One weekend
-Read MoreJoseph D. Kenner: Devotion and Intentionality in Action Reflections from a Weekend of Ministry
- Joseph D. Kenner
- 6 Jan 2026
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Dig Deep
Dr. O.S. Hawkins: A New Beginning
- Dr. O.S. Hawkins
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My father’s family moved to Texas from Tennessee back in the 1800s. When I was a boy, we would make our annual summer road trip back to the Volunteer State to visit, among others, my great-aunt Ann. I loved those long car trips in the days before interstate highways. I can still remember the excitement I felt when we passed a barn that had “Visit Rock City” painted on its roof or the fun of reading the old Burma Shave signs along the way. We’d stay in her house, and I slept on an iron bed with a feather mattress. […]
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Dr. Debra A. Schwinn: Reimagining New Year’s Resolutions
- Dr. Debra A. Schwinn
- 5 Jan 2026
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Setting and following resolutions, especially at the start of the New Year, is not easy. Often, we fall back into old routines, feel discouraged about those failures, and give up the goals altogether. In this article, Dr. Phil Henry, Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) professor of counseling and licensed mental health counselor, shares how eliminating hangups and embracing godly choices and new seasons can help us all reach — and stick to — our goals. When it comes to resolutions, we are notoriously bad. According to Forbes Health, New Year’s resolutions only last two to four months before people give […]
-Read MoreJoseph D. Kenner: A Place to Call Home: Restoring Dignity This Christmas
- Joseph D. Kenner
- 10 Dec 2025
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Countless parents and children…
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Dr. Rob Pacienza: What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?
- Dr. Rob Pacienza
- 9 Dec 2025
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This Christmas, with Christians reflecting on the significance of Jesus’ birth, I’m inspired by the question posed by the late D. James Kennedy thirty years ago: What if Jesus had never been born? It’s a fascinating exercise, where we unravel the threads of time and imagine how different the tapestry of history might look with just one thread missing. It’s quite counterintuitive, of course, for a Christian to pose such a counterfactual question. So, humor me for a moment as we embark on a journey through an “altered history,” where Jesus’ absence creates a profound vacuum that affects the world […]
-Read MoreStephan Tchividjian: Fire And Fur Coats
- Stephan Tchividjian
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There’s an old Jewish phrase that has always spoken to me: tzaddik im peltz — “a righteous person in a fur coat.” On a cold night, you can warm yourself by wrapping up in fur, or you can warm others by lighting a fire. One choice is inward; the other is outward. One warms only you; the other creates room for others to draw near. As I look back on 2025, I’m reminded just how full a year can be. We’ve celebrated and we’ve cried. We’ve rested and we’ve hustled. Our travels have taken us two minutes down the road and […]
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Dr. O.S. Hawkins: Open Your Gift
- Dr. O.S. Hawkins
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We’ve all been the recipients of beautifully wrapped gifts at Christmas, birthdays and other special occasions. Can you imagine someone giving you a gift that you never take the time to open? What good is a gift if it is left untouched and unopened? God has given every believer a gift from the Holy Spirit, but tragically, many of those gifts are unacknowledged, unopened and unused. It is time to recognize your own special gift, open it, and use it for God’s glory and for the benefit of His Church here on earth. These gifts from God are uniquely given […]
-Read MoreDr. O.S. Hawkins: Where Are the Nine?
- Dr. O.S. Hawkins
- 14 Nov 2025
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In America we once set aside a special day each year for the express purpose of offering thanks to God for His many blessings upon us and upon our nation. We called it Thanksgiving Day. Oh, we still have that day on the calendar, but along the way its original purpose seems to have been completely overshadowed. This special holiday has become synonymous with parades and pumpkin pies, football games and food. Fewer and fewer of us pause to offer heartfelt thanks to God for His many blessings and great faithfulness. One day, near the end of Christ’s time on […]
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Omar Aleman: A Call to Arms
- Omar Aleman
- 11 Nov 2025
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Last month, one of our contributors wrote an article in which he decried the behavior of intolerance, cynicism and anger in some Christians. He expressed embarrassment by this conduct, and certainly there is no push back from this corner regarding his sentiments. Besides, he is a well-respected member of our community who has had “the finger on the pulse” of the local faith body for decades and has a deep understanding of all things Christian around us. For lack of a better term, he is an “insider,” a power player, the consummate networker, a humble pastor and a man who […]
-Read MoreDr. Rob Pacienza: How To Host A Christ-Centered Thanksgiving
- Dr. Rob Pacienza
- 10 Nov 2025
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The extended family Thanksgiving table can either make for the worst of times or the best of times. At its worst, this appointed day of gratitude turns into a gripe-and-groan session. The whole situation can be somewhat amusing or downright infuriating. We shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, for many families, Thanksgiving is a rare meal that brings together a collection of family members who don’t normally keep company. Given the inherent challenges, how can we make the most of the extended family Thanksgiving table? As a pastor, I encourage you to view the Thanksgiving dinner table as if it […]
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