December 4, 2023
Dec. 10 Application | ‘So What?’
The tiny word 'so' plays a role in the much-loved verse, John 3:16. What does it mean to say, “God so loved the world”? . . .
Articles for tag: Christmas Outreach
January 22, 2020
The Dollar Club
“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” _ _ _ By Steve Poe Remember when a dollar was worth something? I remember paying a little less than a dollar for a gallon of gas. Today gasoline commonly costs triple that amount. Some time ago, if you wanted hot coffee, you could buy one for yourself and one for a friend and still get change back from your dollar. Today a Starbucks coffee starts at $1.85. You just can’t do much with a dollar anymore. And yet, what
November 22, 2017
The Night Before Christmas
By Kelly Carr “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through church houses, every creature was stirring, all the staff and some spouses. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, but peek inside the church building””you”ll find everyone there. While others are restful, sugar-plums in their heads, on Christmas Eve church leaders are busy instead. Ministers across the country confirm what you already know: Christmas Eve is one of the best attended services of the year. Large and small congregations, suburban, rural, and city locations all welcome folks who rarely darken the doorway of a church building other
December 3, 2015
Holiday Season Ministry Ideas
By Michael C. Mack Give gifts to people in need. Use the gift catalogs from International Disaster Emergency Services (IDES)””go to ides.org, select About Us, and then Newsletters, and then Gift Catalog””or World Vision (www.worldvision.org) to provide people the opportunity to buy useful gifts such as animals, handcrafted gifts, or clean water for children and families in need. You can even create a gift registry to help raise funds. Give gifts of time. In a small group or class, have each person identify one person they know who may need a listening ear or emotional availability from a friend this
December 20, 2009
Season of Love
by Jennifer Taylor In this article, churches around the country share the unique ways they plan to “get their hands dirty” and serve their communities this Christmas. Last year our team discussed the huge amount of work we put into Christmas programs and decided to invest the energy in helping one of the missions our church supports. We wrote a drama about a local ministry that helps pregnant women choose life instead of abortion. It was not hard to make the connection between a young, unmarried college couple dealing with an unexpected pregnancy and the Joseph/Mary scenario. The local
December 16, 2009
We Can Be the Gift
By Mark A. Taylor Some readers will say we”ve saved our best “Get Your Hands Dirty” article for last. The feature appearing this week, “Season of Love,” makes more than 30 “Get Your Hands Dirty” articles we”ve published in 2009. The good deeds these pieces have reported are a thrilling overview of outreach and service performed by members of our fellowship: everything from overseas sacrifice to inner-city outreach. Browse through the items listed under this heading in our index, and you”ll be reminded how churches everywhere are serving the oppressed and helpless. But the Christmas stories in this final feature
December 17, 2008
Interview with Jon Weece
By Brad Dupray In 2005 Christmas fell on a Sunday, so Southland Christian Church (Lexington, Kentucky) used the calendar anomaly as an opportunity for outreach. Canceling Sunday worship services to serve the community was a controversial decision, but it forever changed the way the church conducts ministry. Jon Weece is in his sixth year as senior minister at Southland and in his ninth year on staff at the church. After graduating from Ozark Christian College, Jon spent four years as a missionary in Haiti. He and his wife of nine years, Allison, are the proud parents of 6-year-old Ava and
