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CREATIVE TEACHING

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  God is at work in Central Asia. Just ask Pastor Pat Thompson. “My burden to serve the persecuted church has grown with each trip,” he writes. Pat has made four trips to an undisclosed location (for security purposes) and plans to return in October. While there he teaches courses like Ecclesiology, Christology and Eschatology. His last class had thirty-three students with twelve of them graduating in June from a one-year program. A second-year course of study began at the same time with thirty-one students enrolled. While the first-year studies focus on ten major doctrines, the second-year focus will be on leadership. Many of the students already serve house churches throughout the region. Some of them plan to return to home countries which will be dangerous for them. But God has given them a Spirit of faith and not of fear. Please pray for the persecuted church. When we visited Turkey recently, we heard similar stories of God at work in Central Asia. Visiting with Pat Tho...
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CREATIVE GIVEAWAY

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  I recently received a message from a young friend in Nebraska who had found one of my books at Goodwill. It seems that a former church member had passed away and her books had been donated. He was excited to find a copy of “Dare to Walk On Water: Treasuring God.” Our family at the recent reunion, and our church all summer, has been studying the names of God. “Dare to Walk On Water: Treasuring God” reviews those names along with the attributes of God. But the book does more than just provide knowledge about God. Each chapter ends with one or more DARES, practical actions you can perform because of what you have learned. You don’t need to wait until “Dare to Walk on Water: Treasuring God” shows up in your local thrift store. You can own it today. For the next five days the ebook will be available through Amazon free of charge. Go to Amazon. Type in the name of the book along with the author’s name, Robert A. Allen. Download the free ebook and start your adventure. Learn to kn...
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CREATIVE REUNION

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  The Allen Family 2026 Reunion must qualify as one of the most creative reunions in history. ·        The most creative place – Tranquille Resort in Georgia, discovered by Wendy Daniels and Dorinda Allen. ·        The most creative family puzzle, featuring every face in the family, created by Chad Allen. ·        The most creative Allen Trivia Game, along with reunion stickers, created by Brea Hanson. ·        The most creative outdoor U.S.A. World Cup game viewing, prepared by Kent Allen. ·        The most creative worship time, organized by Lanie Allen, with devotions on the names of God from Chad, Chris, Kent, Lance and Bob. ·        The most creative fellowship, with Bob, Carm, Chad, Sarah, Jacob, Evie, Genevieve, Joe, Wendy, Brea, Josh, Lauren, Grey, Evan, Kent, D.J., Lyric, Danie...
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Creative Drama

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  As a speech and drama professor, I was fascinated by the production of DAVID by Sight and Sound in Branson, Missouri. The speed with which sets were changed as well as simply the size of those sets. The twenty-two-foot-tall Goliath. Costumes, made from 24,000 yards of material. The sound and lights and action. We attended Sight and Sound this week, during the final run of this show in Branson. Every part of the production ran smoothly. The story of DAVID also proved impressive. With so many Biblical accounts of the events of his life, choices had to be made. The script emphasized the Psalms, from David’s first musical experiences while shepherding to the moving confession and repentance of Psalm 51. By making that choice, the attention of the audience focused on mercy and forgiveness. David did not become a man after God’s own heart by being perfect. Instead, he sought the Lord because of his need for redemption. Shamefully aware of his own transgressions, his heart appeale...
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Creative Church Planting

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  God is at work in Latin America. For many years missionaries have been sent to countries like Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, and Brazil. They have served faithfully, establishing churches and schools. Now a new aspect of the God’s work has been undertaken. Baptist Evangelistic Missionary Endeavors is building on the work of those missionaries by investing in the lives of those who have been trained in the schools they started. BEME takes the graduates of those schools who desire to plant a church and supports them for two years so a new work can be established. Director Andrew Counterman presented the success of this approach to the Golden Agers last week. He shared numerous stories of men like Natanael Aguilar in Mexico and Julio De Santis in Peru. He described the building project progress of Jesus is the Rock Baptist Church in El Milagro, Peru, headed by Pastor Josue Rodriquez. Through the work of BEME many churches have been planted throughout Latin America. Supportin...
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CREATIVE COMFORT

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  One of my most heartbreaking experiences as a pastor was to conduct a funeral for a child. Shelly Kolwinska, Director of Programs for the Child Loss Foundation, helps provide support for parents facing that same situation. Shelly oversees the Child Loss @ Work program. Today more than thirty organizations participate in the program ensuring that grieving parents receive the support and resources they need from their employers during difficult transitions. In addition to the program which Shelly directs, the Child Loss Foundation sponsors a BeliEve Fund which provides immediate financial assistance to Minnesota families facing hardships related to the death of a child. They also provide Child Loss Retreats at their lodge in Danbury, Wisconsin. The retreats are tailored to different experiences of loss including stillbirth, infant and toddler loss, medically complex loss, youth loss, teen and young adult loss, suicide loss, homicide loss, bereaved mothers, bereaved fathers and ...
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Creative Jail Time

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  Jeff Freeman has been in jail for ten years, but he still goes home every night. He is a chaplain for Hennepin County in Minnesota, serving in the correctional facility in Plymouth. Besides conducting Sunday services, Jeff ministers throughout the week. He teaches Trauma Healing classes as well as Bible studies in both the men’s and women’s sides of the facility. He serves under the auspices of the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry as well as his home church, Parker’s Lake Baptist. Recently Jeff shared some of his experiences with the Golden Agers at Fourth Baptist Church. During the Trauma class the residents were asked to write their own laments based on Psalm 13. One of them wrote this lament to God. “How am I supposed to complain to you, when I am so obviously the problem? Will my pain ever go away? Would you so willingly take it from me when I know I deserve it? I wish I wasn’t such a failure. I wish you could change that for me.” Those are some of the very reasons ...
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