by Amy Yeary Holmes

Most birthing narratives are embedded within a masculine journey which is external and involves leaving the ordinary and leaping into the unfamiliar, having adventures, over-coming obstacles, and returning as a hero. In contrast, the feminine journey is an internal journey of reflection, solitude, and self care. Often the chapters of the heroine’s life are seedbeds from which she draws energy and creativity when addressing a problem whose solution lies within the heroine’s being. Handless Maiden tales provide a path to uncover the intricacies of humanity’s feminine side.

Moddie Breland

Gideon’s leadership traits are developed through a process analogous to physical birthing. The author makes a case for Acts 1-15 being an archetype of the physical birthing process, thus asserting that these New Testament texts symbolically describe how Christianity was born from Judaism.

by Christian Zebley

In our spiritual journey of knowing, trusting, and loving God, birth is experienced through the reception of faith, hope, and vision. During periods of waiting, we should avoid “pushing the process along.” We must learn to be led by the Holy Spirit and wait patiently for God’s timing, power, and provision for the birthing vision to be fulfilled.

by Baruch A. Levine

The author relates today’s concept of endurance to how it was demonstrated in the Hebrew Bible. For example, he uses Deut 4:3–4 to show how the Israelites who remained loyal to the Covenant with YHWH were not seduced by Baal-Peor, the Moabite deity. There are many interesting examples of how the Old Testament Israelites demonstrated faithful endurance.

by Kevin Yoho

How do the actions of a local, inner city church square with the concept of endurance? They do if the subject is Mission Endurance. Here are the experiences of a pastor whose church had endured but was facing new unpleasant realities. Successful endurance often requires new thinking. Here is how one church overcame the revered dying past to establish a new future.

by Cleotha Robertson

The two Biblical characters who most represent the idea of endurance are Job and Jesus. Who does not sympathize with Job—set upon by the devil, abandoned by his friends and seemingly by God? Jesus, tested by Satan, and constantly attacked by the religious community showed endurance that could have come only from God.

by Mary Foulke

Sympathy and compassion are related, however, sympathy is more a feeling whereas compassion is both feeling and action. The author uses 2 Samuel, dealing with King David, to flesh out the differences between the two emotions; Jesus was a constant example of a life devoted to compassion for humankind. This intriguing article offers many insights useful to clergy.

by Alice Ogden Bellis

While neither Hosea 12:7-9 nor Romans 1:24-25 refers directly to addiction, the problems associated with it can be teased out of Hosea’s historical context. Other parts of Hosea deal with idolatry, as do the focal verses in Romans. The powerful connections among idolatry, addiction, economics, and politics constitute a serious malady today, that could also be observed in biblical times.

by Sang Meyng Lee

The Gospel of Mark concentrates on how Jesus fulfilled the role of the suffering servant on his journey to the cross. It is a crucial irony that Jesus is not only the suffering servant, but he is also the Son of God. The true disciple understands this irony in relation to Jesus’ identity.

by Jae Won Lee

Human beings are born out of relationships, live in relationship to others, and are remembered through those relationships. Christian discipleship urges us to return to the foundational relationship between Jesus and his disciples, to reflect upon it in our social locations, and embody it in our daily life.

by Moses O. Biney

In an era of cultural and religious diversity and transnationalism, how can faithful discipleship accommodate or at least co-exist with cultural and religious differences? This perennial question calls for new answers, and this article is a move in that direction.

by Charlie Self

As we aim to love God and do God’s work in the world, we need a new vision of what it means to “make disciples.” This flourishing life described by Moses and Micah, Jesus and the Apostle Paul, is not merely a set of rules or series of programs. A flourishing life of love will grow, as we understand the outcomes of walking with the Lord.