Some across North America know that our church (Knoxville First) recently suffered a very painful and unexpected loss. A sweet girl (almost nine) who was going to be baptized by her grandfather in just a few weeks was killed in a fluke accident at her other grandfather's home. Her little brother was injured but he is now heading toward rapid recovery. It was a hard Thanksgiving week.
The loss of anyone is painful. The loss of a child seems so wrong. Any veteran pastor knows this type of thing also adds another layer of ministry because it touches the lives of all the kids in that child's classroom, Adventurers, Sabbath School and the like. Read More |
Memorable Memorials
Personalized Homilies for a Fitting and Memorable Goodbye
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My first few funerals were for people I'd never (or barely) met, and it was very hard to know what to say. But when Lydia died, and I was prayerfully searching for the appropriate words, it suddenly became clear. Lydia had been a lover of beauty. I never saw her with a hair out of place or dressed in anything that wasn't neat and tasteful. She often told people they were beautiful, and she filled her home with beautiful plants and treasures. So for her funeral homily the theme was beauty, and we considered how God has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecc. 3:10). I was surprised by the positive feedback that came at the time, but even more surprising was how long people remembered and talked about that service as a meaningful part of their grieving. Read More
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Leading, Keeping,
and Engaging Millennials
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Before receiving God's call to ministry, Marquis D. Johns was living without hope. He had dropped out of school, spent time in jail, and even dabbled in the occult. In 2002, through the power of prayer and the ministry of a friend, Johns accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and committed himself to literature evangelism and Bible work. He graduated from the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism and also earned a Bachelor of Science in Church Leadership from Oakwood University. In addition to his pastoral duties at Metropolitan, Pastor Johns serves on the NAD's Young Adult Advisory Committee and hosts Dare to Dream/3ABN television networks "The New Journey," a program that chronicles the lives of people who have abandoned destructive behaviors and are now on a new journey with Christ. Watch Here
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Why Didn't They Teach
Me THAT at the Seminary?
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How many times have you asked that question during the years since you left the Seminary? How many different subjects would you include under that question? Clearly, as comprehensive as Seminary training is for our theological/pastoral training, the curriculum simply cannot prepare us for every eventuality we face in the task of leading our churches and guiding the spiritual lives of the members entrusted to our care. Read More
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Events, Resources, Announcements
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Pathway to Health - Daniel Weber, Communication Director for the North American Division, interviews Dr. Lela Lewis, the President of Pathway to Health, as they discuss the upcoming health care event in Los Angeles, California, taking place April 27-29, 2016.
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