By Onleilove Alston In July I attended the DC campaign kick-off for the Justice at Smithfield Campaign. Smithfield Foods is the largest pork processor and producer in the world, the fourth largest turkey processor and fifth largest beef processor in the U.S. In the early 1990s Smithfield opened its Tar Heel, North Carolina plant, with … Continue reading Bless The Hands That Prepared This Food
By Ben Girdler He looked at me and asked, “Eyes open?” I nodded, “Yeah, that’s fine.” I was having lunch with my Chinese friend Jim. I was in Central China and we were at the little restaurant in the front of the three-story Chinese Wal-Mart type store to enjoy a lunch together and for me … Continue reading Eyes Wide Open: Praying under persecution
By Julian Newman One month today, we had a very highly contested Presidential Election. The winner and President Elect was Barack Obama who outpointed Senator John McCain. To the credit of both men, they were extremely gracious in victory and defeat giving beautiful speeches about unity, togetherness, and the future. Unfortunately, many of us that … Continue reading Partisan Prayers
By Sarah Russell I really like Excel spreadsheets. They’re so cool with their formulas and grids and table and whatnot. I know I don’t know how to use them to their full-extent but I really like them. Tonight, I decided to check out my finances for the remainder of my mission here in Japan. I … Continue reading Moses and Managing My Money
By Jeff Goins, Editor WRECKED: Lisa, you and your husband Will wrote a book awhile back called Justice in the Burbs. In it, you basically tell your tale of transformation from consumerist suburbanites to more justice-oriented gardeners living in the mountains of West Virginia, right? You live in Appalachia , where you’re forced to see … Continue reading Voices in Culture: Interview with Author Lisa Samson
By Joe Gomez Ive always been a bit hesitant about Christmas albums. Fortunately for me, Aaron Gillespie has stepped out from behind the beaten and bloodied drum set of hardcore band, Underoath, to release a new EP from his almost as equally popular side project, The Almost. No Gift to Bring is a collection of … Continue reading Album Review: The Almost’s No Gift to Bring
By Seth Barnes, Founder of Adventures in Missions In 1995 I preached at a small church in the town of Bauta, Cuba. The Lord gave me Romans 12 as my last-second theme. I read a verse and then I told the congregation that they were going to illustrate it with their own testimonies. It was … Continue reading How to Minister: Mourn with the mourners
By Cary Umhau Each heart knows its own bitterness and no one else can share its joy, says Proverbs 14:10. Just as Jesus asked his compatriots to stay awake with him in the Garden of Gethsemane and they didnt/couldnt/wouldnt, we humans stink at being there for the long haul with each other. And we stink-stank-stunk … Continue reading Heroes and Cheerleaders: An Environment of Celebration
By Kevin Bowman It was my first Sunday in the bigger kids class. Our family had returned from three years in Europe just in time for me to be promoted the big kids class. We had been back in the US long enough to choose a church, and I had made a couple friends already, … Continue reading God’s Multiple Personalities
By Jamie Finch We must not underestimate the weight of the importance to “know how it feels.” Without Jesus’ own desire for such, we would be at an eternal loss. The funny thing is though, that in our pursuit of Him we often times miss this essential component of becoming like Him. To suffer His … Continue reading Poem: The Sorrow