Family traditions play an important part in the dynamic of a family. Traditions help families commit to spending quality time together. They also reflect a family’s values and beliefs. Things that you do each year during the holidays with your family, or even throughout the year, create special bonds that can connect one generation to the next.
Family worship is of immeasurable importance for the health of any family and a witness of the gospel to a lost and dark world. Without it, the foundations of a family will crack and falter leading only to negative consequences. At the heart of each Christian family should be the pursuit of God together as a family unit. Consistently reading the word, praying together, and singing to the Lord in worship as a family is of utmost importance. As Thomas Brooks once said, “A family without prayer is like a house without a roof, open and exposed to all the storms of heaven.”
The holiday season is a wonderful time of year for a lot of people but it’s not without its downfalls. It can simultaneously be one of the most stressful seasons as well. To help you have more of the Thanksgiving warmth and yuletide cheer, my wife and I have put together a few tips for managing the stress of the holiday season.
There was a massive spiritual vacuum in many people’s lives when the shelter-in-place order went into effect in March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Why was that the case and what should we do about it to prepare for an uncertain future? That was my heart’s question in September 2020 when I set out to lead our church through a new sermon series.
What is an elder and why does Wildwood Church have so many of them? Why do you call yourself an elder instead of Lead Pastor? Why are some elders paid and some are not? Is there a difference between an elder and a pastor? I get these and questions like them from genuinely curious people regularly so I thought I would take this edition of the Chronicle to answer some of them. I hope it helps you understand the leadership structure Jesus put into place through His apostles almost 2000 years ago; and by coming to greater understanding, that you also relish in the love Jesus has for you that He would establish what we call “biblical eldership.” Its benefits extend far beyond the church building and even becomes a model of faithful leadership in the home. There is much to be thankful for in biblical eldership – security, accountability, encouragement, and more. First let’s begin with the church leadership office prescribed in the New Testament – a plurality of elders.
The trees in our backyard were bending and bowing under the relentless tornado-force winds. Rain was pelting the ground, the skies dark and ominous, as we took shelter from the harrowing squall in our basement.
We emerged from the storm termed a Derecho by meteorologists, to see the mass destruction it had caused throughout our neighborhood, and throughout the Midwest. Downed trees, and fallen power lines, and traffic lights were a common sight as we drove around, witnessing the sheer devastation the storm had wrought throughout the Quad Cities area.
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