Roberto Ponce

Many times, in the busyness of life we move forward a little bit like the Energizer Bunny. We keep going and going and seldom stop to rest. We just don’t have enough time, it seems, and we find comfort in this reality so we never stop. I confess that I have worked myself sick before. Although in the West, we highly value productivity, overworking can become detrimental, as it could lead to exhaustion and burnout. The church is not excluded from this pressure.

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Kailey Bradley-Thomas, M.A., L.P.C.

by Kailey Bradley-Thomas

As counselors, we (attempt) to facilitate change for our clients on a regular basis.  A critical piece of this is acknowledging that change and transition are gateways to growth and healing, a natural part of life.  This sounds lovely in theory, but in practice, change can be exhausting for both client and counselor.  Outside of the counseling arena, change is also exhausting. However, I would like to argue that change is an essential part of what I think it means to be a good leader. It is also a key part of the faith journey.  Change reminds us that we are not in control and forces us to humbly bow our heads stating, “maybe we don’t have this whole thing figured out.”

The metaphor of seasons is one that has defined my faith journey more than anything else. I have experienced seasons within my faith journey of both spring and winter. It is a part of the natural cycle of our world.  However, we grit our teeth and grasp onto a notion that we can avoid change.   Despite our best efforts, leaves change and fall and summer turn to winter and then back into spring again. I used to think that being a leader means having all the answers in competently displayed Excel spreadsheets. I used to think that a good leader handled change with elegance, finesse, and detailed powerpoints.  However, when my life is in a time of change I am a bundle of anxiety and my elegantly meticulous spreadsheets begin to look more like squiggles.                                                               Continue reading

By Nate Bebout

Sometimes friends ask me how I,
stay above the fray of political intrigue.
As a servant of the Church
whose members are both
conservative and liberal,
traditional and progressive,
how is it that I can remain engaged
without engaging in the furious,
incessant fight for truth?

Is it weakness or wisdom
that muzzles the mouth
of a person with a voice that resonates with so many?

Wouldn’t it be better, they ask,
for you to release the prophetic fire
that no doubt burns in your belly,
and put the issue to rest?

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by Latanya M. Hughes.

As believer’s, our prayer life gives us access to the divine throne room of God. With this access, we have the privilege of receiving God’s innermost secrets. As we boldly enter into His presence, our prayers move heaven to respond to our needs. God reveals His expectations and promises; therefore, nothing is hidden from us. In fact, Jeremiah 33:3 clearly states that we should, “Call on God, and He will answer and tell us great and unsearchable things, that we do not know.” This call is an invitation from God for us to take Him at His word. Will you accept God’s invitation? If so, He will disclose some amazing secrets to you. His divine wisdom will empower you with spiritual insight. With this information you will be able to accomplish God’s divine purpose for your life.

Furthermore, if you knew that God would respond to your prayers, would you pray? God does answer prayers and no situation will keep Him from responding. Prayer is the key to unlock the doors of heaven. Every unknown question can be found when you set aside time to talk to God. Whenever there is an intimacy with God, He will release confidential information. Prayer is a time of communion and learning what God desires from us. Whatever you are going through, God can speak to it and change it. God is the creator of all things and we can do nothing without Him. When we put God first, He will not only listen, He will do the unthinkable.

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David A. deSilva, Ph.D. Trustees’ Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek

When Cardinal Timothy Dolan moved to the podium to pray at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, his prayer may have struck you as oddly familiar.

The passage he prayed from is very similar to Solomon’s prayer for wisdom in 1 Kings 3. But, it’s not the version Protestant Christians know, because it’s not in the Bible that we read.

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Bebout_jpg-230x300Today we bring you a sermon preached by Pastor Nate Bebout. This message was recorded during our weekly chapel service on May 4, 2016.

Prior to becoming the lead pastor at Park Street Brethren Church (PSBC), Nate served as the Director of Religious Life at Ashland University. During this time Nate led the Well, a collegiate ministry at AU.  Nate is a graduate of Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary.
As the lead pastor at PSBC, Nate’s role is to communicate the values, vision and mission of our congregation and empower the church to live into that reality. He works closely with staff, leadership board, and deacons to equip the church for ministry.
Nate Bebout can be reached at nate@parkstreetbrethren.org  or 419.289.0224
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Dr. Dawn Morton

By Dr. Dawn Morton for Christianity Today.

