Becoming an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene is a process that involves years of preparation and comprehensive examination. It’s not an easy accomplishment, nor should it be. Nonetheless, it is a worthy pursuit for anyone sensing the call of God and serious about lifelong service in the church. Various denominations have different … Continue reading Ministerial Credentials
Dialogue is important. It’s healthy to discuss issues, express convictions, and voice opinions prayerfully. However, when dialogue leads to continually questioning biblical truth it becomes problematic. The reason for this is there are certain teachings that are so central to Christian faith and practice that there’s no need to debate them. In fact, we shouldn’t … Continue reading Strange Teachings
Growing up, on Saturday mornings my brother and I would pour ourselves a gigantic bowl of cereal and lay in the floor in front of the television watching cartoons. We had the rabbit ears antenna on our television set; if they weren’t aimed in the right direction static interfered with the signal. However, we were … Continue reading Relational Static
The call to pastoral ministry is often depicted with the metaphor of “Shepherd and Sheep.” The shepherd is one who leads, serves, and protects the flock. In every church I’ve pastored I have taken that call very seriously. I stress the word “protect” as it relates to the shepherd’s staff. The staff was used to … Continue reading Remember The Methodists
Comparing the church to a ‘big tent’ has become an interesting conversation piece. Big tent theology teaches that God is calling the church to open her arms wider than ever before. Expanding the tent calls for a diversity of thought, the inclusion of varying stances on nonessential issues, and erasing lines that could potentially divide. … Continue reading Big Tents & Centered Sets
Brian L Powell 