Photo by Anna Zakharova on Unsplash If you look around your congregation and observe a swelling sea of silver, you are not alone. According to a 2019 report by Census.gov, 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 each day, and by 2030, “all baby boomers will be at least 65.” A FACT study revealed that in congregations across various denominations, 33 percent of participants are 65 or older. Our people are aging and approaching the last chapter of their earthly lives. Ministry leaders must help our people to end well: to face the reality of decline, dying, and death while preparing for glory spiritually, pr ..read more

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Rom. 13:1) Let’s face it, some of God’s rules are easier to follow than others. When God says, “You shall not murder,” most of us rest easy, knowing we’re probably not in danger of violating that one! But submitting to some of God’s other rules can challenge us. Consider how you feel about: “Pay to all what is owed,” or “put away all anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth,” or “let every person be subject to the governi ..read more

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of God our Father. (Gal. 1:3-4) Has anyone ever sacrificed for you in a way that changed your life? Such provision happened for me during my senior year of college. I was undecided about a career path, facing college debt without a job, feeling the loneliness of singleness, and my parents’ marriage was falling apart. This combo shook me to the core. I need spiritual rescue. So, during my winter break from school, I met with a man I’d ..read more

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. (Jer. 17:7-8) Many of us are encouraged by Bible verses that promise a reward for our faithful obedience to God. That’s good. That’s why such verses are in Scripture. But there are two easy ways to mess up the encouragement. One way is to claim credit for the blessings; the other way is to claim nothing but ble ..read more

The King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matt. 25:34-35) A woman visiting our church told me a worn sofa was the reason she entered the kingdom of God. An older woman in the church invited this visitor to her home. The house was not fancy, and the furnishings were plain. Still, the two enjoyed a lovely meal during which the guest noticed the worn couch. The godly woman ..read more

By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9) Long-ago preacher, Phillips Brooks, defined grace as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. That’s not a bad definition, and it’s a good way to remember what grace is. We are saved through faith that what God has spent for us, rather than what we have done for ourselves, makes us right with him. Our salvation is a gift of his mercy, not something we gain by merit. As a result, no one may boast of their works before ..read more

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling…so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 1:11-12) Entering the yellow-tiled hospital room, I had no idea how powerful my dying friend’s ministry would be to me. When I entered, his wife left the room briefly so that he would not be troubled by her tears. My friend still knew why his wife had exited. So, he said to me with a gentle whisper, “Please help my family not to hurt too much. I will see Jesus soon ..read more

Ned Bustard and Carey Bustard discuss Leslie Bustard’s life and legacy with Amy Knorr. A lamppost is an unexpected sight in the middle of a forest, as C.S. Lewis knew well. A glowing lamppost on a conference stage is also unexpected. But both the lamppost of Lewis fame and the lamppost on the stage of the Square Halo Conference have this in common: they both signal a return to Narnia. “Return to Narnia” was the theme of the 2024 Square Halo Conference, which took place March 8-9 at the Trust Performing Arts Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The event served a creative buffet of offerings from ..read more

Anyone who has hiked a trail that leads to a waterfall knows the rushing sound that signals their arrival. Depending on the size of the waterfall, it can be deafening in the most magnificent way, or it can sound soothing and calm. Either way, hearing the sound of a waterfall is a unique experience, just like participating in a time of Korean-style prayer.  While most of us are familiar with other types of prayer such as “popcorn prayer” where everyone takes turns praying about an individual need; unified or unison prayer, where everyone prays the same prayer aloud together; and call and r ..read more

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Prov. 31:30-31) The author of Proverbs 31 writes, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies … her husband has full confidence in her … and she brings him good … not harm … all the days of her life.” These verses remind us that love and respect are inextricably linked. The women the Bible presents as most desirable are those who are most respected by their husbands. This is ..read more