by John Avant | Nov 9, 2020 | God's Kingdom First, Presidents Column
There are times in these days when I feel kinship with a sad singer sitting on the banks of a Babylonian river asking, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” (Psalm 137:4 ESV). These are uncertain, evil, and anxious times. But today God is sovereign,...
by John Avant | Nov 4, 2020 | God's Kingdom First, Presidents Column
Did you wake up this morning anxious to see who is going to run our nation for the next four years? Only to find yourself disappointed that no one knows for sure? Nothing wrong with that. But consider these two things: This morning and every morning, we know who runs...
by John Avant | Jul 7, 2020 | God's Kingdom First, Presidents Column
If the news of Coronavirus and chaos in our streets has you down, consider this—you could be a Kachin. On July 2, over 160 people in Kachin State in Myanmar were killed when a 200-foot-tall mountain of mud taken from the local jade mine gave way and buried them alive....
by John Avant | Jun 3, 2020 | Church Leadership, God's Kingdom First, Presidents Column, Say Yes to God
In 1996 I began to pastor New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. The population around our church was significantly black, but our church was not. I embarked on a journey to see that change. It was not an easy task. As our church became more diverse, I...
by John Avant | Jun 1, 2020 | Church Leadership, God's Kingdom First, Presidents Column, Say Yes to God
Revival must change our hearts AND our actions. A global pandemic … racism, hatred, killing … our nation on fire … We don’t really need churches to reopen. We need them to restart—different than they used to be. Not divided and dominated by our theological wrangling...
by John Avant | May 20, 2020 | Church Leadership, God's Kingdom First, Presidents Column
Last week, I began this series of blogs by suggesting three questions for every Christian to consider as we navigate forward in reopening churches: What should never restart in your church? How important is the concept of safety in your church? When does honoring...
