Whether it's making a meal, teaching Zumba, doing crafts, or playing games, serving others (and allowing yourself to be served) is a blessing to us all.
By reclaiming the the biblical understanding of brothers and sisters in Christ, the church can be a picture of healthy community in a relationally confused world.
For churches that find themselves in the suburbs, the rapidly changing demographics of these neighborhoods matter. It is no secret that the majority of evangelical churches are located in the suburbs of metropolitan areas. We must ask ourselves, however, if our churches are prepared to minister to new territory. Churches located on the same plot of ground where they started 3 or 4 decades ago may not have moved, but the communities around them have shifted.
Every month, we feature people, events, and ministries we want our people to pray for. So, join us as we pray to and praise God for what He's done, because we're always better together.
If you have any requests or just want to let us know you’re praying with us, feel free to tag us on Facebook or Twitter, and join the conversation. #UBAPraysTogether
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear someone say, “Summer in Houston”? Summer for our churches can mean all kinds of things: mission trips, church camps, VBS, just to name a few. It can also mean different routines or a degree of informality—maybe even preaching in shorts! Whatever your summer may look like, here are a few events and considerations to keep in mind as we head into this season.
Recently, I was told that I have the best work/life balance of anyone on the team. We were joking because I never leave vacation on the table at the end of the year, and I fuss at the other staff if they do. UBA doesn’t hire slackers, so it is not uncommon for one of the staff to get a little wrapped up in work, the to-do list, and unexpected challenges that arise. Before you know it, things are out of balance.
Over the years, however, I’ve come to believe that holding all the areas of my life in balance before God brings honor to him. My theology about balance involves the belief that all the aspects of my life are meant to be lived fully to the glory of God. Here's what that has looked like for me.
Senior adults are vital to the health and ministry of the church. A thriving senior adult ministry has very little to do with health fairs, trips to Branson, or games of forty-two and backgammon. Rather, a thriving senior adult ministry facilitates an atmosphere where older men and women can be intentional about reproducing themselves in the lives of younger church members. Senior adults are not the church of yesterday. Until the day God calls them home, they are the church of today, and there's a lot we can learn from them.
It is said that no one likes change except a wet baby, but I disagree. We embrace and celebrate all kinds of changes—graduations, weddings, the birth of a baby, a new car or home purchase. But sometimes, changes can be painful, too—a loved one passes away, a friend moves to another state, or we experience the devastation of a major hurricane.
Sometimes, we experience the same sense of loss and pain when changes are made in our church. But could John 15:1-8 help us navigate our grief? Could we ask the Father to prune away the dead branches in our church so we could once again produce healthy fruit?
We love churches, those who have been partnering with us for many years as well as those who have just joined. To help you better get to know some of these churches and their leaders, we want to feature them here. Today, we meet Reverend Deon Archer, planter and pastor of Redeeming Word Community Church.
Although it's long passed, I want to share with you a practice my husband and I use on Good Friday to deepen our observance of the day. We call it “Go Silent; Go Dark.” It is especially meaningful on the day that we remember the crucifixion of Christ, but it is also a practice that can be implemented at any time of the year to slow your life down, heighten your focus on spiritual things, and increase your openness to the nudgings of the Holy Spirit.
Statistics may or may not be your thing, but they can tell us a lot about the area in which we live—its population growth, diversity, and whether or not we can have bragging rights over Dallas. With that in mind, we have compiled some helpful statistics as a starting point for understanding the greater Houston area. How might understanding the growth of our city and its underlying issues help us better reach our communities as they are?
Every month, we feature people, events, and ministries we want our people to pray for. So, join us as we pray to and praise God for what He's done, because we're always better together.
If you have any requests or just want to let us know you’re praying with us, feel free to tag us on facebook or twitter, and join the conversation. #UBAPraysTogether
