By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan As a Bible Study teacher, I create my lesson plan with three movements. First, there is a fellowship question. That is followed by a longer information session. I conclude the lesson with a transformation exercise. It happens that this process fits an acronym FIT (Fellowship, Information, Transformation). My goal is […]
Fellowship Questions Validate Learners Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan My wife, son, and I were playing the board game, TransAmerica. The board is a map of the United States with 35 cities highlighted. Each player picks five cities at random, then must connect them with train tracks. For example, you might get San Francisco, Santa Fe, Dallas, Boston, and
Where Have You Been? Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan “I’m not sure how to ask this,” said my friend, “but how did you learn to pray like that? Did you have a class in seminary?” This was about an offertory prayer I’d said recently at our church. He continued, “I only ask because your prayers are deeper than most
Deeper and Wider Prayers Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan In a small group prayer meeting, I facilitated a discussion on what “in Jesus’ name” means, based on John 14:13-14, when Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my
Perfunctory or Passionate? Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan We see what we want to see. At other times, we don’t see what is in plain view to others. We all have blind spots. What are yours? What are your church’s? Sometimes we need a set of fresh eyes to find out. I asked my father-in-law, who had redesigned
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan Recently, my wife and I spent a week with our son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Stacey, in Utah. One night, while he was grilling some steaks, Todd heard an owl call. He rushed into the house with the cooked steaks saying, “I heard an owl and I think it is
You’ve Got to See This! Read More »
By: Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan I confess that most days, I walk through a day without much thought. Not that I’m ignorant or inconsiderate. But too often I do breeze through a day’s experiences without consideration of deeper insights. Sometimes, a shock to my system helps me realize that I need to ponder what I
How My Vacation Changed Me Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan It may have been the best sermon I’ve ever heard, but I will never know for sure because it was spoken in Icelandic. Hallgrímskirkja is the largest church building in Iceland, a Lutheran congregation. My experience there sparked these reflections about this church and the Church. Experience: “Hallgrímskirkja” looks like
Worship in A Foreign Land Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan If you read my last article, you know it was about a small problem I have with tardiness. I wrote the article, sent it in for publication, then struggled for a while. Should I have done that article? Does it make me look bad? Will people think less of me?
by Rev. Dr. Rick Jordan This weekend, we have the opportunity to once again “spring forward.” This includes the spring ritual of changing the time on our clocks. It is wonderful fun, of course. How many clocks do you have in your house? As I sit in my home office, I have a computer and
