It is difficult at times to find folks willing to donate to a ministry like ours. Ministries that serve the physically needy of the world often show pictures of a starving child which poignantly express the situation and are more powerful than a thousand words of appeal for help. But how do we show a picture of the spiritually impoverished souls of the American church?

Jesus certainly loves the needy of the world. Jesus also loves his church. At ECSW we deeply love our brothers and sisters in Christ and long for them to experience, in growing measure, the fullness of life that Jesus offers them in relationship. We want this for them personally, but the beauty of a life with Christ is that it isn’t only for our own sake. As we grow and deepen our love for God, our love for each other and the lost and needy of the world also grows. As we allow Jesus to minister to the neediness of our hearts we are made ready to minister to the needs of the world through the sustaining love and power of Jesus.

Please continue to pray for us at ECSW....

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For most Christians the Passion Week is full of opportunities for reflection, remembrance and celebration. So much happened in those few days in the first century; the triumphant celebration in Jerusalem of Christ’s kingship, the Passover preparation and meal, the establishment of the Eucharist, the last words of Jesus to his disciples before the cross, the betrayal, the trials, the ultimate act of love on the cross and of course Christ’s death-defeating resurrection.

This year as I have been pondering Christ’s passion anew one event has come into sharp focus for my heart. In the Gospel of John in chapter fifteen, the apostle is recounting Jesus’ conversation with the disciples in the upper room on...

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I recently went through the internship application process. There are not adequate words and time here to describe the process, so I will spare you. I will tell you though that the process was one of the most intimate encounters I have had with God. If I could paint a picture of me during this process it would be my face buried in the Lord’s chest, listening intently to His heart and drowning out all other voices. The internship process brought up many doubts and fears. The reality was that over one thousand students would not be matched to an internship site. God met me in very real and intimate ways as I faced these doubts and fears.
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They are called the Great Lakes for good reason as the dictionary defines “great” this way; unusually or comparatively large in size or dimensions. I have lived near the shores of both a Great Lake and the Pacific Ocean. My reflection on their similarities and differences began as a teenager. Initially I can remember looking out over the Pacific and thinking the major characteristic setting them apart were the size of the waves. That is until I began to have more experience with the Pacific Ocean.

Swimming in the ocean didn’t hold great allure for me. The coldness of the water and the amount of sand accumulated in my suit made swimming in an in-ground pool much...

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