COVER STORY “Laypersons Don't Lie Down!” by Fletcher L. Tink Ministry knows no lines of demarcation. Without credentials or commission, laypersons have refashioned the church from the bottom up through innovative, energetic, selfless compassion. The results are never “ordinary.” Read this story now

FEATURES

• “Partners in the Gospel,” by Keith Schwanz
  When two churches partner with the shared goal of compassionate outreach, something God-sized emerges.

• “Two Months to Change the World,” by Howard Culbertson
  Following a Nazarene tradition begun in 1964, this summer 94 Youth in Mission college students packed their bags, placed personal plans on hold, and gave God priority in life-changing ministry from Tonga to Moscow.

• “The Paradise Warehouse,” by Joan Read
  Although they sponsored two children and made quilts for missions, they needed something bigger, something beyond themselves. They needed a “God challenge.”

COLUMNS

• Essay: “Accepting the Messiah,” by Gary Sivewright
  It's easy to say Jesus is the Messiah. But the question is, Do we live as if Jesus is the Messiah?

• Editor's Forum: This month's forum answers questions about the role of the district superintendent in handling local church conflict and the frequency of Communion.

• In the Mirror: “Afraid . . . Not,” by Chonda Pierce
  When you remember the good news—the Savior has come!—fear can turn to rejoicing.

• Portraits: “Ray and Becki Neu: Volunteers for Life,” by Debbie Salter Goodwin
  With God's confirmation, they quit their jobs, downsized their home, and paid off debts to give full focus to mission trips.

• The Deeper Way: “First, Take a Deep Breath,” by Bud Reedy
  An oxygen-deprived caregiver will be of little help to persons in need.

• Front Line: “Pulling Rusty Nails,” by Sherry Pinson
  “The greatest hindrance to the gospel in Ukraine is nominal Christianity. People were born in a so-called Orthodox country. They need to know there is much more beyond rituals.”

• Family Tree: “Compassion or Cynicism?” by Dan and Kay Croy
  Cynicism has no place in a compassionate Christian's heart.

• Commission: “Compassion: Vanguard of the Gospel,” by Jesse C. Middendorf
  Compassion is not a program—it is our lifestyle. It is at the heart of our evangelistic zeal to bring Christ's love close to the heart of everyone.

• Footprints: “R. B. Mitchum and the Talents of Consecrated Laity,” by Stan Ingersol
  When the evangelist died, his church might have died, too, but thanks to the commitment of stalwart lay members, it lived on.

• Metro: “Bethlehem Through Trifocal Lenses,” by Fletcher L. Tink
  Oh, that Bethlehem and all of our troubled cities would stretch out their collective right hands for God to behold!

• Globally Speaking: “The Church of Us and Them,” by Richard F. Zanner
  As long as we think in terms of “us” and “them,” the “senders” and the “receivers,” the “Western church” and the “international church,” we will stunt our own growth and hinder the development of mature and responsible Nazarenes in our various world areas.

NEXT MONTH –Overcoming the Obstacles

• “Failure to Thrive,” by Jesse C. Middendorf
  Why is it that some believers grow and develop so readily, so fervently, and become radiant, effective disciples while others seem little interested in or unable to grasp the magnitude of the grace that is available to them? Identifying the barriers may be the first step to removing them.