This past Sunday evening, I had the privilege of presenting a mission report, a summary my 2012 mission and ministry activity, at the Main and Oklahoma church. It was a special blessing to return to this church that has been so much a part of our lives and our work in ministry and missions over …
Category Archives: Ministry
Renewing Fellowship in Christ
Yesterday was a special day because I spent much of the day of the campus of Oklahoma Christian University. The specific occasion was the resumption of the monthly ministry luncheons on campus, but I had also scheduled several appointments for the day. The opportunity to chat with colleagues, greet dear friends in ministry and in …
Getting Up Early
Got up early this morning–3 AM. Thinking about lots of things as I prepare for today’s flight to Guayaquil and the beginning of three weeks of mission activities. Why do people get up early? From my own experience, here is a short list–perhaps in some order of importance, and reflecting my most frequent experiences. To …
It’s What I Do
I was intrigued by an interview with an Olympic female weightlifter. In some sports, Olympic champions find fame and fortune, endorsements, media popularity, and financial success. Apparently, for females, weightlifting is not one of those sports. The interviewee described months of living on a limited income in order to train and prepare for the Olympics. …
Encouragement–The Power of the Positive
Jan and I attended an interesting seminar recently. Although we were invited to the seminar by our Merrill Lynch consultant, the topic was not financial. The seminar was about how to stay healthy by integrating a balanced diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and socialization. One of the things the seminar presenter mentioned was the value …
A Busy Week to Start a Busy Month
The calendar says that the month of June has arrived. Hard to believe with this morning’s temperatures in the 50s! The weekend is approaching; a new month filled and overflowing is beginning. I began this week in Catacamas, Honduras where on Sunday morning I preached at the El Colegio congregation. The opportunity to renew friendships …
Why I “Retired”
I have read several articles recently about why people should not retire. I would hardly be so bold as to say that one should or should not retire. Retirement is difficult to define and means different things to different people. Jan and I talk much more about reinvesting our lives than about our retirement. Nonetheless, …
Different Values
The comment surprised me: “You guys live with a different set of values.” I was a weekend visitor in the congregation, invited to present a leadership and planning workshop on Saturday and to teach and preach on Sunday. Some of the elders invited me to share Sunday lunch. Also present was Roberto Miranda, a coworker …
What We Are Doing Isn’t Working!
I reject pragmatism! I do not want to make decisions (especially decisions about church, ministry, and missions) based exclusively on “what works”. Yes, I admit that sometimes doing what God wants does not yield immediate results. I also admit that doing what God wants may not yield results at all. Church history reminds us that …
Discharge all of the duties of your ministry
A simple instruction, often overlooked, hidden in a larger context–Paul’s instructions to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:5). In one sense, a frightening challenge. How can a minister get everything done? There are not enough hours in a day. There are always more contacts to follow up on, more prospects to cultivate, more Bible studies to set …
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