Posted on Aug 2, 2025 in Community Outreach, Faith in Action, Pastor's Blog, Personal Development |
*Blog Post Excerpt from NWFriends.org by John Laney
I never expected to be an advocate for short-term service trips. As a matter of fact, after reading the two excellent books “When Helping Hurts” by Steve Corbett and “Toxic Charity” by Robert Lupton, I took the opposite approach and actively discouraged these types of trips. However, after stepping outside my comfort zone, living in Mexico for four years and interacting with groups on short-term service trips, I have a much better perspective on the value these trips can bring….
In my mind, short-term service trips matter in three primary ways. First, they matter to the receiver. There trips allow groups to build projects, paint walls, bring food and money and otherwise aid the group they are serving. Second, they matter to the relationship and Christian bonds between the giver and the receiver. Finally, they matter to the giver, oftentimes walks away with a life-changing service experience….
If this resonates with you, if you are interested in reciprocal service where you both give and receive, or if you or a family member might benefit from stepping outside your comfort zone to see and taste new experiences, then I would love to talk. Email me.
Posted on Jul 1, 2025 in Community Outreach, Pastor's Blog | Tags: Community Outreach, Discipleship, Evangelism
*Excerpt from an Alan Weinacht article first presented in NMYM Connection 6/21/25
“Church revitalization is not a new program or trendy way of trying to engage a post-modern culture. Whatever it is, it is not a cure-all, follow this program and all will succeed proposition. Thankfully it is not about trying to become a megachurch or assuming that the biggest church is the best church. So, what is revitalization?
Church Revitalization is (and this is why it may be so hopeful for Evangelical Friends) an open door to slowly but surely work on the disconnect between our churches’ cultures where we think we are committed to outreach but we really are not. Looking back, over my being a member and eventually a recorded Friends minister with an entire working career in pastoral and yearly meeting leadership among Friends, I’ve concluded that the real issue for Friends is culture. We believe that we are outreach-minded, when in reality our mindset is that anyone is welcome in our churches if they want to take us, just as we are.
This is not a mindset that stands beside Jesus and sees that the fields are ready for harvest. Church Revitalization is not about creating outreach and evangelism strategies that are an add-on to our current programming and life of fellowship in the church. If a church hangs with Church Revitalization it has the potential to vastly improve how it opens its doors to the community and reaches out to invite people in. In the process, the mindset and pace of Church Revitalization creates room for the faithful believers to adapt and adjust, so that they become effective at passing on what they’ve learned about cultivating an intimate walk with Jesus to new believers.”
Posted on Jun 2, 2025 in General, Pastor's Blog | Tags: Time Management
As we head into the summer, I am considering the things I give my time to more deeply: Work, Family, Friends, Hobbies, and so on. We often use the phrase “taking time” for something. “I am taking time for myself” is most common. Who are we taking that time from? Is it ourselves, our families, our work, our friends, our hobbies? Or is it God? When I “take time” am I taking it from God?
I keep turning this over and over in my head, trying to understand the dynamics of time and relationships. If every moment of every day is a gift from God, and I accept that as true, then what is the proper use of that time? Should it be returned to Him? Should I tithe my time? I think in all my time I should work to honor the Lord, for sure. But what does that look like? How do I honor God in my family? In my work? In my friendships and hobbies?
Is it simply acknowledging that He is giving me time to engage with these things? Or is it being grateful for the time? A combination? Something more? I think in this whole conversation I end up with more questions than answers. I only hope that as I accept the time given to me by the Lord that I am honoring Him in as many ways as I can in the moments I have, no matter who or how I take that time. I hope the same is true for you.
Posted on May 1, 2025 in Pastor's Blog | Tags: Everyday Faith, Following Jesus
There is this thing that people do when they are trying to make a decision on a big purchase or an investment, it is called a cost/benefit analysis. You put down the price for the item, and then list out the benefits of that thing. If the benefits are “better” than the cost, it is deemed a good investment or purchase.
We don’t do this for everything, only for the big things. As you think about following Jesus more closely, maybe it would be good to do something similar, to look at the cost of staying where we are versus the benefits that Jesus offers us in following Him more closely.
Two columns, simple, one benefit, one cost. See which seems like the better offering and make a choice based on that. It is a big decision, so it may be wise to go about it in this way. Now eventually these kinds of practices break down when applied to faith and life, but it may be a guidepost on where your heart really is, and that is worth practicing if you ask me.
