Almost two years go, we appointed a team of people among our church family to spearhead our missional reach as a church, both locally and internationally. Our Missions Team has since been working to help deepen relationship with our ministry partners, while mobilizing both covenant members, attenders and guests to be living expressions of the love of Christ by serving …
Worth Fighting For
Have you ever had someone fight for you? A friend who fended off a bully, even if it meant taking punches that were meant for you? A big sister or big brother who, in most cases seemed like they couldn't care less for you, all of a sudden became protective of you? An adult who intervened at just the …
A Symbol of Unity
August 11, 2017 You may be familiar with the Oak Grove-Freedman's Cemetery, located at the corner of Church St. and Liberty St. in downtown Salisbury. If not, let me give you a little background into what I've found to be one of the most significant symbols of unity efforts in our community. In 1998, …
resolutely…
Recently, I taught what turned out being a 2-part series (and should have been a 3-part series) titled, When Jesus Comes to Town based on the account of the Triumphal Entry in Luke 19 and the events leading up to it. Over the past few weeks/months, I've been absolutely captured by this thought (which begins …
loving for beauty…
A few days ago, I had the privilege of attending and conference called The Strengths Summit in Asheboro, NC, presented by the Gallup Research Group.. It was a two-day conference centered around helping people discover their natural strengths, talents and abilities and ways the church can serve as a catalyst for helping people live more …
Just Saying It…
I'm not sure what kind of family you grew up in, but my family has always been good finishing a conversation or a visit with the words with some pretty unique words in the form of I love you. Of course, depending on who's saying it depends on how it is said. If I'm finishing …
relational motive
what’s your relational motive? Recently I was having a conversation with a friend about the importance of extending ourselves relationally into the lives of people we're trying to reach with the love of God. Our conversation has caused me to rethink and clarify why it is we stress this idea of ‘relational community' when it …
Savor
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God. –Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 Are there moments in life right now where you find yourself “watching from a distance,” feeling …
a healing community
What fears are gripping your heart today? Have you ever found yourself ‘running to the hills’ (so to speak), or even pulling away into isolation out of a fear of hurt or rejection from people? Think for a moment about the fears that were gripping the heart of Jesus prior to His suffering on the …
home
“I am convinced that all of us are searching for a place called home, a place where we can close our eyes and sleep, a place where there is warmth and we are somehow unafraid, a place where we gather around the fire and the room is filled with laughter and love…Home is ultimately not …
craving intimacy
Have you ever had an unexplainable loneliness even while standing in the middle of a crowd? I heard a friend say several times recently that he doesn’t need anymore acquaintances in his life, that there is no more room for such relationships. He desires friendships that go much deeper than that, friendships that are authentic, …