The Branch—September 13, 2021
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The Branch—September 7, 2012
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Rustlings (September 7, 2021)
Francis was kneeling in an abandoned church in the countryside of San Damiano just outside of Assisi. He was fervently praying for God to give some direction to his life. As a young man, he had lived frivolously with an abundance of wealth. Much to his family’s dismay, he gave away everything he owned and […]
Rustlings (August 30, 2021)
It was a rainy-day game in my first-grade classroom. When the playground was puddled and we were forced to stay indoors, Mrs. Hicks would circle our chairs and lead us in a game of Fruit Basket Turnover. For those who’ve never played, each participant is given the name of a fruit with multiple players having […]
The Branch—August 30, 2021
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Rustlings (August 23, 2021)
It was a common refrain during the pandemic-laden days of 2020. We miss gathering. People missed gathering in restaurants, in theaters, at concerts, at weddings, at dinner parties, and of course, at church. Gatherings are beneficial—essential—to our personal psychological health and the health of our community. In the coming months, we are focusing our thoughts […]
The Branch—August 23, 2021
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Rustlings (August 16, 2021)
In the Fall of 1988, I began a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at Columbia Theological Seminary. I decided—for some unknown reason—I needed a new backpack to begin the journey. My shopping venture took me to a luggage store at the local mall, and I spent (what at the time seemed) far too much money […]
The Branch—August 16, 2021
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The Wizarding World of First Baptist Greenville
During the month of July, many of our third, fourth and fifth graders enjoyed sessions of Bible Wizard Camp, a time to explore the Harry Potter books through the lens of Christian faith. While we played games and made wands, floating candles, a Mirror of Evolsdog (God’s Love) and a Monster Book of Monsters, we […]