What does it take for me to be a contributor in the Kingdom of God, the church? It is daunting to consider the task set before each of us to work for the kingdom of God. We understand from parables such as The Vineyard Workers (Matt 20:1-16) and The Talents (Matt 25:14-30) both the privilege and the expected product of service. We might be concerned about doing enough. What tools do I need? Do I need powerful speech like Peter? Do I need to develop studious habits like Paul’s

It takes an extraordinary heart to act upon what is seen. That might be a bit of an overstatement, but is it? Have you ever felt like people could see exactly what you needed and yet wondered why they wouldn’t act? More painful, have you ever seen someone, knew exactly what they needed, and refused to help? I think we all know how both of those situations feel — to be neglected and to neglect. Such is why I believe in this statement: it takes an extraordinary heart to act upo

The Bible is filled with men and women who lived in such a way that it is worthy of imitation. These people are like us, touched with frailty, failing as we do. They are also how we can be - strong and committed. One man that is on my mind is Barnabas. There is so much that we can say about Barnabas, even if we only see him so little in the New Testament. One thing that stands out to me is Barnabas's commitment. Paul mentions Barnabas as a like figure when making a defense of