by Soo-Inn Tan | Mar 29, 2024 | 2024, Articles, Authors, Loving Others, Soo-Inn Tan, Spiritual Friendship, Young Adult Ministry
In recent conversations with my friends in youth ministry, one theme keeps emerging. They tell me that more and more youth are grappling with depression and this often leads to self-harm. Some threaten suicide. And some succeed in carrying it out. This was brought...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Mar 22, 2024 | 2024, Community, Loving Others, Small Groups
How committed are your small-group members? This year I will have a number of opportunities to teach on healthy small groups. I will probably teach about the commitments test. There are at least three levels that small-group members are committed to in their...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Mar 7, 2024 | 2024, Aging, Loving Others, Mentoring, Spiritual Friendship
Do you know where is Beaufort, South Carolina? No? Go Google it. I am in Beaufort right now and, since yesterday was my birthday, it was also the place where I celebrated my 69th birthday. It was a very special birthday. I was with my beloved Bernice and with...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Dec 29, 2023 | 2023, Hope, Jesus' Birth, Loving Others
This Christmas I felt very conflicted. On the one hand there were the usual encouragements to “ho-ho-ho”; to rejoice because Jesus had come. I preached a number of Christmas sermons, including one on John 1:1–18 and reminded one and all that...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Dec 8, 2023 | 2023, Loneliness, Loving Others, Relationships, Spiritual Friendship
A time of rapid and many changes brings many opportunities and many dangers. Scott and Gratton write: As we live longer lives with more transitions we now have an opportunity to rethink how we form and sustain relationships. The adaptability and flexibility of...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Oct 5, 2023 | 2023, Christian Identity, Evangelism, Loving Others
A man enters a church auditorium to join the worship service. He is the CEO of a major company. How will your ushers treat him? Another man comes for the same worship service. His clothes are shabby and he smells. He is poor and has to wear the same shirt for a few...
