November 17, 2009
by Eric Stillman
One of my favorite authors is a man named Donald Miller, who is best known for his 2003 book Blue Like Jazz. Miller writes with wit, creativity, and disarming honesty in the style of a memoir, reflecting on his life and what he has learned about God and himself through his experiences. Blue Like Jazz is currently in the process of being made into a movie, and Miller‘s most recent book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, is about what he learned about his life and God‘s grand story while the screenwriters ‘œedited his life‘ for the big screen. His reflections on the boring, uninspired story he was living and the grand story of risk and adventure that God was calling him to live were fascinating to read, and really challenged me to reflect on the story I find myself in and to walk with faith and courage. Let me share a few quotes from the book that really spoke to me:...Keep Reading
Tags: God, Discipleship
November 10, 2009
Today‘s Pulse of NewLife is written by guest writer Anthony Varesio. Anthony and his wife Carrie live in Glastonbury, and have been attending NewLife for about eight months....Keep Reading
Tags: Guest Blogger, NewLife
October 27, 2009
by Eric Stillman
Today‘s post comes courtesy of my friend Ben Dubow, who blogs over at www.faithautopsy.com. In one of his latest posts, he referenced A.W. Tozer‘s Five Spiritual Vows. Tozer was a 20th century Christian & Missionary Alliance preacher and author who died in 1963, and whose words are incredibly challenging. You can read Tozer‘s whole discourse at http://www.neve-family.com/books/tozer/FiveVows.html; Ben‘s well-done summary is below:...Keep Reading
Tags: Discipleship, Guest Blogger
October 20, 2009
Today‘s post is written by guest blogger Eddie Mui. Eddie lives in South Windsor with his wife, Fabiola, and young children Joshua & Sarah. He‘s the one often playing the funny looking drum-like instrument (it‘s called a cajon) on Sundays, and will be leading worship this Sunday....Keep Reading
Tags: Guest Blogger, God
October 15, 2009
by Eric Stillman
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11)...Keep Reading
Tags: NewLife, Bible
October 6, 2009
by Eric Stillman
Last week I reference an article in The Hartford Courant and asked the question of why we shouldn‘t all just be spiritual people while keeping our distance from organized religion. After all, with the options available to us today, it is possible to listen to your favorite preacher, worship band, and even to financially support your favorite cause, all from the comfort of your own home, without having to worry about the messiness of relating to other people. Thank you to all who shared your thoughts on the blog or on my Facebook page. Here are my thoughts on the matter:...Keep Reading
Tags: Church, NewLife
September 29, 2009
by Eric Stillman
The Hartford Courant had an interesting article this morning on a fact that should not surprise many of us, which is that the number of Americans who affiliate themselves with no religion has increased significantly over the last two decades, from 8% in 1990 to 15% in 2008. This group, called the ‘œNones‘ by the Trinity College researchers responsible for the study, is made up atheists, agnostics, as well as people who consider themselves spiritual but do not affiliate with any particular religious group. As one person interviewed in the article put it, ‘œI do believe in something, but organized religion has no appeal.‘ All in all, this group numbers about 34 million strong....Keep Reading
Tags: Church, American Culture
September 22, 2009
by Eric Stillman
This past Sunday I preached on the fact that God is eternal, that He exists outside of time and is fully present to every moment of time at once. He is the Alpha and Omega, the one who was there in the beginning and will be there in the end. He is the unchanging one, who because He exists outside of time does not change in His character, His truth, His promises, or His purposes. He is the Rock upon which we stand in our faith....Keep Reading
Tags: God, Discipleship
September 9, 2009
by Eric Stillman
When I was younger, I used to assume that pastors and priests must get free tickets to heaven for giving their life to the service of God. I no longer believe that, now that I know that God‘s grace and favor are not earned but are a free gift, and that we serve Him not for what we can get from Him but because of what we have already gotten from Him. I‘m not in this ministry for the free ticket, the money, the hours, or any of those reasons; I am doing this because I believe this is what God has made me to do. Last week I shared five of the challenges that are unique to the pastor‘s job. This week, let me share three of the blessings that are unique to this calling....Keep Reading
Tags: Church, NewLife
September 1, 2009
by Eric Stillman
‘œIt must be nice to only work one day a week!‘
Ahh, the pastor‘s favorite words to hear. To those unfamiliar with church life, it may seem that the pastor does little more than stand up on a Sunday and speak for thirty minutes and then shake hands with people as they live. The reality, of course, is quite different. The pastor‘s job is one of the most unique jobs out there, in my opinion, and I thought it might be instructive to share five of the challenges that are unique to the pastor‘s job. Next week, I will share some of the blessings that are unique to this calling. What I write is not meant as a complaint; rather, I believe it will help you know better how to pray for me and my family, and will be helpful to any of you who are considering going into the ministry....Keep Reading
Tags: Church, NewLife
