God

Prayer, Rain and Ecosystems

Edwin Copeland
1 May 2019
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rain

Having just celebrated Easter, I am reminded that the resurrection of Jesus is the unifying factor of every Christian. No matter our tradition or denomination, the story of every Christ follower is one of resurrection. We are a people who have moved from death into new life. That shared experience transcends race, ethnicity, cultures, vocation, occupation and personal preference. Being a people who have moved from death into new life is the birthmark of God’s people. It’s not just the beginning of the story – it is the story. The resurrection unleashes uncommon people towards uncommon generosity, unity and love. […]

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Full

Stephan Tchividjian
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A Mile in God’s Sandals I remember hearing a well-known author speak about how he asks God every year for a word… and that word becomes his compass heading for the year. I liked that. I chose a word this year. The word was perspective. I am asking God to let me see things from His perspective. Some of my musings this year have been on that subject. I find it interesting how God sees stuff. Some of the conversations I have had, the people I have met, the books I have read have all been around seeing things from […]

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full

Faith Farm Alumni Share Testimonies at Homecoming

The Good News
2 Apr 2019
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Every year for the last 68 years, Faith Farm Ministries has held the Annual Alumni Homecoming Event. On March 3, nearly 1,000 students, alumni, staff and families convened to celebrate what God has done through Faith Farm’s Regeneration Recovery program. Four Alumni shared their powerful stories with the crowd. First, Marc Murphy, the Okeechobee Campus Intake Counselor has continued after graduation and remains a valued team member 19 years later. Second, Joni Mangum, graduated from the Women’s program in 2012. Joni will soon complete her Certification as a Substance Abuse Counselor, seeking a bachelor’s degree in psychology with concentration in […]

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“…And Justice For All”

Omar Aleman
1 Apr 2019
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Arthur Kirkland was a respected defense attorney in Baltimore; Henry T. Fleming was a District Court Judge in the same city; they disliked each other intensely. The judge customarily and arbitrarily ruled against the lawyer on shaky grounds. One day the judge was accused of brutally assaulting a young woman and incredibly asked Arthur to defend him in court. When the lawyer refused, Judge Fleming blackmailed him with information regarding a past client-confidentiality issue that would cause the disbarment of Mr. Kirkland. The judge, who admitted committing the crime to Arthur, figured that having someone who loathed him as his […]

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justice

Eyewitness Accounts – Was Jesus Seen Alive?

Dr. Tommy Boland
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eyewitness

“. . . and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). I would like to sharpen our focus on two different eyewitness accounts: the embarrassing eyewitness accounts and the enemy eyewitness accounts. I’ve found that this approach seems to capture the attention of the skeptics, causing […]

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Kingdom Tipping Point

Edwin Copeland
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A tipping point is when a small series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. As Church United, we are busy behind the scenes uniting pastors, churches, leaders and organizations towards the goal of a seeing a gospel tipping point take root across South Florida. We’ve come together around evangelism, church planting, education and next generation engagement. However, none of these things will create a tipping point or start a movement without you. If you’re reading this, you are the most important piece of the story God is writing in our community. […]

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tipping point

Shiny Rocks

Stephan Tchividjian
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rocks

A 1986 movie entitled, “The Mission” tells a story of violence, tragedy, sin, penance, forgiveness, conversion and restoration. In one iconic scene the character, mercenary and slaver Rodrigo Mendoza, played by Robert De Niro must carry a large bag filled with weighted items wherever he went, to signify his sin and his punishment. The burden was excruciating, especially as they journeyed through the harsh rainforest and up the side of a slippery and ferocious waterfall. The climactic scene of the story is when Mendoza is released of his burdens and forgiven for his murderous behavior in view of his enemies […]

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Bringing Clarity to 21st Century Missions

Rob Hoskins
15 Mar 2019
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“When everything is mission, nothing is mission.” This Stephen Neill quote elicited a positive wave of wows, yesses, and amens from a ballroom full of ministry partners as I delivered our State of the Ministry address. It resonated with the room full of partners, pastors, missionaries, staff and friends because we can all see that each generation, denomination, and region the Church is operating under a different definition of missions. We’re passionately working to try and serve all the people and meet all the needs. The truth is, while we can do anything, we can’t do everything. Jesus made it […]

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mission

Bad News Before The Good News!

Dr. Tommy Boland
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good

(Scroll down to leave a comment on what the Good News means to you.) “The intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21 ESV). One of the fundamental biblical doctrines that creates some confusion for those who are unfamiliar with it is the doctrine of Total Depravity, which concerns mankind’s guilty inability to stand before God and claim any sort of inherent righteousness. The bulk of the confusion about this doctrine centers on the name: Total Depravity. “Wait a minute!” both Christians and unbelievers alike will protest. “Are you saying that someone who doesn’t know Christ as […]

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Ice Cream and Golf

Stephan Tchividjian
5 Mar 2019
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One of my daughters, when growing up, had a difficult time making decisions. I can remember distinctly the challenge we had as a family going to get ice cream. We quickly learned to order first because if we waited for her to decide, the chances of the ice cream shop closing its doors before we ordered became a real possibility. The ice cream choices when I was a child were simple… chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. However, then some old chap named Baskin and his wife named Robin (I may have made that up) decided to add many, many, many, many […]

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ice cream