Lent: Is It Only for the Roman Catholic Church? (Part 1)

By: Rev.  Dr. Andrés E. Hernández      In an article written for Holiness Today, Rob L. Staples[1] points out that in the past some evangelical churches rejected the observance of Lent. However, many of those churches, including Churches of the Nazarene, are rediscovering how certain aspects of the Christian tradition help us refocus on the... Continue Reading →

Let’s Begin Lent and Better Understand Ash Wednesday

By: Rev. Dr. Julio R. Vargas Vidal From a liturgical, Christian, and ecclesiastical point of view, the months between February and March are quite hectic and very busy. Our Church is heir to a tradition given by a church from which it distanced in some manner - the Anglican Church. This church is in turn... Continue Reading →

“Advent Just Doesn’t Work Out for Me”

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 →

As we Start Lent, Let’s Better Understand Ash Wednesday

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 →

Lent: Preparation for Easter

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 →

Spit and Christmas: Why does Jesus Use Spit to Heal in Three of His Miracles, and How Does it Relate to This Season?

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 →

The Pandemic and the Last Candle in the Advent Wreathe

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 →

The Word, the Verb, and Christmas

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 →

Prepared for His Arrival

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 →

Miracles and Christmas

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 →

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