Topic > Christian Ministry & the Church > Unity of Believers >
When One Hurts, All Hurt
When a coworker called in sick due to extreme pain, everyone at the office was concerned. After a trip to the hospital and a day of bed rest, he returned to work and showed us the source of that pain—a kidney stone. He’d asked his doctor to give him the stone as a souvenir. Looking at that stone, I winced in sympathy, remembering the gallstone I had passed years ago. The pain had been excruciating.
Isn’t it interesting that something so small can cause a whole body so much agony? But in a way, that’s what the apostle Paul alludes to…
Fault Lines
An influx of refugees to our community has led to new growth in area churches. That growth brings challenges. Church members must learn how to welcome these newcomers as they adjust to a strange culture, new language, and different worship styles. All this change can create some awkward situations.
Misunderstandings and disagreements occur everywhere we find people. Church is no exception. If we don’t handle our differences in a healthy way, they can harden into divisions.
The early church in Jerusalem was growing when a dispute arose that broke along a cultural fault line. The Greek-speaking Jews (the Hellenists) had a complaint…
Pursuing Unity
Growing up during the 1950s, I never questioned racism and the segregation practices that permeated daily life in the city where we lived. In schools, restaurants, public transportation, and neighborhoods, people with different shades of skin color were separated.
My attitude changed in 1968 when I entered US Army Basic Training. Our company included young men from many different cultural groups. We soon learned that we needed to understand and accept each other, work together, and accomplish our mission.
When Paul wrote to the first-century church at Colossae, he was well aware of the diversity of its members. He reminded them, “Here…
My Friend Left the Church Because of Me
“I need a break from church and from y’all to think about what happened,” a good friend wrote in a text message to me one day. And with that one message, Jasmine* never returned to my church again.
Playing in Concert
During our granddaughter’s school band concert, I was impressed by how well this group of 11- and 12-year-olds played together. If each of them had wanted to be a solo performer, they could not have achieved individually what the band did collectively. The woodwinds, brass, and percussion sections all played their parts and the result was beautiful music!
To the followers of Jesus in Rome, Paul wrote, “In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Rom. 12:5–6). Among the gifts…
The Bond of Peace
After I confronted my friend by email over a matter on which we had differed, she didn’t respond. Had I overstepped? I didn’t want to worsen the situation by pestering her, but neither did I want to leave things unresolved before she went on a trip overseas. As she popped into my mind throughout the following days, I prayed for her, unsure of the way forward. Then one morning I went for a walk in our local park and saw her, pain etched on her face as she glimpsed me. “Thank you, Lord, that I can talk to her,” I…
Love is the glue that holds us all together
The Bible tells us that the church is the body of Christ. And when a foot goes one way, and a hand goes another, tensions are bound to arise. So today the Discover the Word team gathers to talk about how the way we love each other is the glue that holds us together. Listen to […]
Discover how Christ changes our hearts to be like His
The Bible tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. But even that is worthless without this one thing. Today on Discover the Word, the team continues their study of 1 Corinthians 13 titled, “Falling into Love.” We’ll see how Christ changes our hearts to be like His. Join us […]
There is no substitute for love
Everyone with a smartphone has an entire library in their pocket. A few taps or clicks, and we can get the information we have questions about in mere seconds. But we’ll see today on Discover the Word that knowledge is no substitute for love. Join us around the table as we talk about “Falling into […]
“Falling into Love”
We all know someone with the gift of gab. When they talk, everyone listens. But today, the Discover the Word team sits down to discuss how even the most eloquent speakers are just empty noise if they lack this one thing. It’s from the group’s study of 1 Corinthians 13 titled “Falling into Love.” And […]
Something’s missing!
Have you ever cooked something, tasted it, and thought, “Something’s missing!”? Well, today on Discover the Word, we kick off a new series to discuss the missing ingredient in a church that seemed to have everything. Is it possible that the same ingredient is missing in your life and in your church? Be part of […]
East Meets West
When students from Southeast Asia met a teacher from North America, the visiting instructor learned a lesson. After giving his class their first multiple-choice test, he was surprised to find many questions left unanswered. While handing back the corrected papers, he suggested that, next time, instead of leaving answers blank they should take a guess. Surprised, one of the students raised their hand and asked, “What if I accidentally get the answer right? I would be implying that I knew the answer when I didn’t.” The student and teacher had a different perspective and practice.
In the days of the New…
Finding common ground
Have you ever gotten caught in a dispute between two friends? It’s tough to be in the middle, and hard to avoid the pressure to take a side. But as we’ll see today on Discover the Word, when the apostle Paul was stuck in the middle of a situation like that, he focused on common […]
A letter from Paul
Don’t you love getting mail from a friend? When you see a loved one’s name on the return address, or in your e-mail inbox, you’re filled with joy and anticipation. And today on Discover the Word, we’ll hear about a personal letter the apostle Paul wrote to Philemon—from one friend to another. But it was […]
We are not meant to go it alone
The wisdom of Ecclesiastes tells us that “a cord of three strands is not easily broken,” and that “two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” We were never meant to live life without others. And today on Discover the Word, we’ll see that not even the apostle Paul could go […]
