Serve by Design

We like to stream medical-themed shows these days. They are rotated into our viewing queue of intense crime dramas, laugh-out-loud comedies and “who-done-it?” mystery-filled television series. The setting of our favorite “med shows” is usually the hospital emergency room. This is where the critically injured or ill patients are transported for triage. Some of these individuals are brought in for treatment without family or friends to accompany them. My Friend, Joel Newton! 20th Anniversary, Woodland, Peoria! “Is there anyone we can call for you to let them know you are here?” is a common question asked by hospital personnel. The other night, we were watching as doctors tried to treat a middle-aged professional who had a critical, life-threatening heart condition. He was demanding and impatient thinking he would be quickly diagnosed, treated, and released. You could expect this guy to describe himself as a “compulsive workaholic” and proud of it! A turning point in this episode came a...

A few years ago, I was mentoring a new adult Bible study teacher and suggested that we meet each week for an hour to go over the lesson. At first, my friend protested that while he welcomed this one-on-one time with me, he thought I did not have the time to spend with him in this way. I quickly told him that this kind of partnership in study would be just as helpful to me. And so, the Tuesday, 1:00 PM "Study Session" was born. Today, there are four or five of us that weekly commit to this preparation time to get us ready for our Sunday teaching responsibilities. What do we get out this study time? Several things come to mind... 1. This study session disciplines us to study our lessons earlier in the week to allow the truths of the passage under consideration to season for insights and application. There is nothing worse than procrastinating in our preparation and spending late Saturday night cramming or getting up early Sunday morning with panic setting in just hours befo...