Author Archives: Don Follis

 Several have asked about the Vineyard young adult (GodSearch) spring break work trip to Reynosa, Mexico.  I headed the trip, and that’s me on the left holding a young Mexican girl after the church service on Palm Sunday in Reynosa, Mexico, our first day in Mexico.Our Vineyard young adult pastor (Tony Ranvestel) and I tookContinueContinue reading “Very Successful GodSearch Springbreak missions trip to Reynosa, Mexico”

A lot of life is managing your disappointments.  Sometimes I call the ministry "Disappointment Management."  I remember one time I preached what I thought was a pretty decent sermon, only to have a woman stop me on her way out and say, "Didn’t have much for us today, did you?"In this life you will haveContinueContinue reading “Managing your Disappointments”

Most of the world now knows that after Brian Nichol’s shooting spree in a downtown Atlanta Court House last week, he fled, finally forcing himself into the apartment of Ashley Smith north of Atlanta.  Throughout, Smith kept her cool in a unbelievable manner.  She is as unassuming as she appears in this photo.  I listenedContinueContinue reading “Showing the world something of the mercy of God”

Among the places you can see on-going conflict between the forces of light and darkness in our world, none comes to the map today more starkly than the state of Assam in Northeast India.  The missionaries, church planters and churches involved with the Gospel for Asia Ministry are having their very lives threatened by thoseContinueContinue reading “The real conflict between light and darkness”

We all need the kind of peace that this photograph evokes.  It often comes from daily time with the Lord.  And yet, I have never known a person who read the Bible and prayed regularly who didn’t struggle.  Frankly, Satan knows our Bible meditation and prayer thwarts him completely, and he won’t go down withoutContinueContinue reading “Daily Bible Reading and Prayer”

At the sexual wholeness seminar last weekend, we didn’t just talk about some artist’s conception of man — lovely as that art may be, as this statue shows.  Nor did we talk theoretically about male sexuality.  We talked openly and frankly about the real deal, including the importance of accountability.At one point, our presenter (Dr.ContinueContinue reading “There’s freedom when we walk in the light”

The Champaign Vineyard is in the midst of a 7-week breakthrough series based on the book of Mark.  I have found the breakthrough devotional book written by Jim and Vicki Egli to be just terrific.  If you don’t have one, or have put yours down for a few days, please go back to it.  TheContinueContinue reading

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.   During Lent, the believing community accepts its mortality.  I have been watching the workers erecting our new church addition plod slowly through the thick mud today.  They look ever so mortal.In an act of humility and as a sign of mortality with all of humankind, manyContinueContinue reading “From Dust to Dust!”