“Making and Maturing Disciples of Jesus Christ”
DECEMBER 21, 2014 Justin TaylorIn March of 1863, 18-year-old Charles Appleton Longfellow walked out of his family’s house on Brattle Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and unbeknownst to his family—boarded a train bound for Washington, D.C., traveling over 400 miles across the eastern seaboard in order to join President Lincoln’s Union army to fight in the
Read MoreHymn Spotlight: Silent Night—celebrating 200 yearsAuthor – Joseph Mohr, 1792-1848English Translation – John F. Young, 1820-1885Composer – Franz Grűber, 1787-1863Tune Name – “Stille Nacht” Christmas Eve, 1818….a song was born that would wing its way into the hearts of people throughout the world. Joseph Mohr was born in the lovely city of Salzburg, Austria, in
Read MoreHymn Spotlight: Now Thank We All Our God Author – Martin Rinkart, 1586-1649 English Translation – Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878 Music – Joann Crűger, 1598-1662 Scripture Reference – Psalm 147 Upon hearing the hymn, we would never realize that this paean of praise was forged during times of tragic experiences. From some of the most severe
Read MoreAuthor – Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871 Composer – William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 Tune Name – “Woodworth” Most of us are familiar with “Just As I Am” because of the Billy Graham Crusades. Here’s how the hymn came to be. Charlotte Elliott seemed to have everything going for her as a young woman. She was gifted as
Read MoreThe true and complete story behind this hymn is hard to track down. Most information states it was written in 8th century Ireland, and I’ve found 3 different names of who possibly could have written the words. The story which comes up most often and my attention is this………..it is believed that St. Dallan lost
Read MoreAfter what I owe to God, nothing should be more dear or more sacred to me than the love and respect I owe to my country. -Jacques Auguste de Thou America The Beautiful They wrote the words and music to “America the Beautiful,” but Katharine Lee Bates and church organist Samuel Augustus Ward never met……they
Read MorePaid in Full Jesus Paid It All was written under unusual circumstances. Did your mind ever wander during a Sunday service? Perhaps you started thinking about other things–maybe what occurred last week, or plans for the coming week or what you will be doing later that day. Something like that happened to the writer of
Read MoreThe Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Soon Christians around the world will be celebrating the resurrection of our Savior. There’s a good chance that you have sung this in the past and/or will be singing it soon in the future. For about 300 years now, this hymn and its variants have been sung
Read MoreHymn Spotlight: What a Friend We Have In Jesus A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.—Proverbs 18:24 KJV A true friend loves and accepts us just as we are, stays close to us in good and in bad, and is always
Read MoreOrphaned when he was twelve, then forced to work 14 hours a day, John Fawcett learned to read by candle-light. He was converted at the age of 16 under the preaching of George Whitfield, and he was ordained a Baptist minister at the age of 25. He and his new bride Mary began their ministry
Read MoreHymn Spotlight: Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy, Holy – The History Holy, Holy, Holy has been sung in Christian churches since the 1800s. Over the centuries, this hymn has blessed people throughout the world. Its inspiring words are the work of Reginald Heber (1783–1826), the Anglican Bishop of Calcutta. Heber was an esteemed scholar who
Read MoreHymn Spotlight: God Will Take Care of You Sometimes it takes a child to remind us what it means to truly have faith in our Father. That’s what Civilla Martin and her husband, Rev. Walter Martin, discovered one Sunday. Rev. Martin was a renowned evangelist in the early 1900s, and he and his wife
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