Blog Archives: October 2009

October 31, 2009

When the Church Hurts You

Merritt Johnston

Over the last few weeks, I've had some heart-wrenching conversations with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ...conversations that reveal the worst about our human condition and the way our sins manifest themselves within the church...conversations that reveal how damaged we can become in the process of trying to serve God's people...conversations that reveal how much we desperately need more Christ and less religion. Having personally served on staff at several churches and then worked with countless others through SAGE, I am saddened to ...

October 20, 2009

Seasons Come and Seasons Go: Growing in Times of Change

By Amy Duncan I am sitting on my back porch drinking my Diet Dr Pepper with a hint of lime. I'm overlooking a beautiful forest and taking in the sounds of nature (and Brooke Fraser). This environment is the perfect setting for my "inspirational" side. My dad calls me "the contemplative one," and that is exactly what I am doing right now - thinking. I am in a new environment due to a recent change of scenery in my life. I am taking it all in, pondering what the Lord has in store for me. As I pensively sit here and watch what is going on in ...

October 13, 2009

Share Your Mentoring Story with Us

Merritt Johnston

One of the cornerstones of our ministry is the biblical command found in Titus 2:3-5, which says, "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." In all my years of traveling and attending churches around the world, I have never ...

October 06, 2009

Mentoring Takes Guts

Merritt Johnston

In Philippians 4:9, Paul makes a gutsy statement: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice." Um, yeah, can you say, "Gutsy"? Pretty sure I'd be scared to tell people to put into practice anything they learned from me, unless someone was wanting to live out clumsiness on a daily basis. But Paul is resting in the fact that his life was a complete pursuit of Christ and His call. Just check out what he writes in 1 Corinthians 11:1 - "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." ...

October 06, 2009

Being an Influencer

Karla Carlson

Have you ever had the opportunity to influence those around you in a significant way? The term "mentor" can be very intimidating, yet mentoring is simply being willing to get involved and influence someone else's life. As you consider mentoring, Jesus is one of the best examples because his relationship with his disciples was a mentoring relationship. Mentoring consists of four basic concepts: Get Involved Listen Pray Be a Role Model Understanding these concepts can help you appreciate this unique relationship and become an ...

October 02, 2009

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Kristy Tyler

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." - Zephaniah 3:17 Surrounded by so many, yet I feel so alone. Ever been there? I have. I am now. I am at a place in my life where I am lonely. For a while, I have been too ashamed to say that. Christians aren't supposed to be lonely - are they? I felt that to say I am lonely means that I am not trusting God to be what I need and take care of me. I felt guilty for feeling ...

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