One the ways weddings become such a momentous and exciting event is the fact that there is an engagement period. A couple announces their intent to be wed and sets a date. Over a period of months, planning becomes paramount. Flowers, dresses, guest lists, food, location, and a million other little details go into planning a wedding. Anticipation builds as the wedding comes closer. The ceremony begins, vows are given, rings exchanged, and finally the pronouncement (and the kiss)! Usually, there is a joyous reception that follows which signals the end of waiting and celebrates the joining of two people together in marriage.
Lent is fast approaching. A time in the Christian Church where preparations are made in anticipation of Easter. Lent is a period of forty days before Easter (not counting Sundays). The word “lent” comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “spring” and refers to a season when the days become longer.
Many Christians question the usefulness of Lent. “It’s Catholic.” or “It’s about punishment.” are typical responses to Lent. Christians for hundreds of years have made Lent into a spiritual journey. However, many contemporary Christians ask, “Do I really need a structured way of preparing for Easter?” Continue Reading…
As you can see, it looks more like a market than a church. Such a welcoming property and building. The church is only 20 years old and Holly is the founding pastor. Below, Holly is standing and we are meeting in the sanctuary. I loved this sanctuary. The building is only about 12 years old.
Holly comes out of the Southern Baptist tradition, but was ordained in the Disciples of Christ church. The sanctuary is welcoming and seating is structured in a “U”. Holly’s take on leadership was interesting. She talked about making mistakes, as all pastors do, but learning from them. She was honest and candid about her leadership and ministry.
There is a developing movement within literature to chronicle an outsider’s perspective on the strange land of Evangelical Christianity. It seems that the world sees all Evangelical Christians as fervent, ignorant, and misguided by a holy book. Being an Evangelical myself, I can see how the outside world can group all Evangelicals into this stereotype. The media tends to pick up on the extremes of any group, ideology, or religion and usually tries gives us the most radical angle. You would think that I would NOT recommend books about non-Christians views on Christianity, but there are two books that are worthy of your consideration about strangers in a strange land that yield some surprising insights.
