“Sixty seconds!! Let’s go!” I clear a small but sufficient space in the corner of our bedroom. A meager collection of hand weights line the wall. Teddy the goldendoodle lounges on my unmade bed, passively observing the strange spectacle before him. The voice of the instructor bellows from the TV: “Keep moving! Thirty seconds!” Burpees. As many as I can do. For 60 seconds. The heart-pumping, … Read More
In the Bible, hope is inextricably linked to hardship. In Jeremiah 29:11, the “hope and a future” we all love to quote is promised after a lengthy exile. In Romans 5:3-5, hope comes at the end of a process that includes suffering, perseverance, and character. In Psalm 42:5, hope in God is the remedy for a downcast soul. All of … Read More
Over the course of my childhood, children’s choir was an important part of my introduction to singing, leading worship, and faith. My debut performance in a church children’s musical was in No Fibbin’ Mephibosheth as the eponymous character, the biblical “Tiny Tim.” Then there was the somewhat insensitively titled Fat, Fat Jehoshaphat where I played the priest Jahaziel. But this … Read More
How do we stay connected with kids and families over the summer? It’s a challenge for every church, and even more so now that we’re already operating at a disadvantage due to the pandemic. Of course, there’s no magic formula, but here are three easy ideas that might help you this summer! Use Family Worship at Home Many of our … Read More
Everything is different this year. And it looks like our new reality will continue for awhile. Church leaders haven’t been able to meet in person with their kids and families, and if your church is like ours, you’re moving VBS online or maybe you’ve cancelled VBS altogether. But maybe this isn’t just a season to be endured, but an opportunity … Read More
