When Mary Boyle first received the invitation she thought it was a great idea and was looking forward to meeting people, especially being fairly new to the Lake Avenue Church community. She shared, “As often happens at church, worshipers find themselves sittin... More »
Forty-six years of preaching and more than 1,300 career sermons later, Reverend Ed Bacon will walk out the doors of Pasadena’s All Saints Church this weekend, feeling two things as he leaves his historic post for his retirement and a new home close to family i... More »
Who was Thomas Merton and why is he even more popular now than when he died in 1968? Part of the answer is his articulation of salvation as “discovering your true self.” And no one better to help us explore his work and witness than Franciscan friar and theolo... More »
“In our society, strength (or, at least imagined strength) is applauded; and weakness is thought of as a defect. God doesn’t allow us to stay with the idea that we are strong. Oh, we may have that idea, but the Lord is going to disabuse... More »
I don’t usually read Rolling Stone magazine. But in the current issue the cover story is about our Holy Father, Pope Francis. So I guess the Pope is officially “cool.†Because Rolling Stone says so. I think the Pope is great, too. I’ve had the blessing... More »
For those who have a passion for mentoring, coaching, and counseling couples, the First Church of the Nazarene (PazNaz) is inviting them to join Counselor, Joe Whitcomb, on Saturday, January 4, for a one-day training event to get their certification with Prepa... More »
Two weeks ago, as I sat here on Sunday morning at the 10:30 service, after being away most of the summer recovering from two surgeries, I glanced ahead to the collect for today, the prayer we use near the beginning of the service. One phrase jumped out at me: ... More »
People face various types of conflict everyday. Conflict can arise at any time and anywhere. Oftentimes, conflict occurs in church, personality, and marital, financial, workplace and vision issues. You can also be a conflict for someone else. Let us define wha... More »
Paul makes this unifying statement in Ephesians 4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all†(Ephesia... More »
“I believe that it is often easier to inspire Christian people to go overseas as ‘missionaries’ than it is to get them to welcome their neighbors into their lives.†–Jack Miller, Outgrowing the Ingrown Church I had lunch recently with a good friend her... More »
Word from China about the death of Bishop K. H. Ting came on Thanksgiving morning, and I personally received that message with an response of thanksgiving to God for the Bishop’s friendship to me and his service to Christ’s Kingdom. Bishop Ting’s contribution ... More »
Prof. Bill Dyrness at the Preaching in a Visual Age Conference “What does it mean to ask God to be in our looking?” Fuller Professor Bill Dyrness asked a group of conference-goers at the fourth annual Preaching in a Visual Age Conference held on November 1 th... More »
