Make Sure Your Church is Clean and Looks Nice With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #37. This small church likes to sing, and they’ve built a strong community that cares for one another. However, this church stands […]
Embracing Tradition and Worship Ritual With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #28. Steeped in ritual resulting from centuries of carefully protected tradition, the spiritual mystery of this tiny liturgical church presented me with an enigma I’m yet […]
A Public Sharing Time With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #22. During the public sharing time that wrapped up the message at church, one of the members stands up to celebrate a person I know. Several decades […]
With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #9. In a word, the potluck at this church was epic. Between the delicious food and making connections, it remains a significant memory of our journey. Sharing a meal helps build […]
Embrace the Benefits of Meeting Together When we can’t attend church, to meet in person, and must experience a service online, does that count as going to church? The essential parts of the service are the same. There is music, a message, and a prayer or two. F or these three key elements, the result […]
With our journey of visiting fifty-two churches over, I can reflect more on the complete experience. Today, I’ll add to my thoughts about Church #3. This church set a fine example in how they confronted tragedy in an honest way. I’m encouraged to see the church function as a church should, grieving together and supporting […]
We Benefit When We Share Our Joys and Burdens with Others When God created us in his image, he put within us a desire for community. Just as God lives in community with himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—he wants us to be in community with him. He wants a relationship with us. He pursues us. […]
Today is a doubleheader: a traditional service followed by a contemporary one. Aside from an older crowd, there’s little to suggest a traditional service is about to occur. Everything gives off a progressive vibe, from the informal space, to the padded chairs, to round tables in the back and large screen up front, to the […]
We’ve discussed whether we should visit today’s church because we went there fifteen years ago. Although they have a different pastor now, we know many of the people, some from our prior involvement and some who we met more recently. The pastor was out of the country, serving as a military chaplain; today is his […]
“Hi, are you the DeHaans?” The usher’s question surprises me. “Yes, we are.” I nod, a bit confused, but pleased at his acknowledgment. “I’m Greg.” Then gesturing towards Candy, he explains, “I answered your email.” I nod again, this time with a smile. “Thank you so much. It’s nice to meet you, Greg.” We shake […]