... ) has real utopian potential. Then something will happen — as for instance what is happening in my church now, involving changes in staff, complete with issues of legitimacy of process, sensitivity ... a lot of work to do to get the substance of the utopian promise to manifest itself in our life together for more than a moment at a time. This reminds me of learning to play tennis. We seem ...

... 4:1 Have grudges, or petty differences, or personality clashes been tearing at your church lately? Has your own love for the Lord, and his people, been diminished by some strife in the church in which ... difficulties come from? James answers rhetorically: the problems among you come from problems within you. Wars in the church result from unsuccessful wars inside your soul, James says. The strife ...

... " homes? It saddens me when I hear that believers are leaving their "home church"... I can understand that there are no perfect leaders and no perfect churches. To me personally, a church is like family. You can have a big family, like the Italian Mafias... they would "disagree" with outsiders but they love their " ...

... you the biggest lesson the Lord has taught me since he brought me to this church, it would be this: MY LIFE IS MY MINISTRY. I've heard my pastor say it ... s Sunday school class. But my ministry goes well beyond that. Everything I do is part of my ministry. After all, my life should really not be about me. It should be about the Lord. It includes loving my husband well and continually pointing my ...

... t love those in India, China, Romania, Mexico, or Somalia, if we are not doing it right in our own church. We won't ever really love sinners if we can't even practically love the brethren ... others. But it starts with today. I wonder what would happen in our church life if we were all living this way at church meetings every week? The preacher might not even get to preach because the Spirit ...

... — $100 per month — then perhaps not as much notice is required. But often when one church cuts off a missionary’s support, several others do as well. Maybe it’s because of a recession ... he’s coming back from a much poorer field. And many struggle to fit into US church life. They are used to being the evangelist — the expert in the field, the best theologian for ...

... of Christ9) Networks with the body of Christ10) Stewardship and Generosity10) Stewards a life of abundance My Comments Charts like these are not supposed to be followed as if they are like the 10 commandments of the Old Testament. They are useful in helping us take a snapshot at our church life or our efforts at discipleship. Let me give 10 pointers as I reflect on these ...

... labels are worn by churches here that look very different.  I want to be able to understand how church life in Tanzania is different than church life in America. As a theology teacher and ... of efforts or lack of effort have been put toward reproducing the church here, etc. There is also a whole host of denominations that are here that have no connection to the West. Some of them are strictly " ...

... permitting legal unions but not formal marriage. The church board voted 176-62 in favour ... quot;has a strict policy not to discriminate against homosexuals and the church has already taken the most important decision, that of accepting and blessing same-sex ... hold different views about matters such as the acceptance of homosexuals in church life, and blessings for same-sex relationships in some Northern ...

... Thinking out loud about this, I also wonder if we are not making the problem worse by framing church life in social terms. Many people seem to think that deep friendship is ... is a lonely affair I stop going and think it sucks. The goal of church, to my mind, is to be better, not to be known. Of course, in the effort to become better I become known. I'll need to confess and ask forgiveness. I&# ...

... church, and they were sharing how things were at the moment.  In this little church life is never easy, and one tough year follows hot on the heels of ... .  It made my laugh at the time, but it also made me think about what this whole counting business is really about. If we believe that the church is one, then actually a bit of shifting around between 'branches' is ultimately ...

... : Thinking out loud about this, I also wonder if we are not making the problem worse by framing church life in social terms. Many people seem to think that deep friendship is the ... yesterday. In short, we need to think of churches as moral rather than social communities. When I go to church I need to have ethics on the brain and not intimacy. This, I think, is a huge problem with many churches. ...

... door at the back. People were pouring in from the outside, as well as from the service, so that some church people couldn't get in, and it was standing room only and some opting ... erect. Mary yet, still gave her hand. I stretched to life, like a ru-u-ubber band. I was bruised ... 39;m intrigued. Nice to have a bit of excitement in your life. So much is so boring these days. Sounds interesting." ...

... speaks with one voice that this is an indispensable mark of the spiritual life. Our utilitarianism can also be seen in how we approach ministry. Almost all of the books published on ... is God's ministry before it is ours, and that while he does his work through us, he doesn't need us. The church would benefit, I think, from having more ministers whose first impulse is to seek the face of ...

... the Publications Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, becoming acquainted with the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, showing particular interest in the monastic labors. ... in El Salvador, there are many Palestinians. Curiously, they do not go to the parishes of the Antiochian Church, and have been asking to be accepted under our omophorion. The Ecumenical and Antiochian Patriarchates prefer to ...