This time of year, nobody wants to be Scrooge. But the ba-humbug spirit is sneakier than we might think. John the Baptizer appears to us this year as the three spirits of Advent past, present and future to remind us what it looks like to be God’s faithful people. Today, the question is: are we preparing ourselves for Jesus’ arrival?
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Ever feel like the world’s ending? What comes to mind when you think of the apocalypse? Fire and brimstone? Sun blocked out and moon turning to blood? Bad news… right? Wrong. Somewhere along the way, we picked up the idea that God is going to abandon the world and take us all away. But that’s wrong! The good news is that God loves the world – and home is where God’s heart is. What does it look like for us to love the world the way God does?
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‘Curiosity’ is not a word we associate with churches. Churches are more often known for quieting questions and insisting we ‘just have faith.’ But curiosity is a virtue – the most faithful people in Scripture were often curious. That’s a good thing because God is bigger than any box we make, and when we choose to be curious, we often discover God in new and surprising ways. What does it look like for Catalyst to value curiosity?
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What does it take to become more like Jesus? The process of change for a Christian can take a long time, and it’s not very glamorous. It’s a lot like BBQ, actually. What can we learn from the process of “low and slow”? How can our faith flourish as deliciously as a perfectly smoked, 20-hour brisket?
Continue readingDiversity is a buzzword these days, and it’s not something churches are particularly known for. So what does it mean for a church to say we value diversity? Why does God care about diversity? And how does pursuing diversity help us know God – and heal the world – better?
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