May 2020

Jeffrey O. Brown

I looked at my online tithe and offering envelope—and was tempted. A voice inside my head said, You need your money for your household. Our son Jamel and his wife, Sarai, have my wife, Pattiejean, and I locked up in the house. It’s not elder abuse—and it’s not all bad. They do the shopping. We get three meals a day. They let us out for walks. For our health. Not too far, now. Just around the neighborhood. We go. Like good pets. But I can’t go to the shops as before.… Continue reading...

Boris-Jordan Flores

It was the beginning of a new year, and my church was about to join in the 10 Days of Prayer program.1 During the months leading up to this special time of prayer, I shared testimonies of how other churches had experienced a revival in their spiritual growth as a result of this program to encourage my members.On the first day, 5 people came. At the end of the 10 days, our group had increased to 8 participants—out of 120 members. The prayer meetings were a blessing… Continue reading...

Church members in China assist in the Philippines Manila, Philippines Despite being gravely affected by the coronavirus themselves, members of the Mainland China Seventh-day Adventist Church wanted to help another country in great need—the Philippines. The first batch of rice distribution, held in the municipality of Silang, Cavite, assisted more than 1,260 families severely affected by the government lockdown due to the pandemic. The bags were picked up by… Continue reading...

Michael Dörnbrack

Peter Roennfeldt, an experienced pastor and evangelist and a veteran church planter, has written If You Can Eat . . . You Can Make Disciples to show how to share the gospel with friends, neighbors, and colleagues in ways that are sensitive to culture and relevant to people who follow either another religion or no religion at all. The author focuses on rediscovering how Jesus related to His multifaith context, in particular His instruction to the 72 disciples as… Continue reading...

Randall R. Childress

It’s a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. The action is fast and furious. Indiana Jones is determined to reclaim the ark of the covenant. He chases a truckload of Nazis, barks orders to his friend Sallah, then declares, “I’m going after that truck!”Sallah asks, “How?”Jones replies, “I don’t know. I’m making this up as I go.”While the story may be fictional, Jones’s character depicts perseverance, determination, and ingenuity, traits nearly all of us admire.Perseverance… Continue reading...