The Bible Story Family

  Every summer our church enjoys a series of messages from our Pastor, Dr. Matt Morrell, followed by midweek Home Bible Fellowships. This year the theme of the preaching series was “The Promises of God.” Carmen and I enjoyed the fellowship of a group of eighteen friends from church who came together to discuss the previous Sunday’s message. Some were people we had known for years. Others were new to us, but only for the first week. We shared personal testimonies of how we came to know the Lord. We talked about sanctification and all that God has promised to do in us because of our new life in Christ. We discussed the promise of His coming and His promise to be faithful. We talked about pain and suffering, rejoicing in God’s promise to sustain us through every path of life. Then we prayed. We prayed for our church, for one another, for spiritual insight, for physical needs, and for wisdom. We prayed for our world, and our state, and our neighbors. As we talked, and read scri...

  What can a person my age give to a younger brother who keeps having birthdays so he can try to catch up with me? It’s not easy. So, here’s what I did this year. When my father passed away thirty years ago, I inherited his files of sermon outlines. Last spring I sorted them into three piles, Old Testament, Gospels, and New Testament (the rest of it beyond the Gospels.) Then I started typing. I became increasingly grateful that Dad had typed out most of the outlines because his handwriting was never easy to decipher. When I finished the Old Testament sermons I had enough for a manuscript of about 250 pages. 87 sermons in all. With the help of Kindle Direct Printing, I published a book called “The Collected Sermons of Dr. A. W. Allen: Old Testament.” I sent the first copy to my brother’s wife, Cindy, and asked her to wrap it up and give it to him on his birthday. Then I sent copies to my two sisters with a promise. When Dorothy has her next birthday, all three of my siblings...

  Not every student needs to pursue a traditional college degree. Many times in my years of ministry I have visited with parents and students who desired another option besides the traditional college education. Legacy Trade College provides that option. Located in Marysville, Utah, Legacy offers industrial arts training in construction, cabinetry, and welding. Degrees include a two-year trade certificate, or a one-year Bible certificate and trade certificate. Those desiring to work toward a Bachelor’s program or even a Master’s program can combine Legacy courses with additional classes from Maranatha Baptist University. Legacy President Mike Smith says, “What we are trying to do is combine the Bible programs with the industrial arts programs. Bi-vocational pastoral studies would fit with a proficiency in one of the industrial arts. A missionary program would fit with construction.” Future plans include courses in cosmetology and culinary arts along with Bible programs for ...

                Fifty years ago, I met a man who told me one of the most amazing stories. He shared his love for his native land, Afghanistan. He told me how his country had moved toward modernization and how he had been a part of that process. He recounted the years of his boyhood and immersion in the principles of Islamic faith. While attending the American University in Beirut, Lebanon, he encountered friends who shared with him the love of Christ. Returning to Afghanistan to serve in various government posts, he took back with him a love for the Savior. Muhammad had been his prophet, but now he followed Jesus Christ.             As a Governor in a Muslim country, it was dangerous to be a Christian. After marrying one of the friends he had met in Lebanon, his family was also in danger. But the Holy Spirit had invaded Afghanistan, and nothing would ever be the sa...

  During the sixteen years I have served as an adjunct professor for Liberty University Online I have guided several thousands of students through the Bible Survey course. Recently, one of those students named Emani Edwards reached out to let me know that she completed her degree in Creative Writing and has published two books. She is a faithful reader of the Christian Creativity Blog and thought you might be interested as well. “When I was a child, all the way to a teenager, I had trouble finding good fiction in the library aligned with my beliefs,” writes Emani. “I would like my books to lead young people closer to Christ.” Through the Flames is set in Hawaii. Kai Aka, a twelve-year-old boy struggles with being afraid of everything from surfing to singing in public to swimming in the ocean. But when the wildfires threaten his home, he discovers that true courage comes only from God. The second novella, Above the Ashes , explores the aftermath of the fires and Kai’s journey ba...

  CREATIVE RADIO WCTS Radio, a ministry of Central Baptist Seminary, recently celebrated sixty years of broadcasting. Don Odens, my brother-in-law, has been involved with the station since those early years. He recently participated in a short video where he talks about the early days of the station. My own experience with WCTS also dates back to those early days. As a student at Central Seminary I worked as an announcer, taking the early morning shift which started at 6:00 a.m. My fiancée, Carmen Odens, lived in Owatonna, Minnesota, as a student at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College. Remember that these were the days before cell phones, before email, and before Instagram. The dorms at Pillsbury had one phone on each floor, and long-distance calls were expensive. So, we made a plan. She would turn on WCTS Radio when she got up in the morning. I would, sometime during that first hour, play a song. The title was “I’ll Never Be Lonely Again.” The lyrics were written by Audrey Mieir...

“Happy families are all alike.” (Tolstoy) “Every happy family reunion is happy in its own way.” (Allen) The happy Odens reunion this summer took on the persona of an amateur Olympics. Planned by Chad Allen, the week included a plethora of competitions.             Chess             Checkers             Spud             Swimming             Scripture Memorization             Piano solo             Musical ensemble             Table Tennis             Largest fish   ...