category
Search by topic, scripture, category etc..
69 Results in 93ms
Display
Sorted By
-
illustration
Aesop's Fables: The Power of Unity
In one of Aesop's familiar fables, an old man has several sons who are always fighting among themselves. He had often, but without success, exhorted them to live together in harmony. One day, he c... -
liturgy
God of mercy, we come before you with open hearts
Leader: God of mercy, we come before you with honest hearts. We bring not only our praise, but also our pain. We confess that at times we have lost heart. Hear now our lament, and kindle in us your ho... -
illustration
See Something, Say Something
What is our responsibility to our neighbor? This is a question many have asked, including the Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas. Meditating on the topic he observed, “To patiently endure wrongs done ... -
Quote
Christian community means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. There is no Christian community that is more than this, and none that is less than this. -
liturgy
Blessed be the tie that binds
Blessed be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above. Before the throne of God We pour our impassioned prayers; Our fears, our hopes, ... -
illustration
Who Determines Your Behavior?
Some years ago, the syndicated newspaper columnist Sidney J. Harris shared an interesting anecdote from one of his friends. Each evening, this friend would stop at the same newsstand to buy a newspape... -
illustration
Political Membership: Dependent on "Good Behavior"
Jane Addams (1860–1935), a leading American social reformer, was a dedicated advocate for racial equality, women’s suffrage, and pacifism. In 1931, she was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1900,... -
liturgy
For the times we neglect to care for
For the times we neglect to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ, please forgive us, Lord. For the times we fail to welcome new people who look or act different from ourselves, please forgiv... -
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
Leader: Arise! Shine! Christ’s Church
Leader: Arise! Shine! Christ’s Church has assembled. People: We are one body, with Christ as our head. Leader: What kind of body is this? People: The Body of Christ, brought together not by huma... -
liturgy
Father, as we go to our homes and our
Father, as we go to our homes and our work this coming week we ask you to send the Holy Spirit into our lives. Open our ears- to hear what you are saying to us in the things that happen to us and i... -
liturgy
Father–Father of the Lord Jesus and our
Father–Father of the Lord Jesus and our Father: You’ve blessed us beyond imagination. You redeem us, forgive us and lavish Your gifts on us: Thank You. You choose us, when we wouldn’t choose ourselves... -
liturgy
May we be no one’s enemy, and may we be
May we be no one’s enemy, and may we be the friend of all that is eternal and abides with Christ. May we never quarrel with those nearest us; and if we do, may we be reconciled quickly. May we love,... -
liturgy
O Lord and Father of the household of
O Lord and Father of the household of faith, we thank you for the gift of faith worked within us by your Holy Spirit. We thank you for having called us to yourself, for consecrating us to your ser... -
liturgy
We thank You, God our Father, for Your
We thank You, God our Father, for Your grace, mercy and love, expressed today through Your Word and Sacrament; and we ask You to help us to pray and to know what to pray. You give us all good gifts: Y... -
liturgy
Pentecost Blessing
Follow the Spirit. Walk in the rhythm of the Spirit. Sing in the Spirit. Pray with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Sow to the Spirit. Reap from the Spirit. Preserve the unity of the Spirit. Be ... -
liturgy
Beloved of God go now in peace. Go to
Beloved of God, go now in peace. Go to love. Go to serve. Go with the unending blessing of the One, True, Living God Father – Son – Spirit. Amen. -
Quote
Self-righteousness is a sense of moral superiority that appoints us as prosecutor of other people’s sinfulness. We relate to others as if we are incapable of the sins they commit. Self-righteousness w... -
Quote
Like the Good Samaritan, may we not be ashamed of touching the wounds of those who suffer, but try to heal them with concrete acts of love. -
illustration
Incarnation Essential to Reconciliation
In their thoughtful book on reconciliation, Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice share how Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement showed up in the lives of the working poor, which ultimately enable... -
illustration
Trust and Belonging
We were created to communicate, to speak truth fully to one another, so that we might be members of one another. To be members of one another means we must learn to trust one another. Trust, like trut... -
Quote
In a futile attempt to erase our past, we deprive the community of our healing gift. If we conceal our wounds out of fear and shame, our inner darkness can neither be illuminated nor become a light fo... -
Quote
The way you help heal the world is you start with your own family. -
illustration
The Wake
One of my favorite things to do is to sit on the aft deck of a boat going across the ocean and just watch the wake. It is such a beautiful, ever-changing creation as the ship continues on its path. Yo... -
illustration
The Cross as an Enduring Image
In 2000, the National Gallery in London put on a millennial exhibition entitled “Seeing Salvation.” That was a case in point—especially remembering that European countries tend to be far more “secular... -
illustration
Pete Carroll’s Call and the Error of “Resulting”
One of the most controversial decisions in Super Bowl history took place in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLIX in 2015. The Seattle Seahawks, with twenty-six seconds remaining and trailing by four... -
illustration
Donne, Undone
While movies and novels often present stories of a budding love interest willing to give up everything for “true love” (Romeo and Juliet, for example), the renowned poet, and later clergyman, John Don... -
illustration
Strangers to Themselves
There is not any thing, relating to men and characters, more surprising and unaccountable, than this partiality to themselves. . . . Hence it is that many men seem perfect strangers to their own chara... -
illustration
Caring For Them is What We’re on this Earth For
In this beautiful illustration from Tom Long’s well-known preaching guide, The Witness of Preaching , a pastor shares a true story of what valuing human life can look like when God’s Kingdom takes ro... -
illustration
Kingdom-Based Coffee
Brandon and Faith Lee, who started Bird and Branch Coffee, are what faithful witnesses look like. When they sat down across from my wife and me, they had a dream to start a coffee shop that would serv...
