Why Church? By Samuel Son Why?! It’s my children’s favorite word. And I have three of them! They love asking “Why?” Why is the sky blue? Why do we go to church on Sundays? Why do I have to play piano? At first, I thought, I’ve got philosophers! So, I answered their questions with great patience…. Read more »
February 10, 2021
Gospel and Inclusivity
Why Church? By Samuel Son Why?! It’s my children’s favorite word. And I have three of them! They love asking “Why?” Why is the sky blue? Why do we go to church on Sundays? Why do I have to play piano? At first, I thought, I’ve got philosophers! So, I answered their questions with great patience…. Read more » 
Looking for the new in a new year Of calendars and hope and new snow by Ken Rummer Happy New Year, everybody! Or, as we sing along with José Feliciano in “Feliz Navidad,” his fifty-year holiday hit: Próspero año y felicidad (A prosperous and happy new year). Despite the crises and disasters of the year… 
Looking for signs of hope: Maple buds and brimming cups by Ken Rummer Look for signs of hope. The teachers of resilience offer this wisdom to the storm-tossed, the overwhelmed, the anxious. You may be way ahead of me here, but it’s advice I’m trying to take. A couple of weeks ago—it was on a… 
To speak a blessing A vision and an invitation by Ken Rummer The walking path leads me along the edge of a wooded draw. Glancing down through the shadows of the trees, I notice a bright flash of light. With a turn-aside and a second look, I see that the creek has managed to pull… 
Evangelism and justice dance well together in Africa Mission co-workers and partner churches embrace evangelistic ministries and social justice by Debbie Braaksma The year was 2009, the place was Yei in what is now South Sudan, the newest country in the world. I was a mission co-worker serving as the first principal of RECONCILE… 
What’s getting me through these days Three tested tactics by Ken Rummer I’m a small child in a crib, struggling to breathe in the night, clogged up with what will turn out to be allergies and asthma. My crying rouses my parents who take turns responding. Being picked up and held vertically helps. I can… 
Picking Out A Frame Scripture, History and the Present Moment by Ken Rummer The canvas before us looks to be from a surrealist artist. In the center, a figure in a beaked plague mask rides a green horse. To one side, bed-sheet banners with the message “No Job, No Rent” hang from apartment windows. To… 
What did we expect? Expectations can sabotage ourselves and ministry by N. Graham Standish She was disappointed and deflated as she reflected on three years of pastoring her church: This isn’t what I thought ministry would be like. Trying to be as gentle as possible, I asked, “What did you expect?” “I don’t know,” she replied,… 
Church is where God’s family gathers ‘Prairie lessons’ help mom provide worship experience for family By Karen Milholland Alley While the apocalyptic genre might seem relatable in some ways during these times we’re living in, the characters I have found myself relating to most during the pandemic are those found in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s account…