Cultivating Righteousness: Gardening and Sanctification
I hate to admit it, but I was often a disgruntled field hand in my father’s garden. Things came to a head, however, the summer that I was fourteen. My father thought that raising pole-beans would be a great way for me and my two younger brothers to pad our portfolios (woefully underfunded savings accounts) [1]. His idea had many positive intentions and potential results: increased work ethic, better understanding of husbandry,...
Are We Presenting the Gospel Correctly?
by J. Clint Adams Every generation of Christians must confront and contend with certain challenges. These can range from false doctrines within the Church, to unbelievers’ direct attacks on the faith, to varieties of moral decay. It is critical that we recognize these challenges, not only for the sake of our generation, but for the sake of coming generations, too. One of the great questions for the Church is whether it is presenting...
2013 FWB National Convention: Reflections
Two weeks ago, nearly 5,000 Free Will Baptists from all over the world assembled in Tampa, Florida for the 77th National Association meeting. This year marked the tenth year since the meeting last went to Tampa. Once again, Convention attendees were greeted with warm weather and hospitality by members of the Florida State Association. Four of the six Forum contributors attended the four-day Convention. And while there is much to...
Missions Fundraising: A New Model
by Kiley Hawkins From the perspective of the gospel, fundraising is not a response to a crisis. Fundraising is, first and foremost, a form of ministry (Henri Nouwen). As western economies have recently endured the greatest recession since the 1920s, nonprofit organizations have been forced to reconsider their foundational models of operation. Throughout this time, I have had a front row seat as the missions community in the West has...
Missions and the Early Church: Christianity a Religion of Mission
July 2013 marks our “Global Evangelism Month.” In this week’s article, we’re considering missions in the early church. We’ll examine the world in which the early church found itself, and its impressive growth in just a few centuries. We’ll also consider what early church missions can teach us today, and discover that Christianity is fundamentally a religion of mission. Setting the Stage To better appreciate the early church missions...
Adoniram Judson: Pioneering Missionary to Burma
With his hair clipped to the scalp, his legs bound to a raised rod, and only his head and shoulders resting on the ground, Adoniram Judson found himself deathly ill in a Burmese prison. The year was 1824, and Judson was on the verge of losing his life at the hands of those he had gone to preach the Gospel. It had been a long, hard decade for Judson. He had labored for six grueling years among the Burmese people before seeing his first...
Recent Comments