Page 1 of 3
Top_level_categories by Topic
A
B
- Baggage (1)
- Beginnings (1)
- Behavior (2)
- Being Heard (1)
- Being Lost (1)
- Being Watchful (1)
- Belonging (1)
- Blame (1)
- Blessing (2)
- Bodily Resurrection (1)
- Boldness (1)
- Broken Relationships (1)
- Building (1)
- Building the Kingdom (1)
- Bullying (1)
- Burdens (1)
- Burnout (1)
- Business (1)
- The Body (2)
- The Body of Christ (2)
- The Bread of Life (1)
C
- Called by God (1)
- Calling (1)
- Caring (1)
- Causes (1)
- Character (2)
- Charity (3)
- Cheer (1)
- Christ and Culture (1)
- Christ's Death (1)
- Christian Character (1)
- Christian Community (3)
- Christian Identity (1)
- Christian Service (1)
- Christianity (3)
- Church (1)
- Church and Politics (1)
- Church and Power (1)
- Church Culture (1)
- Church Health (1)
- Church is the People (1)
- Church Leaders (1)
- Church Leadership (1)
- Church Life (1)
- Church Revitalization (1)
- Church Unity (2)
- Churches (2)
- Coffee (1)
- Comfort (1)
- Coming of the Kingdom (1)
- Communication (2)
- Community (8)
- Community Development (1)
- Comparison (1)
- Compassion (3)
- Complementarity (1)
- Conflict (2)
- Conflict Resolution (2)
- Connection (1)
- Consequences (2)
- Construction (1)
- Controversy (2)
- Conversation (1)
- Corporate Christianity (1)
- Corruption (1)
- Courage (1)
- Creativity (1)
- Criticism (1)
- Crucifixion (1)
- Crucifixion Of Jesus (1)
- The Christian Life (2)
- The Christian Walk (1)
- The Cross (1)
D
F
G
- Galilee (1)
- Gardening (1)
- Gathering (1)
- Generosity (1)
- Gentleness (2)
- Gifts (1)
- Giving (4)
- Giving God the Glory (1)
- Global Church (1)
- God's Gifts (1)
- God's Knowledge (Omniscience) (1)
- God's Love (1)
- God's Provision (1)
- God's Throne (1)
- God's Word (1)
- Good News (1)
- Good Samaritan (2)
- Goodness (1)
- Goodness of God (1)
- Gossip (1)
- Government (1)
- Grief (1)
H
I
L
M
O
P
R
S
- Sacrifice (5)
- Sacrificial Love (3)
- Salt and Light (1)
- Salvation (1)
- Self-Awareness (1)
- Self-Deception (1)
- Self-Interest (1)
- Self-Righteousness (1)
- Selfishness (2)
- Servanthood (1)
- Service (5)
- Shame (1)
- Sickness (1)
- Sin (1)
- Sins of Omission (1)
- Sorrow (1)
- Sowing Seeds (1)
- Spiritual Maturity (1)
- Stewardship (1)
- Suffering (1)
- Suicide (2)
- The Sacraments (1)
- The Soul (1)
T
Top_level_categories by Reference