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The Good News or the Bad News
I read in a book recently about a young pastor who was fired from his church over a theological controversy. When he went to share the news with his wife, he said, “I’ve got good news and bad news, wh... -
Quote
Faith like Job’s cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken. -
liturgy
Prayer for the Unemployed
Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfil... -
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Calling Means Finding Purpose in Every Kind of Work
God calls His people to lots of different things. Sometimes you feel a sense of calling to your job and, you know what, sometimes you don’t. You just work. I’m extremely thankful that I love what I do... -
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Career Options for a Latino Student
I’ll never forget sitting in the guidance counselor’s office my freshman year in high school in the Lehigh Valley area between Philadelphia and Allentown, where I grew up. The purpose of our meeting w... -
blog
Ash Wednesday - Turning to God in Crisis
A World in Chaos At the risk of sounding dramatic, both the U.S. and the world seem to be reaching a level of chaos unmatched since 9/11. The confusion and shifting loyalties, not to mention the 26,0... -
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A Step to the Block
In Four Quartets , T. S. Eliot writes that “any action is a step to the block.” He means that our actions always draw us closer to death, and in that sense every action we take is a wager of our ... -
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Everyday Pain
I’ve known a lot of people who have lived painful, tragic lives. When I was young, I assumed these people were abnormal. Their suffering was the exception that proved the rule that a well-lived life i... -
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The Good News Isn’t Sounding Good to Some
In Vanishing Grace , Philip Yancey examines the growing negative perceptions of evangelicals. Although the book was written in 2014, these dynamics have only intensified in the era of MAGA and Ch... -
blog
Sacred Space: Lessons from Ethiopia’s Church Forests
Too Busy for God? American work culture is all-pervasive. For many members of your congregation, it can be a real fight to get actual time off—and cell phones and the internet has made it possible to... -
liturgy
Almighty God–Father, Son and Holy, You Tell
Almighty God–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: You tell us to pray with thanksgiving...and we do; giving thanks for Your daily provision and care, for the birth of a child, for new jobs and new friends, fo... -
liturgy
Gracious God, we come before you today scared
Gracious God, We come before you today scared. Scared for our health, scared for our jobs, scared for our loved ones. Help us Lord, not to dwell in our fears, but rather to turn to you, trusting that... -
blog
What It Takes to Birth a Multi-Ethnic Church and a Just Mission
A House for All People Every summer my church hosts a week-long summer camp where children experience the beauty and majesty of the Lord. The first year we sent our daughter to it, she loved it and l... -
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John Perkins’ Childrens Convictions
I’ll never forget one Sunday in 1964 when a bunch of kids met up together and decided they were going to integrate the movie theater in Mendenhall. This was fairly early on in the integration efforts,... -
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Institutional Racism: The Byproduct of Historical Racism
The ways that social structures and institutions systematically work against the interest of people of color is called institutional racism. Institutional racism and historic racism are not unrelated ... -
liturgy
A Responsive Prayer for Labor Day Program
Almighty and merciful God, we ask you to hear the desires and prayers of our hearts for all who labor. For all who till the land and break the rocks, For all those in frequent peril of the sea, For t... -
liturgy
Blessing for Those Who Labor
This prayer may be offered with or without the congregational response. Due to its length, consider using two or more liturgists to lead the prayer. VOICE ONE: Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Eart... -
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God is not looking for people to work for Him but people who let Him work mightily in and through them. -
liturgy
A Labor Day Prayer for Equity
This prayer may be offered with or without the congregational response. Due to its length, consider using two or more liturgists to lead the prayer. VOICE ONE: God of Creation, God of Life, In your j... -
Quote
Never let a good crisis go to waste. -
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A Phone Call Away
I interviewed Jamie Dimon, current CEO of JPMorgan Chase (the largest bank in the United States) and previous cofounder of the financial services conglomerate Citigroup (the third largest). While at C... -
liturgy
God blessed them, and God said to them,
God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth' Lord be with those who work and worship The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to ti... -
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Location, Location, Location
As in buying real estate, three principles are crucial to understanding a person’s words: location, location, and location. We cannot make sense of what someone says unless we understand the context i... -
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The Sabbath Reveals Economic Disparities
The discussion of the sabbath leads to an interesting reflection. Some of our economies and cultures actually are put together in such a way that the poor either struggle to get enough work or have no... -
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Performing the Lowliest Task
Sometimes service means doing routine tasks even if we could have someone else do them. There is a story about Abraham Lincoln – possibly apocryphal but certainly in character – that a cabinet member ... -
liturgy
Labor Day Prayer
O God, Father of us all, we praise you for so binding humanity together that we must each lean upon the strength and labor of others. We ask your blessing on all men and women who have worked to build... -
liturgy
Gracious God, thank you for the gift of
Gracious God, thank you for the gift of work. There are times when we experience work along the lines of your intentions, when work is fulfilling and fruitful. For these moments we thank you. Yet, we... -
Quote
Service is just a day-in, day-out, ongoing, never-ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate type of activity. -
Quote
I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve. -
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Talk to any poor person or vulnerable person and they can give you a long list of the services they have received. (editor’s note: one assumes in the West) They are well serviced, but you often have t...
