sunday evening, we restarted Pew Packers. Well, we actually started what we are calling “Pew UNPackers,” in an attempt to remind the young people to not crowd up on the seats as we continue to do what we can, but to do so safely. For just 10 minutes before services, our younger children meet down front. We spend about 5-6 minutes singing Bible songs (some more “fun,” but some more “informational,” such as the books of the Bible), and the remainder of the time is spent learning Bible facts. (More about that in a moment.) I hadn’t realized how much I missed Pew Packers until we were involved in…
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Are You Tired of Masks Yet?
During the past year, the “mask policy” has changed multiple times. National, state, and local governments have mandated a variety of changes in policy. These changes have often been difficult to understand and even more difficult to enforce. There have been instances when one set of policies has conflicted with others. Various levels of government have not been alone in adopting confusing and conflicting policies. Businesses, churches, and other organizations have also felt the need to adopt their own “mask policies.” All of this has even filtered down to the family and individual levels. Some families and individuals refuse to wear a mask and/or require others to do so in their presence while others make…
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How Do You Measure Success?
I’m a teacher and it is spring. That means that thoughts are continually turning toward those “end of the year assessments” that states require in order to see if students have made adequate progress. Of course, this year we are all interested to see what happens after an abbreviated school year in 2019-2020 and such unusual teaching conditions in 2020-2021. Some students are just now going back to in-classroom learning while others have been there all year. Some teachers have perfected the art of “remote teaching” while others are trying to survive while teaching both remote students and those in the classroom with them. Testing is not a foreign concept…
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The Worst Kind of Distancing
When I first heard the term “social distancing,” I really didn’t understand what was meant. Now, after a year or so, I understand what is meant. I also understand the reason for suggesting (or mandating) its practice. The fact that I understand the term and the practice does not mean, however, that I like it. I like to interact with people in person. I like handshakes, hugs, and even an occasional pat on the back. I like it when I can actually communicate when I can see facial expressions, “body language,” etc. I honestly believe that God intended for us to be social creatures. I understand that the observation that “…It is not good…