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Unconditional Love
Recently I had an up-close experience with Covid. My symptoms were mild, but I did have a low-grade fever for 14 days. During that time, due to cloudy thinking caused by the fever, all interest in anything was gone. I had no desire to eat, read, watch, or even communicate. I was existing, but without…
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A New Idea Sparks Change
ASPIRE: A New Idea Sparks Change It was 1872 when Goodloe Harper Bell came to Battle Creek Sanitarium to recover from an illness. During his stay at the sanitarium, he began tutoring some of the local children. It went well—and from there, he opened a one-room school. Adventist Education had come to Michigan. That one-room…
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Knowing the Time
Knowing the Time How important is it to know the time? From ancient sundials to the recent atomic clock, knowing the time has been one of the most important essentials to everyday life. There is another clock, however, that should draw our utmost attention. It is the great prophetic clock of Bible prophecy. In Matthew…
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Thirty-Two Years of Trial
Thirty-Two Years of Trial Thirty-two years ago, Gilbert Poole Jr. was a very different man. And, if he had been shown his future, he probably would never have believed it. Poole grew up in the backcountry of North Carolina, where the mountains rest, lazy in their blankets of grass. It was peaceful there, and some…
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Temperance Reimagined
Temperance Reimagined In 2017, the state of Michigan legalized the delivery of alcohol by mail. The following year, Michigan voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana. And then came the pandemic. Ever since early 2020, alcohol and marijuana use has been skyrocketing. Take marijuana for instance, which saw $135 million in Michigan sales in December 2021…
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Man Camp: Fighting Like Jesus
Man Camp is an annual event held at Camp Au Sable in Grayling, Michigan. This is my second time going. I can describe it in three words: fun, Fun, FUN! Everyone got matching shirts with the theme that said: How Real Men Fight. 1 Cor. 9:23-27. This was my brother Brody’s first time going to…
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Would the Community Notice Your Absence?
Would the Community Notice Your Absence? “If your church disappeared today, would anyone other than the church members even notice?” I read in December from the Adventist Community Services offering appeal. As I reflected on that question, I can truly say the answer is “yes.” But why? Why am I so confident in my church? For these reasons: This past…
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The Mission Field Comes to Ann Arbor
One chilly afternoon, Ann Arbor member Karen Yang saw Vincent, an Adventist Rwandan teen, walking with a friend to the bus stop. She pulled over to offer a ride, which they happily accepted. Vincent’s friend had just arrived from a refugee camp in Rwanda. She took them to their temporary home, a hotel, and met…
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Harbor of Hope: How One Church Lived up to Their Name
Harbor of Hope: How One Church Lived up to Their Name In 2018, health officials in Benton Harbor began noticing an alarming rise in lead poisoning cases. After performing multiple tests, the city discovered that the water system was tainted due to corrosion in the original lead water pipes. The city reached out to partner…
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Winning the Battle Against Doubt
Winning the Battle Against Doubt Some say February is the coldest month in Michigan, and I think they may be right. As a pastor, there was many a Sabbath when church leaders called me early, wondering if we should cancel services on account of the ice, bitter temperatures, or a freak blizzard. Yes, February is…
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Refugee and Immigrant Ministries
Refugee and Immigrant Ministries With these large people groups comes a unique opportunity: instead of going to other countries, the mission field comes to us. Michigan is a hub for immigrants and refugees. Dearborn is home to a large Arab population, a number of Burmese have resettled in Grand Rapids, and a cluster of Laotian…
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The Turning Point
The Turning Point On September 11, 2021, Dave Fowler was baptized at the Kalamazoo church. He chose only to be baptized after a series of events showed him that the church he needed to be part of was the Adventist church. Fowler was not raised Adventist—in fact, he was a regular member of the local…
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The Gift
The Gift We give gifts for all kinds of occasions… birthdays, welcomes, farewells, weddings, baby showers, retirements, graduations, Christmas, and sometimes for no special occasion… just because! Of all the gifts you have personally received, is there any one gift that stands out in your memory? There is for me, but ironically, I didn’t receive…
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What Do You Fear?
What Do You Fear? There is one challenge that all of us share and that is the pandemic. What do you fear? What challenges are you facing? There is one challenge that all of us share and that is the pandemic. COVID has been the source of sorrow, pain and tears. It is also surrounded…
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Tithing and Spiritual Growth
“It is now time for the worship in giving portion of our service today. The offering today is for local church budget. This morning’s appeal is about a man named Johnny. Johnny recently was placed in a situation where he had to decide between being faithful to the Lord in his giving or spending his money in…
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Eyes in the Dark
Eyes in the Dark “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” When my children were small, we lived in Colorado. My office was only about one mile from our house and one evening, my wife and children came to visit. I needed…
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Religious Liberty: What Matters Most
Religious Liberty: What Matters Most What should be our focus at this time in earth’s history? Unity Among God’s Remnant People I think we can agree that the year 2020 was unlike any we’ve ever experienced. COVID-19 disrupted normal life and ultimately the course of history. I remember thinking last year in March and…
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Coming Full Circle
Coming Full Circle How God restored a faltering marriage Nidia: For most people, 2020 has been full of heartache, loss and sadness. And, although it’s been a very hard year for us also, 2020 represents transformation, hope, strength and renewal. On September 19, 2020, we not only celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary but we also decided…
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God’s Impeccable Timing
God’s Impeccable Timing Lauri Hughes attempted to take her life, but God had other plans for this precious soul. Two and a half years ago, the Petoskey Church chose to do a Bible Study Offer card mailing. As church members prepared the cards for mail, Lauri Hughes attempted to take her own life. Hughes was…
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Church Audience Grows During COVID-19
Church Audience Grows During COVID-19 The use of technology has lead to more members tuning in. We never imagined that in March of this year, our churches would be shut down. The shelter-at-home orders due to Covid-19 have changed our lives in many ways, even our ability to attend church together. In the attempt to meet…
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