Tag: church

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love

What is Love?

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

The kind of love the Apostle Paul talked about in 1 Corinthians 13 is in short supply but so needed in the world. It reminds me of a Burt Bacharach song. It’s the kind of love every person hopes they find, but can be so difficult to show to others.

It’s the kind of love that is the only hope for humanity. It takes humility and a higher power to give. Every time I feel selfish, disgruntled and entitled, I know I have fallen short and need a heaping dose of it to I can give it out once again.

It is why I will be in a house of worship this morning. Because I need to feel it in order to give it away.

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Christianity motivation

Continual Acts of Kindness

Cartoon of a man and a puppet

This morning, I get to teach kids about kindness. We’ve been talking this month about the Fruit of the Spirit, which is found in Galatians 5:22-23.

It’s a topic that was drilled into me at a very young age. I am the oldest of four kids and unfortunately, firstborn kids are not known for being the supreme leader of kindness. At least this kid wasn’t the king of kindness when his little brother or sister just just ate the last cookie.

I was fortunate that not only my patient parents emphasized kindness, but my kindergarten teacher did too. She had us recite Ephesians 4:32 every morning before we began our class in the old King James Version .

“Be he kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 KJV

It didn’t always stop the playground drama. Nor did it eliminate the urge to hoard all the good, unbroken crayons. But it did make me pause and think. It was one of those kindergarten lessons that come back to me even today.

My prayer this morning is that the kids I teach will remember today’s lesson when they are tempted to be rude or react angrily to to a perceived injustice. Let’s keep learning how to be kind, tender hearted and forgiving in a world desperate for all three qualities.

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children's ministry Christmas holiday

Generosity at Christmas

There’s no cartoon this morning. As this post comes out, I am getting ready for our church elementary large group. We’ll be talking about generosity. You may say, “But wait! It’s Christmas! Why are you talking about generosity?”

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K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine Marketing

How do you keep change relevant?

Cartoon of two men staring a a church steeple with a windmill attached. One says, "It may be more 'green,' but I prefer the older steeple."
Copyright 2017 Kidzmatter Magazine

Often, churches and church people get a reputation for being resistant to change. “Worship Wars” continue as those who love traditional hymns duke it out with lovers of contemporary styles of worship. Changing an old chair in the lobby can be controversial if it was dedicated in memory of a dearly departed saint during the Eisenhower Administration. Adding a little fresh paint and new carpet to a classroom can cause consternation along with a little weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Christianity

Illustration for Dealing with Difficult People Sermon Series

Cartoon illustration of a man thinking about difficult people, such as The Critic, The Victim, The blamer, and The Hypocrite and the
Illustrated for Salem Church of God

What kind of artwork would you use for a sermon series that can ruffle a few feathers, yet has opportunities for humor? Well, how about a cartoon? I make no qualms about my biases, but I feel it especially worked for this series. 

This sermon series is running from May 14—June 4, 2017, at Salem Church of God

Continue reading “Illustration for Dealing with Difficult People Sermon Series”