Meaning, Ministry & the Word
Beyond the mic: Articles and blog posts from Wednesday in the Word. The podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
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Beyond the Mic: Blog Posts from the Podcast
Pearls of Wisdom: on dreams
About this series: Many years ago, we asked the matriarchs in our church to share “pearls of wisdom” they learned over the course of their walk with the Lord. We collected their stories in a booklet which we distributed through the women’s ministries. My copy of the booklet is now tattered and faded, and many of the women quoted are home with the Lord. To keep their words alive and honor their wisdom, I am sharing their pearls here before my booklet turns to dust. I hope these words inspire you to share a cup of tea with an older woman in your church and listen to her pearls of wisdom.
Pearls of Wisdom: on loss
Many years ago, we asked the matriarchs in our church to share “pearls of wisdom” they learned over the course of their walk with the Lord. We collected their stories in a booklet which we distributed through the women’s ministries. My copy of the booklet is now tattered and faded, and many of the women quoted are home with the Lord. To keep their words alive and honor their wisdom, I am sharing their pearls here before my booklet turns to dust. I hope these words inspire you to share a cup of tea with an older woman in your church and listen to her pearls of wisdom.
Pearls of Wisdom: on parenting
Many years ago, we asked the matriarchs in our church to share “pearls of wisdom” they learned over the course of their walk with the Lord. We collected their stories in a booklet which we distributed through the women’s ministries. My copy of the booklet is now tattered and faded, and many of the women quoted are home with the Lord. To keep their words alive and honor their wisdom, I am sharing their pearls here before my booklet turns to dust. I hope these words inspire you to share a cup of tea with an older woman in your church and listen to her pearls of wisdom.
Pearls of Wisdom: on family
About this series: Many years ago, we asked the matriarchs in our church to share "pearls of wisdom" they learned over the course of their walk with the Lord. We collected their stories in a booklet which we distributed through women's ministries. My copy of the...
Pearls of Wisdom: from our mothers
Many years ago, we asked the matriarchs in our church to share “pearls of wisdom” they learned over the course of their walk with the Lord. We collected their stories in a booklet which we distributed through the women’s ministries. My copy of the booklet is now tattered and faded, and many of the women quoted are home with the Lord. To keep their words alive and honor their wisdom, I am sharing their pearls here before my booklet turns to dust. I hope these words inspire you to share a cup of tea with an older woman in your church and listen to her pearls of wisdom.
Ministry Survey Example Questions
As a ministry leader, you often do surveys. But what questions should ask? Which questions solicit the best input? After 30 years in ministry — and countless surveys! — these are the questions I’ve found most helpful.
The Easiest Way to Make a Lot of Coffee
As a ministry leader you probably make a lot of coffee. I’ve found using the Toddy Coffee system is the easiest way to make the most coffee with the least amount of mess, fuss and clean up. Here’s how.
Read through the Bible
Have you decided to read through the Bible as one of your New Year’s Resolutions? Here’s a great selection of plans to help you keep that resolution.
10 Tips for cleaning your closet
I finally tackled the task of cleaning my clothes closet. In case you're also struggling with how to lighten your possessions, here are some of the criteria I used to decide what to keep and what to donate. I tossed clothes that met the following criteria: I bought...
How to Have a “Mary” (Not Martha) Christmas (Luke 10:38–42)
This December you can have a Mary Christmas or a Martha Christmas. Learn the difference.
How to Take the Bite out of Gift-giving
How can anything that fits under a Christmas tree transform the life of the recipient from misery to joy?
The Lord’s Prayer: we say it but what does it mean?
The more I study the Lord’s Prayer, the more I conclude the prayer asks for one and only one thing: that God would make us completely righteous once and for all.
Today is the fleeting moment
Have you ever seen those maps of the stars of the universe? The ones taken from space where there is no man-made light, so you can actually see the billions of stars? First, these photos impress you with the vastness of the universe and the number of stars is beyond...
Flying through impostor syndrome
Three "random" events this week converged into one life lesson. 1) I listened to my pastor's last sermon. We met when I was a college freshman and he was an intern at our church. Now he's retiring after 43 years as its pastor. I don't think I was present for his...
Elzinga’s 4 Keys to Success in College
Headed to college? Wondering how to survive the experience? Here is advice from an expert.
How to Launch a Women’s Discipleship Program
Most women’s ministries offer a discipleship program at some point. While there is no “one size fits all” model for how to implement discipleship, here are some ideas to help you get started.
3 Retreat Sample Schedules
Planning a retreat means managing lots of details from logistics to decorations. Often the schedule gets overlooked or slapped together at the last minute. As a speaker, here are some sample schedules that I’ve seen work well for weekend retreats.
Spiritual Formation: a critical look
The theology of Spiritual Formation sounds great on paper, but it is focused on the wrong target, seeks the wrong kind of change and misses the mark on how disciplines work.
Prayer and Spiritual Formation: How does it work?
The biblical picture of prayer is not that it is a spiritual discipline that I use to reach a higher spiritual level. Rather prayer is an unavoidable mandatory battlefield in the war of faith.
Does Spiritual Formation seek the right kind of change?
Not only does the theology of spiritual formation aim at the wrong target, spiritual formation seeks the wrong kind of change. While spiritual disciplines focus on success at outward righteous behavior, the Bible teaches that the goal of spiritual maturity is a strong unshakeable faith.
Is Spiritual Formation shooting at the right target?
The theology of Spiritual Formation sounds great on paper, but it is focused on the wrong target. Spiritual formation is “an intentional Christian practice with the goal of developing spiritual maturity that leads to Christ-likeness.” The central claim of...
Breaking the Huddle Syndrome
In modern American culture growing older seems to mean becoming invisible; unfortunately this trend is also infecting the church. Relegating older women to the nostalgia-bin is a symptom of “The Huddle Syndrome.” Fortunately, the Huddle Syndrome is easy to break.
What is worship?
If you think that worship equals singing, A Taste of Heaven: Worship in the Light of Eternity by RC Sproul is a must-read book for you.
Does Spiritual Formation work? Answers from Haggai
"Spiritual formation" is a hot topic today. But does it work? The Old Testament prophet Haggai would answer no. Spiritual formation is "an intentional Christian practice with the goal of developing spiritual maturity that leads to Christ-likeness." ...
Dealing with Loss: Lessons from Haggai
Recently, my life has been marked by loss. Like the Beatles, how I long for yesterday! The last place I expected to find comfort was in the Old Testament Book of Haggai — yet I did.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple and what that teaches us about Bible Study
How could a 12-year old astonish the best theologians of his day? Why was the knowledge of Jesus radically different than everyone else?
Sin and academic perfection
All through my academic career I rubbed shoulders with people smarter than I. The standard was always higher than I could reach, no matter how I hard I tried. Holiness is like that.
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