Ideas

Oak Park Church: Outreach in the City

Rather than solely coming alongside communities following major natural disasters, the church decided to use the ministry’s life-saving—and life-giving—equipment year-round.

First Baptist Leesburg: More Than Sunday Morning

“We minister to the broken people in our community through many ministries, and we attract a lot of people who want to join our church because of our ministries,” says Art Ayris, executive pastor of administration at First Baptist.

Evangel Church: Never Stop Serving

Last year, Evangel started a church two hours away inside the largest women’s prison in New York. A pastor and a team go every Thursday to share a message, preach and lead worship for the prisoners.

Vulnerability Is the Key to Community

To be vulnerable means that you are putting yourself in a position of defenselessness and putting yourself in a position to be hurt. You are opening yourself up to being hurt by being honest and transparent about your failings, your flaws, and your fears.

Threads of Hope

The volunteers create colorful jumpers as well as sun and peasant dresses for girls, and shorts for boys. The number of pieces they complete each month varies, but on average, the volunteers make between 15–20 garments a month.

Bear Hugs

Until their participation in the ministry, the children had never thought about how such a small thing like a stuffed animal could help a child in distress.

A House of New Beginnings

The three-bedroom brick house is just a few hundred feet from the church, and families typically stay from two weeks to three months.

We’re All ‘Innkeepers’ Deciding If There’s Room for Jesus

We string our lights, trim our trees, talk about the holiday, hear recorded songs mentioning the birth of Jesus… But how many people actually take time for him? While we run around the malls and buy things for everyone we know, we can forget to make room in our schedules for him.

Give the Gift of Jesus This Christmas

People need Jesus now more than ever, and they need the hope that only the gospel can give them.

Does Your Gift-Giving Include Jesus?

I know that you are bombarded with requests to give to a number of causes over the holiday season. Many might be worthy, but most will not represent truly giving to Christ.

The Mystery of God Becoming a Man

How the wonder of the incarnation gives us encouragement and strength