By: Frederick Buechner Last week I came across the following reflection by Frederick Buechner, originally published in his book Peculiar Treasures. It’s a reminder that effective leadership requires constant vigilance and attentiveness to the will of God. I call Gideon “The Reluctant Leader.” Enjoy Buechner’s insight. THE BEST THING THE JUDGE GIDEON ever did and... Continue Reading →
Be Filled with the Spirit
Dr. Eddie Estep, Kansas City (USA) District Superintendent When we use the word filled in English, we normally think of something being placed into a container, such as milk being poured to the brim of a glass, water being run into a bathtub, or gasoline being pumped into a tank. This is also the classic... Continue Reading →
Pentecost: When God Adds Fuel to the Fire
By: Rev. Daniel Pesado “Don’t add fuel to the fire.” I heard that phrase a lot growing up. When there was an argument or tense situation, the adults around me would use it to suggest that it was better to keep quiet and not make circumstances worse. But there are areas and moments in life... Continue Reading →
A Pure Heart
By: Eddie Estep You have to read halfway through the Old Testament before the idea of a human having a pure heart is even suggested as a possibility. Prior to Job and Psalms, the only things referred to as “pure” are gold (about 40 times), frankincense (4 times), and water (once). When we get to... Continue Reading →
Challenges for the Post-Pandemic Church: Part II
By: Emily Armstrong We are quickly moving into the third year of living in a global pandemic, and I’ll be among the first to admit that it’s been hard. In general, I’m pretty good at change – in fact, I like it. Ask my husband, Scott, and he might say that I like change too... Continue Reading →
Challenges for the Post-Pandemic Church: Part I
By: Scott Armstrong Recently our Regional Director asked all the regional coordinators a very interesting question: What challenges do you foresee the Church facing after the pandemic? He needed us to answer a bit quickly, so I took a few moments to reflect, and then wrote the following response: Find a hybrid balance between virtual... Continue Reading →
7 Observations on the 2021 Nazarene Statistics: Mesoamerica Version
By: Scott Armstrong A few months ago, General Secretary Gary Hartke and Nazarene Research Services released the annual Church of the Nazarene statistical reports for 2021. Soon thereafter, I wrote an article with 13 observations on those global trends and numbers, and we also recorded an episode of The Worthless Servants podcast to share what jumped out at us.... Continue Reading →
Jesus, Be the Center
By: Scott Armstrong Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:2 NIV “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” The church in Corinth was a disaster. Paul had invested his time and all his efforts in starting that church, and now they were forgetting much of what he... Continue Reading →
Annual Board of General Superintendents’ Report
The Board of General Superintendents opened the 98th session of the General Board by leading a concert of prayer for each of the six regions of the Church of the Nazarene, remembering especially the plight of those in Ukraine and asking the Lord to restore peace and safety to the region. Following the time of... Continue Reading →
Steadfast: Reflections of a Ukrainian Pastor
By: Andriy Takthay “My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast...” (Psalm 57:7). I repeat these words like a mantra a thousand times a day. Every time I see tears in my wife's eyes and I understand that she is just scared, but I can't change the situation. I repeat these words when... Continue Reading →