May 31st, 2011 
alandanielson I once served as the interim pastor for a small church. This church could seat 400, but only 40 came. They’d fired their last three pastors and had changed very little for 40 years. The church had been declining since it’s peak in 1965 and the average age of the congregation was over 70. They [...]
April 27th, 2011 alandanielson Originally posted April 15, 2010. Reposted April 27, 2011. ———————————————————————— For years I struggled with having my quiet time daily. I’m not a morning person. I wake up slowly. As a result reading my Bible at the crack of dawn has been difficult, unenjoyable, and often not-very-meaningful. I tried having my quiet time later in [...]
Posted in Special, Spiritual Growth 
Tags: Bible Reading, iPhone apps, Personal Devotions, Quiet Times, YouVersion.com 
No Comments » April 22nd, 2011 alandanielson “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” ~John 3:16-17 (NIV) Today we remember history’s cruelest [...]
April 19th, 2011 alandanielson Originally posted 04-19-2010. Reposted 04-19-2011. ————————————————— I’ll never be able to forget April 19, 1995 for as long as I live. I was a youth pastor in Oklahoma City at my first full-time church when I felt our entire building shake. We were hoping to start some renovation on our upstairs facilities soon, so I [...]
April 13th, 2011 alandanielson Originally posted 04-05-2010. Reposted 04-13-2011. ——————————————————————– I met a missionary from South America a number of years ago in the hall at a conference. Sadly, I can’t remember his name or the South American country where he serves. But I do remember our conversation. It stuck with me and has served me well for a [...]
Posted in Small Groups, Spiritual Growth Tags: Bible Study, Small Group Curriculum, Small Groups 13 Comments » April 12th, 2011 alandanielson Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around. ~Proverbs 13:12 (The Message) Have you ever felt like the first half of this verse describes your life? Have you ever felt like your heart just won’t be able to take one more blow? Have you ever felt truly, utterly heartsick? [...]
April 11th, 2011 alandanielson Originally posted March 24, 2010. Reposted April 11, 2011. ————————————————————————– My most profound mission experience was planting a church in Santa Fe, NM as a missionary with the North American Mission Board. Santa Fe was one of the best and worst experiences of my life. My wife and I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico [...]
April 4th, 2011 alandanielson I’ve been preaching a series called “$tressed” and yesterday I spoke about generosity. People often dream about what it would be like to strike it rich. They fantasize about what they’ll buy and what they’ll give away. They have lofty ideas about what charities to support and which of their family/friends they’ll help financially. After all, when you [...]
March 28th, 2011 alandanielson Every Sunday night I watch America’s Funniest Videos with my kids. It’s a weekly ritual and we love it! I’m always amazed at the embarrassing moments people send to ABC, hoping for their 15 seconds of fame and a chance to win $10,000. The fear of embarrassment seems to fade when there’s money on the [...]
March 23rd, 2011 alandanielson Originally posted 03-15-2010. Reposted 03-23-2011. —————————————————————— I only started working a lot with small groups 5 years ago. Since then I’ve learned a ton about small groups and I’ve been blessed with a large network of friends in the small group ministry world. I’ve learned there are tons of different approaches and models for small [...]
Posted in Small Groups, Spiritual Growth Tags: denominations, Discipleship, division, factions, Small Groups, Unity 3 Comments »
