Church Blog (Page 9)

There was a popular record in the early 1950s which poked fun at preachers and other church folks. The punch line was that of a preacher saying, “It’s in the Book!” That book is a one-of-a-kind book. It is extraordinary. It answers questions that few, if any books, will attempt to answer. The unique things that are in the book should cause even the casual reader to respect it and to examine its contents further to find its many other…

In the summer of 2018, there was an incredible ordeal concerning the Thai soccer team fiasco. On June 23rd, 12 young men and their coach went on a cave exploration in celebration of one of the kid’s birthday. Unfortunately, heavy floods blocked off their escape, leaving them stranded and isolated. I can’t begin to try and imagine what kind of stress and anxiety was experienced in this moment of trial. Perhaps the feeling of inability was one of the most…

Juanita grew up in the state of Morelos in a small town that is located about three hours south of Mexico City. Juanita followed all her family religious traditions and was very active in the religious festivities in her town. One day her daughter came to her and said that she was going to move her family to the United States to try to find a better way of life. It was a heartbreaking news to Juanita since this meant…

As a very young child it seemed as though a year was almost an interminable period of time. The school year, especially, seemed as though it would never end. Through my teen years time continued to drag. At eighteen or nineteen it seemed as though I would never get to be twenty one, a full fledged legal adult. That was something of a contradiction to me since, by the time I turned twenty one, I had already been married for…

There seems to be something almost magical about the end of one year and the beginning of a new year. It is so magical that many folks often make “New Year’s Resolutions”—this is going to be the time that I start something new, or this is going to be the time that I stop that particular habit. And so, we wait. Something that we ought to be doing “today” is put off until that future day when the year changes.…

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2) “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) “For a child will be born to us, a…

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6). I AM THE WAY Jesus is the way to eternal life. He is the way to forgiveness of our sins. Jesus is the way for us to be holy and blameless before Him in love. Jesus is the way to peace of mind for us by knowing that this world is not all there is. We all long…

It is hard to believe that many people around the world have never held a bible in their hands or had read one. I own at least ten different bibles in Spanish and English and they are in different versions and different kinds of print. Nowadays one can get a bible by just clicking in the app in our smart phones. One can go to a county fair and there would be people giving away New Testament bibles. This is…

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS Jesus was an expert in taking the initiative in talking with people. He knew how to talk to people and from there he taught people about their need for salvation. Jesus met people in their own turf and establish a common ground with others. In the book of John chapter 4:7 Jesus asked a woman from Samaria for a drink “will you give me a drink?” In the following verses and till verse 42 we see…

Throughout the Bible, we see thanksgiving for blessings as a theme. The Old Testament resounds with the people praising God; Israel had a history of giving thanks to God for the mercy and deliverance he showed them. In the New Testament we read, Jesus “Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke them” (Luke 9:16). At the Last Supper Jesus took bread and gave thanks, and offered it…

OUR GOAL AT BELTLINE One of our main goals in our Hispanic ministry at Beltline is to baptize people and to establish other congregations wherever there is an opportunity. Twenty-four years ago, we started from zero members at Beltline and as of today we have baptized more than five hundred people. God has blessed us with a strong congregation here at Beltline. The Englishspeaking congregation has given us the means and the tools to develop a strong congregation here in…

The whole world is aware of the accumulating mountains of waste and garbage threatening our planet. Air pollution, water pollution, land pollution are all becoming familiar terms. Every major city seems to be having problems with garbage disposal. We must find some way to handle the garbage, or it will finally overwhelm us. The human body, like any well-ordered house, also has its garbage disposal equipment. Every time you expel a lung full of air you are throwing off poisonous…