by Dr. Paul Raybon I went looking at the handwritten minutes of Hominy Baptist Church to see if there was more about the fire of 1923 than what was recorded in the official histories. (Yes, histories, when you’re 210 years old, every generation gets a swipe at telling your story). The simple entry above captured […]
by Dr. Paul Raybon You may remember doing a values clarification exercise in school with this prompt. “Your house is on fire, what 10 things will you try to save?” Then a follow up, “Time is running out! You have to leave five, what will you keep?” Individual lists are then shared in a small
What Will You Save? Read More »
All of us at the Barnabas Partnership hope that your 2023 has gotten off to a great start. We know that every church is facing new challenges brought about by the pandemic and changing dynamics in our congregations. However, many of you are perceiving new ministry opportunities. It seems that when old doors close, there
2023 New Year Opportunities for Connection and Growth Read More »
By: Rev. Steve Zimmerman For me 2022 seems to have been the Year of Pain and Wait. It started by coming off bypass surgery during the holidays last year. Of course, physical therapy was my “friend” by February. During that time, the fine ladies there noticed that since I was going to meet deductible this
Waiting is Worth It! Read More »
By: Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan How can we as leaders motivate those who serve as volunteers? A retired minister, Dr Rick Jordan is a 20+-year member of Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC where he leads an adult Bible study, serves as a deacon, as Personnel Council chairperson, and on the Vision Navigation Team. Contact
by: Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan Lately, I’ve been getting strange text messages. There is a phone number given as the sender. Then, there is a message: “Hi.” Or, “hi.” Sometimes the message has more content. Last week, I got a message from an unknown phone number that read, “It’s such a nice day. Want to
Loving Before Recruiting Read More »
The Covid-19 Crisis has forced many changes, but have these changes produced transformation? Where has God been at work in the midst of the Crisis? Change happens around us all the time. The dictionary definitions are: “Change (noun) the act or instance of making or becoming different. (verb) make someone or something different; alter or
Has It Changed Me or Transformed Me? Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Paul Raybon One of my very favorite people, a long-time lay leader, is a retired teacher who, when she gets really mad, will exclaim “Anglo-Saxon ad infinitum.” Because as we all know, all the best curse words are Anglo-Saxon. Put another way, how many people yell “excrement” when they hit their thumb
“Anglo-Saxon ad infinitum” Read More »
By Dr. Paul Raybon I have to start by confessing that I am a lover of words. I still have my crumbling 45-year-old paperback Roget’s Thesaurus, although truth be told I am more likely to consult thesaurus.com in a pinch these days. And to be precise, I am not a lover of all words, I
Impactful or Meaningful? Read More »
By: Rev. Steve Zimmerman Other than the pollen, spring is a beautiful time of the year. In our front yard, color abounds! We now have white azaleas, red camellia blooms, royal purple and navy-blue irises, along with bright yellow and pink knockout roses that are just itching to bloom. Next month we will experience orange
It’s Time to Plant! Read More »