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A
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B
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D
- Daily Life
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E
- Economics
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- Ethics
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- Eyes
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F
- Face of God
- Facing your Fears
- Failure
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G
- Gardening
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- Gifts
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- Global Church
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H
- Habits
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- Hands
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- Hatred
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- Healing
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- Heart
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I
- Identity
- Idolatry
- Idols
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- Illness
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- Immigrants
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- Impact
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- The Image of God
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J
K
L
- Labor Day
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- Limitations
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- Love
- Love of God and Neighbor
- Loving Kindness
- Loving Other Christians
- Loving your Neighbor
- The Lamb of God
- The Lord's Supper
M
- Magnificat
- Making a Difference
- Man of Sorrows
- Manipulation
- Manna
- Marginalized
- Marital Problems
- Marriage
- Martyrdom
- Mary the Mother of Jesus
- Masks
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- Meaning
- Media
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- Mind
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- Minorities
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- Moral Choices
- Moral Silence
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- Moses
- Motivations
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- Multi-Ethnic Church
- Multiculturalism
- Music
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- Mystery of Life
- The Meaning of Life
- The Messiah
- The Military
- The Mind of Christ
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N
O
P
- Pace
- Pain
- Pain and Joy
- Parenting
- Parents
- Partisanship
- Passion
- Pastors
- Paths
- Patience
- Patriotism
- Peace
- Peacemaking
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- People
- Peoples
- Perfection
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- Personal
- Personal Agendas
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- Place
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- Provision
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- Purity
- Purity Of Heart
- Purpose
- The Passing of Time
- The People of God
- The Prince of Peace
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R
- Race
- Race and Reconciliation
- Racial Reconciliation
- Racism
- Raising Children
- Real Estate
- Reality
- Rebellion
- Receiving
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- Receiving Gifts
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- Reformation Sunday
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- Regret
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- Religion and Politics
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- Religions
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- Reminders
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- Repentance
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- Resistance
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- Rest
- Restoration
- Restoring Sight
- Resurrection
- Resurrection Life
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Resurrection to New Life
