by Clarence E. Stowers | Mar 9, 2015 | Bible Journey, Christian, Empowerment, Self-Leadership
What does it mean when you find yourself saying or thinking—”I cannot take this anymore?”
All of us have been there, yet these words do not mean the same thing to everyone. People reach their breaking point in different ways and if you dig deep enough, you will discover how stress plays an important role in getting us to our breaking point. Stress is a part of life. If you do not have any stress in your life, I would like to suggest that you are probably dead.
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by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 19, 2014 | Bible Journey, Christian, Christianity, Decisions, Encouragement, Motivation, Worship
Let me be honest with you…the desert IS NOT a fun place. It’s dry, lonely, and HOT!
Everyone goes through dry seasons. Be honest, you can recall times when you didn’t feel “spiritually high,” You attend church weekly, go to Sunday School or Bible Study, perhaps you even study your Bible, but God feels a lot more like a distant relative than somebody you’re connected to. The toughest season, and one that so many Christians seem to fight through, is the dry season–the desert months. During this season our relationship with God feels distant but lifeless. Again I repeat, everyone goes through desert seasons.
When I sense God is distant, I cringe when people tell me to “pray more” or “have more faith.” Really? That’s the best you have when you see I’m thirsty! When you go through your desert season, here are 3 key truths you can hold on to: (more…)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 24, 2011 | Bible Journey, Christian, Christianity, Digging Deeper, Technology
Two weeks ago I beta tested Digging Deeper ONLINE featuring The Book of Nehemiah for over 150 people from six different states – what an exciting time! I conducted a survey to see how we could make the experience more engaging and life-changing. If you’d like to review the survey, you can click HERE.
Judging from the result of the surveys, many desire a more interactive Bible study experience. In other words, be able to engage in active participation, discussion, and ask questions (I don’t blame you one bit). In order to do this and make Digging Deeper ONLINE more meaningful, we decided to reduce the class sizes (25 or less), offer multiple sessions, and focus on quality teaching and personal interaction.
For the past two weeks, I’ve been praying about how to make our online learning experiences more meaningful. Although online learning, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites cannot and will not replace actual face-to-face gatherings, technology is a tool to support, strengthen, and enhance live gatherings.
Therefore, I’d like to introduce our proposed schedule…
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by Clarence E. Stowers | Feb 12, 2011 | Bible Journey, Christian, Christianity, Digging Deeper, Technology, Vision, Web/Tech
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 was the first day of many FUTURE online Bible studies. In my humble opinion and judging from the opinions of others, Digging Deeper Online was a HUGE SUCCESS. Of course not everyone will embrace the concept of “Digital Discipleship” but, I’ve decided to leverage technology to help people take their next steps towards maturity.
Thank you for taking time to take the survey. I sincerely appreciate the time you spent answering the questions and recommending strategies for improvement. Your advice was very helpful and gave me a new perspective on how to make Digging Deeper Online better.
I especially appreciate your offer to help spread the word and invite others to attend. I promise I will follow up with contacts you email to me right away (pastorstowers@marshillchgo.org). Any additional suggestions you may have would be welcomed and I will keep you posted on future online Webinars/Training.
HERE ARE THE SURVEY RESULTS:
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by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 21, 2009 | Bible Journey, Christian, Christianity, Current Affairs, Religion
A few weeks ago I invited Trevor, my atheist friend to attend our worship services and share his experiences. What he shared was mind-blowing, eye opening, & enlightening. His words rocked the very core of my essence and caused me many sleepless nights.
Here’s what Trevor shared:
“Clarence, many Christians (including many of your members) are my first cousins. I’m currently an Atheist and most Christians are Practical Atheists (1st Cousin).” Trevor had my undivided attention and I ask him to explain his statement. He went on to elaborate and share how most Christians he knows, know enough about God to keep them out of hell and enough to get them into heaven. However, many are unwilling to change the way they live. “Clarence, where I come from, that’s called practical atheism.
At this point, I’m dazed, intrigued, and curious.
So, I ask Trevor, “do you mind sharing your definition of a practical atheist?” “Of course, a practical atheist is someone who believes in God but lives as if He does not exist.”
So, do you know any practical atheists?
FYI: At the Atheist Alliance International Convention, members we were asked to pick an atheist symbol from a select list. They chose this symbol – the new symbol of Atheism.
by Clarence E. Stowers | Mar 25, 2009 | Bible Journey, Christianity, Religion, Vision
The Preacher & The Atheist
Trevor (not his actual name) says that he is “currently” an atheist. However, he says “he is open to the possibility that he may learn something that will change his mind.” Trevor and I currently work out together and he calls me the only “Christian” he likes. “Why,” I ask? His reply: “You walk the walk, you’re down to earth, you’re funny, a cool person, and your goal is not to convert me, but to be friends with me. That’s what I like about you.” For the record, Atheism is the view that God does not exist and it is not a new development. Psalm 14:1, written by David in around 1000 B.C., mentions atheism: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” Recent statistics show an increasing number of people becoming atheists, with up to 10% of people worldwide declaring themselves to be adherents of atheism. Trevor is an associate professor at the University of Chicago (whose workload includes classes on comparative religion, anthropology, and philosophy), a husband, and the father of three children. He is also a poet and an author. Trevor’s father is a retired professor who is also an atheist. His mother is a classically trained violinist and a lifelong seeker of truth. Last week I asked Trevor to attend one of our worship services and he did (I’ll post what he said about attending Mars Hill – EYE OPENING). In turn, he asked that I attend a lecture with him at the University (I’ll share my experience – EYE OPENING). Of course, I agreed. Before we agreed to attend each other’s events, we made an agreement:
We will do this only if we remain open minded with each other. We both agreed.
Here’s what’s on my mind:
“What would you say to Trevor since he’s “open” to the possibility that he may learn something to change his mind?”
