Articles for tag: Christmas

The Stories God Tells

The Stories God Tells

By Michael C. Mack  Who doesn’t love a gripping story of adventure told by a master storyteller? Some of my favorites are epic sagas: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and the like.   I was reminded about the adventures of the Pilgrims as I read Bob Russell’s feature article about Thanksgiving in this issue. It’s a true story about religious convictions, bravery, suffering, perseverance, and faith. God uses stories like that to teach us and transform us. It’s why Bob used this and a story about his grandson Charlie in his article, and it’s why I often remind our writers

Laura-McKillip-Wood

Julio and Arminda Arria: From Mission Field to Missionaries

Noni stretched her back as she straightened from her work. She’d been putting in long hours at the café she owned trying to pay off debt incurred when the café was closed during the worst of the pandemic, but she still owed money and worried she would not be able to pay it. She thought of her son, who had been pressuring her to let him move to live with his father. Her eyes teared up as fear filled her heart. The future seemed uncertain, and she wondered what would happen to her and her family. Just then, the door

December 25, 2021

Shawn McMullen

The Star on Our Christmas Tree

"I've shared every Christmas of my life with the star that sits atop our Christmas tree," writes Shawn McMullen. "I inherited it years ago from my parents." (This is the final installment in a weeklong series of Christmas memories.)

This Wasn’t in the Script

"It’s the late 1990s, and I’m sitting in the audience of the annual Christmas production at my suburban megachurch when something happens that’s obviously not in the script (or the Scriptures, for that matter)," writes Austin Gohn, lead pastor with Bellevue Christian Church in Pittsburgh.

COVID Christmas

"On Dec. 16, 2020—my brother-in-law and husband, both pastors in our church, tested positive for COVID-19," Tina Wilson writes. Many other leaders needed to be quarantined, as well. At Ekklesia Christian Church, this all came at the start of 13 worship services over the next 14 days, closing on property, and launching a generosity initiative . . .

A Tender Christmas Memory

"On Christmas evening, I found a quiet place to call Dad," Jackina Stark writes. "He sounded so good. I wished him a Merry Christmas and asked how his day had been. 'I had a great day!' he said. . . ." (This is another in a series of Christmas memories we are sharing all this week.)

‘It Was Our Time to Shine’

All this week, Christian leaders will be sharing favorite Christmas memories with readers. Today we hear from Johnson University educator Kendi Howells Douglas, who recalls being in children's Christmas programs at her Minnesota church. Check back every morning, through Christmas Day, for more recollections.

Giftmart Ministry Takes Big Steps Back to Normalcy This Christmas

Amy Plummer says the COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn’t made it easier to reach at-risk families in her community with the love of Christ. Plummer oversees a ministry called Giftmart at Community Christian Church, a multisite congregation in the Chicago metro. Now in its 19th year, Giftmart collects toys for families in need to purchase at a deep discount. . . .

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