In today's "On Faith..." February 28 column in the Champaign-Urbana, IL, News-Gazette, I report on a very interesting meeting attended in mid-February.  What do you think?              “Young pastors drawn back to the liturgies of the church”For the last year, I have been following an experimental Sunday evening service at theContinue reading "Young pastors and worship leaders drawn back to the liturgies they once discarded"

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves...  Philippians 2:3-4"Humility is so crucial to hearing and knowing people.  And yet, how difficult is it to count others better than ourselves?  Very hard, I think.  I like the way Michelle Cushatt says it ...Tough relationships bring us face-to-faceContinue reading "Humility is the key to counting others better than yourself…"

This is my Sunday column in today's Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette.  “The top Valentine’s Day secrets are anchored in love”On this Valentine’s Day Sunday I thought I had better give you my top “secrets” for a happy marriage.  They’ve served me well for a long time – more than three-and-a-half decades. A great marriage is well worthContinue reading "Here they are — My top secrets to a great marriage & a terrific Valentine’s Day!"

Danish Painter Carl Bloch's (1834-1890) THE DENIAL OF PETERLuke 22:61 tells us that after Peter's third denial, "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord has spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.' And Peter went outside and wept bitterly."In myContinue reading "The power of our averted eyes"

I ran into a fellow today who used to live in my subdivision.  Several years back he moved to a nearby town and I lost track of him. Then a year ago I read in my local newspaper the obituary of this man's 44-year-old son.  Jennifer and I sent a card. Today the man toldContinue reading "Seeing an old neighbor from the subdivision"

Don Follis Jan. 31 column; News-Gazette, Champaign, IL  (After talking with several pastors in the last couple of weeks who are barely holding on, I decided to write a column on perseverance.  Also, my son-in-law Drew Hall gave me Stephen Arteburn's Healing is a Choice (Thomas Nelson 2005, 2011).  It has a great chapter onContinue reading "There’s hope for those who persevere"

In the last several years I've talked with several churches about characteristics to look for in calling a new pastor.  I put some of my thoughts in my column to today's Champaign-Urbana, IL, News-Gazette. -----            Don Follis January 17, 2016 column: “When choosing a pastor do your homework well and follow your instincts”I have served asContinue reading "Churches choosing pastors should do their homework & follow their instincts…"

While Jennifer and I were in Phoenix this week, we had dinner one night with several of Jennifer's old high school lunch buddies from Mesa High School from back in the day.  It was a fun evening to hear them all reminisce. But during the evening I was also reminded of how joy and sorrowContinue reading "In joy and in sorrow there is room for hope in 2016…"