Family &amp; Relationships

Foster Care and the Church

By T. R. Robertson Last Christmas our home was filled with the same sort of holiday laughter and sharing that most families experience. We had a houseful of grown sons, now young men in their upper 20s. Along with them came a wife, a girlfriend, and little kids. All of them call us Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa. Not one of them shares a drop of our blood or a strand of our DNA. The only one of our foster sons not there was Jeremy, whom we haven”t seen since he left our custody just before he turned 2,

February 14, 2015

You Fight for What You Love

By Ryan Rasmussen My wife and I had recently moved across the country to Boulder, Colorado, in an attempt at a new life, a new ministry, and although unspoken, a fresh start to our relationship. We”d been married three years and had very little fruit to show from our commitment other than a 6-month-old daughter, who was the light in our darkness. I had accepted a student ministry position at a church in town and was excited about what God had in store for this new pastoral adventure. In the meantime, to supplement our income, my wife took a job

February 13, 2015

The Case for the Case for Marriage

By Jenny Tyree Knowles What would change if the reasoned case for marriage was examined and taught to young adults, rather than implied and “caught”? The result of millennials (Americans born between 1981 and 2000) “catching” the cultural importance of marriage is playing out right now. Polls show that the broad majority of millennials support the redefinition of marriage. When the talking heads predict the future of marriage, they point to the current opinions of millennials to tell us that the redefinition of marriage is inevitable. So how will the church respond? What is at stake? Some believe it is

December 12, 2014

Make a Christmas Memory

By Diane Stortz Long before digital photos and decorative paper backgrounds, Mary made the first Christmas scrapbook””in her heart. When Bethlehem”s shepherds heard the astounding news that the Messiah had been born, they left their sheep and hurried into the village to see him. They found Mary and Joseph and with them the baby, snuggly wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough””just as the angel had told them. Luke says they “told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds” story were astonished, but Mary

October 1, 2014

A Bad Year, a True Hero, and an Invitation to Wonder

By LeRoy Lawson Diary of a Bad Year J. M. Coetzee London: Harvill Secker, 2007 The Ruby Ring: Tyndale”s Battle for an English Bible Karen Rees Crosslink Publishing, 2013 Unwrapping Wonder: Finding Hope in the Gift of Nature Carol O”Casey Greeley: Gladach Publishing, 2013 I suppose it is because “misery loves company” that books by or about other old people get my attention, but that”s not the only reason. Sometimes old people write very good books. And younger people sometimes write very good books about old people. In the case of J. M. Coetzee”s Diary of a Bad Year, we

August 29, 2014

How Are Things at Home?

By Eddie Lowen Why are you serving on that board or with that mission? How do you decide when it”s better to say no? Have you ever heard the wife of a construction contractor brag about all the work her husband does around the house? Neither have I. Normally, Mrs. Contractor complains, “My husband does amazing improvements on other people”s houses, but it”s like pulling teeth to get him to work on our home.” Some churches have a similar dynamic. Here”s how it develops: a capable minister does good work and establishes a positive reputation. He is asked by parachurch

July 16, 2014

Father Knew Best

By Don Wilson (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received in ministry was from my father. We would talk on the phone every Saturday morning, and the last thing he would say to me was, “Love your wife and preach the Word.” Those words have helped me remain faithful to my wife for over 45 years and preach at the same church for more than 32 years. Don Wilson serves as pastor of Christ”s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona.

July 11, 2014

Advice to a Dad

By Dave Stone (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received was this: “The best way to be a good father is to be a good husband.” It was given to me by Chuck Lee, a former staff member, who shared it with me soon after the birth of our first child. Dave Stone serves as senior pastor with Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky.

July 10, 2014

Experiences, Relationships

By Greg Nettle (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received.”) Best advice: Wess Stafford, then president of Compassion International, was mentoring me on how to disciple my own children. He advised, “Give your children experiences, not things.” Worst advice: One of my Bible college professors advised, “Never be close friends with people in the church you lead.” Greg Nettle serves as president with Stadia, Irvine, California.