Seeing two women lead our church gave me the freedom to pursue the gifts God had given me.

I was brought up under the leadership of two women pastors, Sister Opal Eckert and Sister Mary Slaughterbeck. It was a small country church, and God chose these women to mentor me in leadership, especially church leadership. These women knew how to serve others, loving and caring for those around them. They knew their Bibles, not only for information but for transformation.

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Leith Anderson, President of NAE

“Dear Dad, I’m thinking about dropping out of college, so I can do something significant for God instead of wasting my time going to school.” So started my freshman letter to my father.

It seemed to me that going to college and possibly to graduate school was too much work, too much money, and a waste of too much time while living in a world that needed Jesus. I figured I could invest my life better in a community rather than on a campus.

My father wrote back, with a letter that changed my life. Although I did not save it, I certainly remember its contents.

Dear Leith,
When I was about your age, I weighed the same decision. I was passionate
for ministry and wanted to quit school. I asked for advice from Dr. Donald Barnhouse, pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Barnhouse told me that if he had 10 years to live he would spend nine in preparation and one in ministry. He was convinced he would accomplish more
for God in that one year than he would have accomplished in nine years of
ministry with only one year of preparation. He advised that sharpening the axe before chopping the tree means you’ll have chopped more wood by the end of the day.
Love,
Dad

Higher education wasn’t easy for my dad. His parents attended grade school and no more. He dropped out of high school when he was 16. When he believed in Jesus and was drawn to ministry in his late teens, he decided to go back to school. The journey was hard—Bible school at night, back to high school with teenagers in the fledgling church he started, and then college, seminary and graduate studies. It took him more than nine years but led to an amazing lifetime of ministry. He served in missions and evangelism, pastored a large metropolitan church for 33 years, and became a college president.

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Ms. Lori Lower, Ashland Theological Seminary Registrar

Today, we bring you a message by Ms. Lori Lower. She serves as  Registrar at Ashland Theological Seminary. The message was recorded on Wednesday March 23,  2016 during our Seminary Chapel.

Over the course of the 25+ years, Lori has worked at ATS where she has seen that the registrar position gives her an opportunity to indirectly influence the Kingdom. She considers her job to be incredibly fulfilling and loves the chance it presents to encourage others. The Lord has gifted Lori with sensitivity and discernment, and she is always amazed when He very specifically leads her to pray or encourage somebody.

Lori and her husband, Gary, do cowboy action shooting and are often traveling to shooting events, where they enjoy camping. They hope to travel out west sometime soon.

Lori also enjoys reading, especially inspirational historical fiction novels, and she is involved in musical activities at the seminary and her church.

TEXT: Philippians 2: 5-8

Ms. Lori Lower serves as Ashland Theological Seminary’s Registrar. She can be reached at llower@ashland.edu

Bishop Joey Johnson

Bishop Joey Johnson, Sr. Pastor The House of The Lord

Today, we bring you a message by Presiding Bishop F. Josephus Johnson, II, better known as Bishop Joey Johnson,. He is the Organizer and Senior Pastor of The House of the Lord in Akron, Ohio.  The message was recorded on Wednesday February  24, 2016 during our Seminary Chapel at Ashland Theological Seminary.

Bishop Johnson is a renowned Bible Scholar, counselor, educator, conference speaker and workshop facilitator.  His experience in leading one of the city’s largest churches for forty-two years has equipped him to impart wisdom for issues related to church growth and development, business management, leadership and team building.

As a visionary, Bishop Johnson founded The Johnson Leadership Institute, where he utilizes his skills to train and mentor pastors and other church leaders.  As a lover of The Holy Scriptures with keen intellectual curiosity and insatiable appetite for reading, Bishop Johnson founded Emmanuel Christian Academy and Logos Bible Institute to present opportunities to children and adults to be educated and equipped in God’s

Bishop Johnson authored six books, The Church: The Family of Families, God Is Greater Than Family Mess, The Eight Ministries of the Holy Spirit and The Eight Ministries of the Holy Spirit Study Guide and most recently, The Biblical World Through New Glasses and Lord of the Flies: A Leadership Fable.

Bishop Johnson is married to Pastor Cathy Johnson.