A blog designed to develop missional leaders
By: Scott Armstrong Have you ever seen the Christmas movie, The Polar Express? It was a mainstay in our household when our kids were little, and we still watch it most years when December comes. Without giving away the whole plot, there’s a seemingly peripheral character who has a few scenes that are hard to... Continue Reading →
By: Rev. Dr. Julio R. Vargas Vidal Liturgically and ecclesiastically speaking, the months between February and March are quite hectic and busy. Our Church is heir to a tradition given to it by a church from which it has distanced itself somewhat - the Anglican Church. This, in turn, is a direct descendant of Catholicism.... Continue Reading →
By: Rob L. Staples In the past, some evangelical churches spurned any observation of Lent, associating it with "high church" liturgical worship. But today many of those same churches, including numerous Nazarene churches, are rediscovering certain aspects of the historic Christian tradition as a means of refocusing on spirituality in a world that is increasingly... Continue Reading →
By: Scott Armstrong There may be nothing grosser – and nothing more debasing – than getting spit on. I once saw a player spit on an opponent in a soccer game. Things did not go well after that. Fisticuffs, red cards, and more. It was a complete disregard for the other team and the opposite... Continue Reading →
By: Rob Prince The following article was taken from https://robprinceblog.com/2021/12/16/the-pandemic-and-the-last-candle-in-the-advent-wreathe/ The last of the four candles of Advent wreathe will be lit in churches all over the world on Sunday. If it’s like at our church, somewhere in the service a family or individual will read a passage of scripture, remind us of the candle’s... Continue Reading →
By: Scott Armstrong “The meeting ground between God and [humanity] is the flesh of Christ.” –Saint Cyril Christmas is almost here! As we exchange gifts, we acknowledge and give thanks for the greatest gift ever given: Jesus Christ sent to earth two millennia ago. While the first two chapters of the gospels of Matthew and... Continue Reading →
By: Daniel Pesado Advent and Christmas are totally related. Advent ("adventus") means "coming" or "arrival." The synonym used in the Greek is "Parousía", which also means "coming" or "presence", although we mostly use it to refer to the arrival of Jesus at the end of time. In Advent we prepare to celebrate the first coming... Continue Reading →
By: Scott Armstrong Rain coming at the disciples sideways and wind buffeting their tiny boat… Until… Jesus scolds the storm, and instantly the weather becomes perfect for a restful day at the lake. A crippled man waiting by a magic pool without anyone to help him in… Until… Jesus speaks the word and, wide-eyed, the... Continue Reading →
A few days ago, I read a story that sparked my curiosity for the term Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a compact term in Zulu, a language spoken in South Africa, and when translated, it means "I am, because you are"—like the children in the following story believed:"An anthropologist proposed a game to children in an African tribe.... Continue Reading →
By: Scott Armstrong November 28, 2021 (1st Sunday of Advent) Title: The Hope of the World. Meditation: During the global pandemic, anxiety and loneliness are on the rise. The toll that COVID-19 has taken has proven to not just be physical, but mental, emotional, and social as well. Amid such desperation, we proclaim that there... Continue Reading →
Transform the Globe 