Evangelism.net

Relinquishing My Role as the Holy Spirit

2012-01-09T16:55:31Z

I had a dream last night that my wife, Leslie, and I were in a Life Group at church and a gay couple joined. The two men were friends of mine from 20 years ago and had since adopted children. They obviously knew me, how my story had evolved, and joined the group anyway. During [...]

4 Overlooked Principles about Church Growth

2011-09-22T15:33:25Z

Most, if not all, church leaders would like to see their churches grow numerically in 2012. Growth is a sign of health. If a child is healthy, he or she will grow. Likewise, if a church is healthy, it will grow, both in quality (knowing Jesus more) and in quantity (making him known). Before healthy [...]

Two Ornaments that Will Enhance Your Family’s Faith

2011-09-22T15:28:10Z

With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it can be hard to find a moment to breathe. Rush to the store to get more flour for a recipe. Hustle to a neighbor’s house with a plate of cookies. Drive to church for a hymn sing. Then somewhere in there you return home to [...]

A Charlie Brown Christmas

2011-09-20T19:41:30Z

Every Christmas, my family gathers to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special on TV. I have seen this show so many times that I know every scene and almost every line, but it never gets old. The simplicity of the animation and story are refreshing compared to some of today’s Christmas specials. The plot of [...]

Post-Trauma Evangelism: Is It Different? Part 2

2011-08-04T15:36:15Z

Live! Victims may be relieved that they have lived through tragedy, not want to live because of their sense of loss, or even suffer guilt because they survived when others did not. Whatever the situation—the word ‘live’ will no doubt have a new, special significance. In order to understand and remember some of the complexities [...]

Post-Trauma Evangelism: Is It Different? Part 1

2011-08-04T15:24:44Z

Times are tough and getting tougher The past year has been very hard on many people for a variety of reasons. Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes and other tragedies shattered lives throughout the world. In addition to natural disasters, the intense economic issues we have faced in this country can feel like a disaster has struck for [...]

The Gift You Cannot Buy

2011-09-22T14:26:13Z

At Christmastime, in our hearts, we know that if God had not decided to come to us, there is no way that we could have found our way to Him. But the great rejoicing in our homes and churches at Christmas leaves others completely baffled. Maybe this year you’ve thought about telling a friend how [...]

10 Opportunities for You to Share Christ During the Holidays

2011-09-13T19:47:27Z

Every year we try to come up with some new thoughts about personal ways to enjoy one’s neighbors, friends, and family at the holidays. Most of these ideas are just ways of building kind and generous relationships with people. We think about how the Lord might use some of these loving experiences to provide opportunities [...]

Avoiding the “Us vs. Them” Approach at Christmas

2011-09-22T15:18:18Z

Many of you have probably noticed that some Christians are becoming more and more vocal about the “Merry Christmas” issue. This issue involves whether to say “Merry Christmas” or use another phrase like “Seasons Greetings”, “Happy Holidays”, or say nothing at all. Last year, I came across a couple of websites dedicated to drawing attention [...]

Putting God Back in the Holidays

2011-09-22T14:08:29Z

Authors Bill and Penny Thrasher reflect on their own holiday traditions in Putting God Back in the Holidays, and provide a great springboard of ideas for Christian families to keep God as the focus during every holiday. The book is divided into six sections: (1.) New Years, (2.) Birthdays, (3.) Good Friday and Easter, (4.) [...]