Your Church is a Launchpad, Not Just a Building

The Advent season is upon us, a time when we reflect on the story of Christ’s birth. This year, our sermon series invites us to visit the homes of the four Gospel writers: Mark, Matthew, John, and Luke. Today, we enter Mark’s home to hear his account of the Savior’s arrival.  A Christmas Memory: Judy’s…

Adolescence is like riding a wild roller coaster, full of twists and turns—physical, mental, emotional, and social changes all swirling together with a sprinkle of spiritual curiosity and a dash of hormones! It’s a time when questions pop up like popcorn, but the answers often seem a little fuzzy and tangled. So how can the…

A plus-one is more than just a guest’s companion at an event—it’s a partner, a teammate, and a co-laborer. In ministry, while I may be the invited guest to a meeting or gathering, I always pray for a plus-one to invite alongside me. As a collaborator and verbal processor, having a plus-one brings so many…

Years ago, while my extended family and I were on a river cruise, I saw an older man using a walker to get around. He looked interesting, so, I asked, “Where are you from?” He replied, “Question 2!” In conversation, he shared with me that we primarily ask three questions, What’s your name? Where are…

The felt heartbeat of Methodist evangelism has always been this: testimony changes lives. From its earliest days, Methodism has been a movement of storytelling—not abstract theology alone, but real, Spirit-breathed accounts of God’s transforming grace in ordinary people.  Nowhere is this clearer than in the vision of John Wesley, founder of Methodism and editor of…

Freedom to Explore and Experiment Sometimes, the most profound lessons don’t come from a speaker’s slides, a workshop’s outline, or even a coach’s prayer. Instead, they’re whispered by the Holy Spirit—moving among God’s people, over lunch tables, coffee tables, Airbnb kitchen islands, and yes, even while waiting in line for Gideon Bakehouse cookies. This year, here’s…