“A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying” (Acts 16:14). The account of Lydia is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in the middle of the Book of Acts. Her story is only three verses long, but […]
The ministry of getting up
Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.” My favorite part of the book of Acts is that we often get to read the rest of the story. The apostles did these amazing […]
A fate worse than death
I was around 12 years old the first time I got a glimpse of my own mortality. I had a migraine at school, realizing something was wrong when I could read only half of every question on the science test I was taking. Even after the vision disturbance and the terrible headache to follow had […]
Bivocational pastor finds personal purpose, congregational benefits
As a new church planter, Derrick Taylor found himself wrestling with how to acknowledge his leadership role at Net Community Church in Staunton while still serving in his long-time role as a state trooper. “As I started the planting process, I consistently battled with the phrase, ‘I’m not a pastor; I’m a police officer,’” said […]
Dear Mary
Early on the first day of the week, after he had risen, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons” (Mark 16:9). After her earth-shattering meeting with Jesus, Mary Magdalene told his friends he was alive! Even though they didn’t believe her at first, delivering that message must have […]
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