COVID-19 has been a curveball for churches and missionaries alike. For our church, all of our trips were canceled. I am sure your church is in a similar place. The question facing all of us is the same: How do we do missions when we can’t go anywhere?

You go virtual!

L.T. Chuong explains why he loves the unified diversity and the supportive relationships he’s seen in the Union Baptist Association.

What does it mean to rethink planning? What kind of planning process would be appropriate when we’re still in a pandemic and the future seems so uncertain? A fresh way to engage in planning in this season will be based on these six things.

I have always been an avid collector of nativities, picking one up as a souvenir for each of my travels near and far. So, I was incredibly surprised to find that the reality of the nativity is hardly depicted in most of my little scenes.

With some insight from Kenneth Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, I've learned a lot about Middle Eastern culture and how things would have actually happened in the Christmas story. Here are some of the things I've gleaned.

As a parent to two littles, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by—well, any number of things. Finding the perfect traditions to ensure everyone focuses on Christ this year can feel like another item on the to-do list, another way we’re failing to live up as parents, Christians, and ministers of the gospel. To make it better this year, our little family is trying to keep the focus on simple and small ways to weave Christmas traditions into our everyday lives.

A worldwide pandemic, job losses, and political, social, and civil unrest have left most of us reeling. This year’s chaos has been incomparable. However, digging deeper into Scripture has brought a peace that man cannot. I’m trusting God to use this turmoil for His glory, and I believe He will. If we allow Him to, He will use us to help bring a spiritual revival. I believe, however, it’s up to us to let go of the bitterness that has divided Christians on the political and social front.

Would you prayerfully consider giving generously towards our goal of $180,000 before the end of 2020? We need $80,000 to replace our roof and $100,000 to complete our renovation project which will replace the carpet, add capacity to our large conference room, create flexible co-working space, and make better use of the space in the building to meet the myriad needs of our churches.

We all have those days where nothing goes right. Or maybe even a whole year, right?

We know we want and need to cry out to the Lord, but how do we still honor the Lord and cry out to Him in an honest and true way? Thankfully, the psalmists have given us the answer through biblical lament. As we journey through lament, we can embrace thanksgiving—even in the midst of hardship.

The question remains: How are we seeking to serve our children who have experienced their own trauma throughout this year?

How do you feel about waiting? Louis Smeads said, “Waiting is the hardest work of hope.” And indeed it is! In our serious waiting, we need to watch in hope, wait in hope, and pray in hope. Here’s what we learn about waiting from the Scripture.