April 30, 2026
TWO TEMPLES
A reflection on Solomon’s temple, the torn veil at Jesus’ death, and the believer as God’s temple. In Christ, the barrier is removed—and Communion reminds us we live in God’s presence forever.
Articles for tag: Pennsylvania
January 22, 2017
March Madness Ideas
By Michael C. Mack It”s March, baby! Don”t miss all the “trifectas” and “dipsy-doo dunk-a-roos” during all those “NCAA knee-knockers”! Here are two prime-time ideas for your ministry this month: March Madness for Missions. Horizon Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado (www.horizoncrc.org), offers a bracket challenge for a cause. When participants pay their sign-up fees, they write in the name of a local ministry outside of Horizon. They then fill out the designated Internet NCAA bracket in the church”s group. When the winner is announced, the local ministry selected by the bracket-challenge winner receives all the winnings as a charitable
November 5, 2015
Pennsylvania Church Leading Public School Assemblies
By Jennifer Johnson Many churches lament their inability to impact the public schools or serve their students. But this fall, Discovery Christian Church is presenting anti-bullying programs in three local elementary and two middle schools in Cranberry Township, PA. “A few years ago we did a summer outreach camp for kids in the community,” says Discovery lead pastor Toney Salva. “We held the event in a park instead of in our church building, and one of the school counselors became aware of us and thought we might be able to help with their anti-bullying initiatives.” Discovery did one very successful assembly in
September 27, 2010
“˜Dirty Little Secrets” Series Under Way
By Jennifer Taylor If the cliché is true, we are “only as sick as our secrets.” Christ”s Church of the Valley (Royersford, Pennsylvania) created a new Web site and a sermon series to help people get well. The “Dirty Little Secrets” series kicked off September 12, but CCV launched the Web site, where anyone can anonymously confess a sin or share a secret, in July. The site received thousands of hits in just the first few weeks. “A woman in our church is an alcoholic who got sober five years ago,” says Ben Foulke, director of arts. “Her openness about
August 23, 2009
They”re Putting Holes in Our Walls!
by TJ George Several years ago, the Christians at Capital Area Christian Church in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, worshiped in a very little building we had completely outgrown. We had used up every inch of life that building had to offer, and something had to be done. Through a miraculous series of events, God dropped a 53-acre property into our laps selling for well below market price. Fifty-three acres, do you know big that is? Under the wise guidance of our eldership and after much prayer, we bought the property. From the start, our leadership”s intention was to develop the property in a
August 2, 2009
Catholicism . . . It”s a Family Thing
by Toney Salva When I was ordained into ministry, my nonpracticing Roman Catholic father attempted to communicate to his side of the family what I was going to do with my life. He told them I was going to be a priest! That was the best he could do. It was the only word he could find to describe my career choice. Imagine my family”s surprise when I sent out wedding announcements . . . then birth announcements. My father”s struggle to communicate with his Catholic family about my ordination in the Christian church is not that different from the
Scholars in the Church”“A Practical Response
By Brian Jones After reading Fred Hansen”s article “The Local Church Needs Scholars,” I immediately thought of my first ministry internship. It was with a pastor who, by his own admission, wasn”t really into scholarly study. “Brian,” I remember him telling me, “you”ll find that the guys out there leading the big churches are pragmatic leaders. That should tell you something.” What I remember most about him however was his penchant for getting carried away with the latest church fads to try to spur church attendance.  ON YOUR KNEES! When I showed up that summer he was well into
March 30, 2008
A Simple Prayer
Facing neighborhood violence and ministry strain, a pastor learns to pray one simple word—“Help!”—and watches God provide through quick answers, long delays, unexpected people, and renewed outreach in Pittsburgh.
September 11, 2005
How Are They Doing Now?
Four years after 9/11, David and Peggy Beamer share how they’ve carried grief after losing their son Todd on Flight 93, what “Let’s Roll” means to them, and how faith continues to steady them.
