The Christian Professional

The receding waters of the 2005 tsunami and hurricane disasters left behind not only tremendous devastation but newfound evidence of the capacity of concerned people to help their fellow man like never before. Within days of the natural disasters, the Western world responded with unprecedented giving totaling billions of dollars. Perhaps the most crucial gift came from professionals who volunteered their time and skills, making immediate relief possible to millions. The greatest... Read More

Who Am I? What Can I Do?

It was to be a trip of a lifetime, but it proved to be a trip that defined my life. The trip answered questions that I know many, if not most, people have had in their spiritual walk: What am I doing here? and What am I supposed to do here?   Perhaps we have all found ourselves wondering as we viewed a slideshow or a video during a missionary presentation, How can I share streets of gold with someone like this? Someone who has given so willingly and wholeheartedly to the... Read More

Find a Need

“Find a need and fill it; find a hurt and heal it.” Over twenty years ago I heard these words and have since tried to heed their message.   Often hearing a coworker tell of his participation in his religious group’s “quick builds”; I thought, Why can’t we do that? I grew up in a family of preachers and builders and knew the role of buildings in the kingdom of God. I had participated in many building projects, beginning when I was still a child. The thought of... Read More

A Body to Worship

On August 18th, 2005, my wife and I were double blessed with the birth of twin boys.  The first, Kendall, was born at 6:51 pm and the second, Jackson, arrived exactly 10 minutes later at 7:01 pm, adding to our already blessed family of a 3 year old, Jordan.  As soon as the twins were delivered the doctors informed us that they believed that ours were identical twins. Fraternal twins or dizygotic twins, is the result of two different cells being fertilized.  This leads to the... Read More

UPC Men on a Mission

The Men’s Ministry of the United Pentecostal Church has been in the process of launching an incredible missions building ministry: UPC Men on a Mission. The purpose of this endeavor is to mobilize our North American men to work alongside brethren on foreign fields where new missions churches are needed.   Ideally, while working for the common goal of constructing a church both economically and in a timely manner, positive personal relationships will be formed as men encourage... Read More

Holy Hearts, Holy Hands

During the years I lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, I would occasionally catch some excerpts of a radio program aired on 700-WLW called the Gary Burbank show. Burbank, a talk-show host comedian, created characters whom he impersonates on the airwaves to entertain the afternoon commuter crowds. One of his alter egos is “Earl Pitts, American”, an ultra redneck who is always angry about something. Perhaps Burbank created him to ease the tensions and angry frustrations of the workday... Read More

Seeking God’s Kingdom

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). The admonition to “seek first His kingdom” is given by Jesus as a contrast to worrying about material things. Today’s American Christian society is unprecedented in worrying about material possessions. Christians in America today have a greater abundance available to them on a day-by-day basis than at any time in the history of this country. Yet, many Christians... Read More