May 1, 2014

Six Myths About Divorce

By Paul E. Boatman “The Bible says. . . .” With that authoritative claim, many a sermon has articulated what sounds like a clear, scriptural doctrine. But the thoughtful Christian may observe that such assertions are often no more than opinions empowered by uncritical adoption of traditional, nonbiblical dogma. Several beliefs related to divorce are rooted in this blurring of mythology and doctrine. Myth 1: Divorce is a sin. This assertion seems self-evident. After all, Malachi quotes the Lord saying, “I hate divorce” (Malachi 2:16*). Further, Jesus takes his audience to task for their cavalier divorce practices (Matthew 5:31,

March 21, 2014

Interview with Alisa Franz

By Paul Boatman Alisa Franz is the author of Duck Dynasty: Hunting for Spiritual Truths, an interactive discussion guide for families and small groups. She is also the wife of Rich Franz, pastor of Central Christian Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, and the mother of a son, Avery, 15, and a daughter, Aubree, 13. She does not consider herself a “redneck.” Duck Dynasty is a huge media phenomenon, the most watched show on cable TV. But it”s obvious from this book you are much more than just a fan. I remember when I first saw a trailer for the

March 2, 2014

Shaping Special Hearts

By Vangie Rodenbeck For many years I struggled with what it meant that my son had been created in God”s image, even though his central nervous system and brain hinder his capacity to participate fully in many activities. A better understanding of who God is, as revealed in Scripture, equipped me to see a God who finds beauty in weakness. When we embrace the stories of Scripture, such as the parable of the great banquet (Luke 14:15-24), that tell of a creator who values and cherishes the small, the weak, and the marginalized, we can be empowered with courage and

March 1, 2014

Tips for Teaching the Bible at Home

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). By Dan Burton When you sit at home. Our family sits together for dinner at least five times a week. This doesn”t just happen . .

October 4, 2013

Extra Time, Attention a Step in Right Direction

By Jennifer Johnson Raise your hand if you”ve ever felt guilty because you don”t want to be a foster parent. I firmly believe Christians should be leading the way in fostering the needy kids in our communities. In fact, one of the moments I knew I wanted to marry Matt was when he initiated a conversation, during a road trip a few months before our actual engagement, about being foster parents someday. But fostering is not for everyone, and it”s certainly not for everyone at every time. Matt and I just wrapped up a successful first year of a new

August 30, 2013

Changing Who Waits

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27, English Standard Version). By Chris Barras I”ve read James 1:27 many times, and I”ve taught it on it a few occasions. I”ve always found it a difficult text to apply. James says we should care for widows and orphans, but in a young church like the one I serve, I just don”t know any widows. I”m not sure I know any orphans, either. And I don”t think I”m the only

August 29, 2013

The Orphan Care Movement Gets Deep and Wide

By Brian Mavis In 2004, 39 people gathered in Little Rock, Arkansas, for the first Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit. This year more than 2,500 people drove and flew from 49 states (what”s up, Vermont?) and more than 20 countries to Brentwood, Tennessee, to attend the annual summit. In just nine years, the orphan care ministry has widened, deepened, and become a legitimate movement. Getting Wider The foster/adoption/orphan problem is huge and complex; there are more than 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system. Of those, adoption is an available option for 120,000. Every year about 40,000 foster

August 22, 2013

The Extended Family in America

By Gregory K. Moffatt The phrase extended family largely meant the same thing for generations. These were families living under a single roof, a household that commonly included grandparents, adult children, and other relatives or close family friends. But our evolving culture has changed the meaning of extended family. This change has come about due to economic difficulties, the advent of our digital and mobile culture, and today”s ever-changing multicultural environment. The once distinct lines defining our past concept of family blend into today”s complex cultural melting pot. These changes present critical implications to the Christian church as we attempt

August 19, 2013

How We Serve Single Moms

For nearly a decade LifeBridge Christian Church in Longmont, Colorado, has been trying to figure out how to bless single moms. We”ve had some breakthroughs and some setbacks. Here is the one clear truth: God doesn”t measure success the same way we do.Â By Nancy Karpenske I”ll call her Debbie. When she started attending our group, she sat hunched over, making no eye contact. I kept expecting her to storm out. Ever so slowly her protective layers of hostility began to melt, just a few degrees. She has three children, each with a special needs diagnosis. She typically works three

August 18, 2013

They Need to See Faith

By Phil Allen Discipleship is the foundation for all I believe God has called me to do as a pastor. My own experience as a new Christian tells me every Christian needs someone to show and not just tell how to honor God with his or her own life. This is why discipleship is the foundation for what we do at The Vine college/young adult ministry at Shepherd of the Hills Church. When I say discipleship, I am talking about life-on-life, transparent and genuine, not-afraid-to-get-messy mentorship. A professor of mine said, “How can you change something that you”re afraid to

August 18, 2013