The new year is almost here. How will you make the most of every opportunity God will set before you? Here's a devotion I wrote to help you reflect on this matter.

Born for This
Matthew 1:21

The Devoted Life

Acts 2:42-47

God with Us

Luke 1:26-38

In light of the upcoming election, I thought this piece was an important reminder...

Know and Use Your Spiritual Gifts
This Week’s Scripture: John 13:1-17

Spending Time with Others

This Lesson's Scripture: Acts 9:19b-31 and Mark 2:1-12

This Week’s Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Focus Points
An Introduction to Southside’s New Discipleship Emphases
(for the week of September 13, 2020)

Romans 1:21 - For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Militant Atheism

Much has been made over the last few years regarding the emergence of militant atheism’s evangelistic crusade to rid the world of ignorance. Specifically, these crusaders want to enlighten the minds of the masses who still believe God exists. For these spokesmen for atheism, belief in God is intellectually unsustainable and should by all means be abandoned. Not only that, these atheistic evangelists believe a person’s commitment to belief in God is actually harmful to children as well as to civilization as a whole.

Remembering Our Mission

On the very first page of our United Methodist Book of Discipline, we are reminded of the mission of the United Methodist Church. Our stated mission is,

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

A Hard Question

For eleven years I was privileged to serve on the Board of Ordained Ministry for my denomination. The responsibility of the Board is to work with people who are candidates for ordained ministry, helping them navigate their way through the long process. From assisting them in understanding God’s call in their lives to celebrating with them at their ordination, it was a rewarding experience.