As Orioles fans know all too well, hitting a baseball is a difficult task. Pitchers throw a ball with blazing speed and pinpoint accuracy. They also can fool hitters by changing speeds and the direction the ball is going. Pitchers not only throw fastballs, but they also throw curveballs. 

One of the core principles of Leadline is that adults grow spiritually through God’s Word, over time, mostly together. Adult faith grows incrementally. As questions are answered and relationships are deepened it becomes easier to open our hearts to God’s love.

In a recent article in The Atlantic Derek Thompson cited an interesting statistic. In the last 20 years, the average time people spent with their pets nearly doubled, while time spent with friends plummeted.

Guilt does not seem to be what it used to be. It doesn’t mean guilt isn’t real. It is. Sin is alive and well. It is just the feeling of guilt does not seem to be what it once was. 

Life is not always smooth. Sometimes it is, and I am grateful for God for that. But, in big and small ways, things don’t always work the way they should. People get sick, money gets tight, we don’t get along like we should.

33 years of professional ministry to adults has proved the wisdom of that quote. When I think it is up to me to convince people, talking to someone about Jesus becomes a burden. But when I become their friend and allow them the space to ask their own questions and explore their own answers, ministry feels different.

I have just emerged from a busy season of ministry. I have had the privilege of serving several people who found themselves in places of sadness, confusion, life transitions and even death.

I just dropped my third child off at college. Which means I have spent the last month giving a lot of unsolicited advice. I felt like it was my last chance to pour all the wisdom inside my head into his. I spent a lot of energy wanting him to “get it”.

A most recent Gallup study confirmed what I think a lot of people are experiencing. For the first time, fewer than 50% of Americans report being members of a church. Just 20 years ago, 70% of the population reported membership in a religious body, now that number has dropped by over 20%.

One of our local board members described the ministry of Search Baltimore as “gritty”. I like that. Not flashy, but focused and adaptable to get the job done. The reason for the grittiness is we are able to focus on people over programs, which gives us the flexibility to meet people where they are.

2020 has been a tumultuous year in our country. It started with an impeachment trial, rolled into a global pandemic, witnessed a stock market crash and ensuing recession and now sees our nation wrestling with significant questions around racial justice.

There are so many urgent questions swirling around right now. How long will this last? What can be done medically, financially and practically to help people? What will the new normal look like? These are urgent questions that are being asked everywhere.

At a recent lunch, a guest who had attended several forums brought up some of the reasons he does not believe. “I have a real problem with hell. It just does not make sense to me why a loving God would be so judgmental.

These are uncertain times. There is much being said. There are many questions being asked. We certainly understand the need for all of it. Our hope at Leadline Ministries during this time is to be a resource to you.

I always appreciate the fact that Christmas comes in late December. There seems to be something so right about the light of Christ arriving in the darkest time of the year. Leadline exists to help adults take the next step towards God.

The older I get, the more my questions about Christmas change. I don’t ask as much about what I got, or did I give the right thing. (Although I think getting and giving presents are great.) But I find myself asking more, did I miss it?

Spiritual traction happens when vulnerability begins to transform to trust. We all have our areas of weakness and vulnerability. Places where we simply lack the resources to handle the challenges or perhaps even opportunities of life.

Living things grow. For almost 33 years, I have had the amazing opportunity to grow and serve God and you as the Baltimore Area Director for Search Ministries. But now I feel called to take the next growth step.