- Revelation
- Revival
- Rewards
- Rich and Poor
- Riches
- Right Relationships
- Righteousness
- Risks
- Romantic Relationships
- Rootedness
- Routines
- Rule of Life
- Running to God
- The Rich
- The Risen Lord
- The Rock
- The Roman Empire
S
- Sabbath
- Sacrifice
- Sacrificial Giving
- Sacrificial Living
- Sacrificial Love
- Safety
- Salt and Light
- Salt of the Earth
- Salvation
- Sanctification
- Savior
- Scapegoats
- School
- Science
- Science and Religion
- Screens
- Scripture
- Secularism
- Seeds
- Seeking God
- Seeking Happiness
- Seeking the Truth
- Segregation
- Self-Achievement
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-Control
- Self-Deception
- Self-Discipline
- Self-Image
- Self-Improvement
- Self-Interest
- Self-Love
- Self-Reliance
- Self-Renunciation
- Self-Righteousness
- Self-Sacrifice
- Selfishness
- Selflessness
- Servant Leadership
- Servanthood
- Service
- Settling
- Sexism
- Shalom
- Shame
- Sharing
- Sheep
- Shelter
- Shepherd
- Shepherds
- Sickness
- Sight
- Silence
- Sin
- Sinfulness
- Singing
- Single Parents
- Sins of Omission
- Skepticism
- Slavery
- Smart Phones
- Social Justice
- Social Media
- Soil
- Soldiers
- Solutions
- Solving Poverty
- Sorrow
- Speaking Out
- Speaking Truth to Power
- Speech
- Speed
- Spending Time
- Spiritual Disciplines
- Spiritual Hunger
- Spiritual Problems
- Spiritual Thirst
- Sports
- Spring (Season)
- Staying Positive
- Steadfast Love
- Stealing
- Step-parents
- Stereotypes
- Stewardship
- Stillness
- Storms
- Storytelling
- Stranger
- Strength
- Strength of Character
- Stress
- Struggles
- Submission
- Success
- Suffering
- Suicide
- Sun
- Superiority
- Surgery
- Surprise
- Surrender
- Sustainability
- Sustainer
- The Sacraments
- The Saints
- The Sick
- The Soul
T
- Taking Up the Cross
- Talking
- Teachers
- Team
- Teamwork
- Tears
- Technological Progress
- Technology
- Temptation
- Tension
- Terrorism
- Thankfulness
- Thanksgiving (General)
- Thanksgiving (Holiday)
- The Temple
- The Trinity
- The Twelve Disciples
- Therapy
- Third Third of Life
- Thirst
- Thoughts
- Time
- TIme Management
- Tired
- Tolerance
- Tongue
- Town
- Tragedy
- Transformation
- Transgressions
- Transitions
- Trauma
- Travel
- Trees
- Trouble
- True Self
- Trust
- Truth
- Turning a Blind Eye
U
W
Top_level_categories by Reference
Genesis
Exodus
Deuteronomy
Ruth
1 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Esther
Job
Psalm
- Ps 1 (11)
- Ps 2 (2)
- Ps 4 (2)
- Ps 6 (2)
- Ps 8 (7)
- Ps 9 (3)
- Ps 10 (3)
- Ps 11 (1)
- Ps 12 (2)
- Ps 14 (1)
- Ps 15 (3)
- Ps 16 (4)
- Ps 18 (1)
- Ps 19 (8)
- Ps 20 (2)
- Ps 22 (2)
- Ps 23 (16)
- Ps 24 (5)
- Ps 25 (3)
- Ps 27 (5)
- Ps 29 (2)
- Ps 30 (6)
- Ps 31 (1)
- Ps 32 (3)
- Ps 33 (7)
- Ps 34 (40)
- Ps 37 (9)
- Ps 39 (2)
- Ps 41 (1)
- Ps 42 (7)
- Ps 46 (26)
- Ps 49 (1)
- Ps 50 (2)
- Ps 51 (23)
- Ps 52 (2)
- Ps 55 (1)
- Ps 56 (1)
- Ps 62 (1)
- Ps 63 (3)
- Ps 66 (2)
- Ps 68 (1)
- Ps 71 (2)
- Ps 72 (6)
- Ps 73 (3)
- Ps 77 (2)
- Ps 78 (4)
- Ps 80 (1)
- Ps 82 (16)
- Ps 85 (4)
- Ps 86 (1)
- Ps 89 (3)
- Ps 90 (13)
- Ps 91 (2)
- Ps 92 (2)
- Ps 96 (4)
- Ps 98 (2)
- Ps 99 (1)
- Ps 100 (4)
- Ps 101 (1)
- Ps 103 (13)
- Ps 104 (3)
- Ps 106 (1)
- Ps 111 (1)
- Ps 112 (1)
- Ps 113 (2)
- Ps 115 (1)
- Ps 116 (2)
- Ps 117 (1)
- Ps 118 (4)
- Ps 119 (22)
- Ps 121 (3)
- Ps 122 (1)
- Ps 124 (1)
- Ps 127 (5)
- Ps 128 (2)
- Ps 130 (4)
- Ps 131 (2)
- Ps 133 (4)
- Ps 136 (2)
- Ps 139 (14)
- Ps 141 (3)
- Ps 143 (1)
- Ps 145 (4)
- Ps 146 (5)
- Ps 147 (5)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
- Isa 1 (38)
- Isa 2 (3)
- Isa 5 (5)
- Isa 6 (15)
- Isa 7 (1)
- Isa 9 (10)
- Isa 11 (1)
- Isa 25 (2)
- Isa 26 (3)
- Isa 28 (4)
- Isa 30 (4)
- Isa 32 (2)
- Isa 33 (2)
- Isa 40 (26)
- Isa 41 (17)
- Isa 42 (2)
- Isa 43 (12)
- Isa 44 (3)
- Isa 45 (2)
- Isa 47 (1)
- Isa 49 (1)
- Isa 50 (1)
- Isa 51 (1)
- Isa 52 (1)
- Isa 53 (20)
- Isa 55 (19)
- Isa 56 (2)
- Isa 57 (1)
- Isa 58 (23)
- Isa 59 (3)
- Isa 60 (3)
- Isa 61 (23)
- Isa 65 (1)
- Isa 66 (1)