Advocate | Spring 2014
Transitions—All Things Made New
The Reasons Why
By: Forrest Palmer I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 NRSV). Change. We see it everywhere—in culture, in our denominations, in our churches. And we’re...
Balancing on a One-Legged Stool
By: Rodger Nishioka Have you ever tried to sit comfortably on a stool with only one leg? It is pretty much impossible. To be dependable and to support our weight, a stool needs at least three legs. In the same way, throughout much of our North American church history,...
The Lord Will Lead
By: Tori Smit By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”...
APCE is Reforming
By: Anne Wilson My husband and I have lived in Houston, Texas, for more than 40 years, and we have lived in the same house for 25 years. Once our two kids moved out, we were ready for some changes. After four years of thinking about what to do with our house, we...
Making space for change
By: Theresa Cho We can all agree that change is hard. We can also agree that change is inevitable. Everyday the world around us is changing. Our reaction to change may vary from holding fast to tradition and what is familiar to embracing what may come with open arms...
Ministry in a changing world
By: Newell Krogmann We live in a changing world. We have church websites, instant access to information via the Internet, smart phones, text messaging, Facebook, the ability to easily project words and images as we do Christian education and as we worship. The list...
Lost in transition
By: Derek Atkins If all the recent articles, books, blogs, and statistical studies are right, around two-thirds of the teens in our congregations are going to disconnect with the life of the church, and maybe even their Christian faith, as they make their way through...
When people change
By: Duane Kelderman Deep change is difficult. That’s why it’s fascinating to explore what motivates change, what pushes people to finally take the plunge. The best literature indicates five factors that are usually present in deep change. 1. The status quo isn’t...
Caring for yourself in transition
By: Donita Robards As I look around at my friends, family, coworkers, and patients, I see that everyone faces times of transition. We will all experience monumental changes in our lives. Change is inevitable. No matter how much we prepare for them, some changes can...
Resources
By: Mary E. Speedy Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids Kara E. Powell and Chap Clark. Zondervan, 2011. What we hope for as parents and educators is that our youth will develop a dynamic faith that “sticks” beyond high school....
IDEAS
