Whether it is a stranger needing shelter from the elements, a visitor needing someone to share a meal, or a newcomer needing community, resolve to be the one to welcome—even if you have to leave the comfort of your home and trudge through the storm to invite them in. Be purposeful about welcoming others, and plan to surprise someone with unusual kindness.
Consider the love the Father has for us. We experience God’s love in great depth not only because God has chosen to reveal Himself to us, but because He fully knows us and has chosen to love us. Love is fully realized by being known.
As Christian leaders, we understand the importance of caring for the well-being of all members of our community, particularly those who are vulnerable and in need. The disparities in maternal health outcomes for women of color demand our attention and action.
Living from the false self distances us from God. By building a persona based on pride or external validation, we alienate ourselves from the divine connection. The false self obstructs our spiritual growth, resulting in a divided life in which we are separated from both our true self and God.
Like many of your families, we have an extravagant meal do the whole routine of “Let’s go around the table and everyone share something they are thankful for.” We resolve to be more thankful throughout the year. And we do the same thing the next year. So how do we live in thanksgiving in between holiday celebrations?
It occurred to me that it’s hard to get to know people on a Sunday. We are all in the same building, but rarely does the Sunday structure allow for in-depth conversations. Worship is the priority, of course, but those in-depth conversations are gems of connection and inspiration. I wish I had asked my parents and grandparents to share their stories in this manner.
We can follow the example of our Lord Jesus. We can model his humility. We can talk about others the way we want to be talked about. We can refrain from judging, from being hypocritical. We can use discernment. We can lead with love, remembering that each one of us was made in the image of God.
So if you are simply curious about how to improve your leadership, or if you find yourself in some degree of stress about leadership, I encourage you to trust in the truth that God is actively being God. All seven of these principles point to the One that matters.
Can we learn to stand WITH the people of God, even when they stand AGAINST us? Can we bring ourselves to ask God to forgive the Church, even when we have been rejected by it? Can we refuse to let go of the Church, even when it desperately wants to let go of us?
For those who still struggle with isolation and battle a never-ending sense of loneliness, I encourage you to find community, more specifically a small community. Find a community where simply showing up, checking a box, and leaving isn’t an option because your community won’t allow it since they love you too much. This is a defining characteristic of the Kingdom of God and of the church.
Professionally, Chaplains are expected to gain self-awareness. I already noted how personal identity is formed through the connecting links of stories, and awareness of this helps identify the stories of others. The motivations for a calling to ministry can be numerous and sometimes may appear self-serving.
A chaplain with a clear sense of identity understands their theological convictions and how these beliefs translate into actionable ministry. This clarity enables them to create authentic connections and lead with conviction, fostering trust within their care of the patient and the treatment team.
In 2000, a group of congregational researchers conducted the largest survey of congregations in the United States. They called it the Faith Communities Today (FACT) survey. The Siburt Institute joined FACT as a faith group partner representing Churches of Christ.
If you want to get serious about studying Scripture, you have to become serious about poetry. God chose to allow his interactions with humanity to be written in both prose and poetry. There are both histories and hymns, statements and also songs.
How great and enduring should our gratitude be? It should be immeasurable and eternal. And how can we show it? By remaining at His feet, serving His cause, confessing before the world that He was “wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, and by his stripes we are healed.”
The “burning bush” moment is that they have learned the good news of Jesus—that he died for their sins and was raised from the dead. Their call is to be born again into the Kingdom of God.
One idea to reach the community is through outreach events, or “bridge events.” These events are designed to invite neighbors, colleagues, and community members, giving them a chance to come through our doors. The fall and winter seasons are great times to plan some of these events.
We’ve all had negative experiences with all kinds of organizations. Retail is one thing, but at church we simply can’t afford to accidentally send a message that says, “We don’t care if you are here or not.” Because Jesus wants to be in relationship with us, we are naturally inspired to be in relationship with others. That requires conversation and warmly welcoming new people.
It’s my belief that more thinking rarely changes a person’s thinking. Instead, we need the experience of actually test-driving our thinking with real-life action. As we do that, we also need interaction with new circles of people with whom we want to identify and who can push us into exploring new ideas and new lines of thought.
For many of us, the default rule of life demands our production and performance. I fear we have allowed ourselves to accept busyness as fruitfulness, when in reality these two things don’t go hand-in-hand all the time. There are so many good things we can do for the Lord, but “good” doesn’t always equal “fruitful.”
