Welcome to the Blog page! I will use this page to share brief messages, which I hope will be informative, inspirational, and challenging. I will post several messages a month on this page. I also will share some experiences in my ministry opportunities. I would invite any responses to the things posted here. That response could be sent by e-mail at johned@johnedmathison.org. For more information about John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries, visit our website at www.johnedmathison.org.
In 1972 I moved to Montgomery to become the pastor of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church. That same year Gary Burton, 11 years younger than I, came to Montgomery to become pastor of the Pintlala Baptist Church. Gary was still a seminary student in New Orleans. Pintlala Baptist was only 10 years old. This year [...]
One of the great leaders of the 20th century was Dr. Bill Bright, founder and leader of Campus Crusade for Christ, today renamed “Cru.” This organization has become one of the largest ministries in the world. Dr. Bright, in his later years, developed emphysema. He spent the last few months of his life under an [...]
It’s probably not an issue for you, but one of the toughest disciplines for me is eating healthy. I grew up on fried chicken, fried okra, fried cornbread, etc. I genuinely love to eat. The old adage is “you are what you eat.” If that is true, I am ready to start laying eggs! I [...]
Life is not fair. People may mistreat us, cheat us, and violate our personhood. We have one of two responses. One is to get revenge – the other is to forgive. Shania Twain, at age 45, discovered that her husband, Robert “Mutt” Lange, and her best friend, Marie-Anne Thiébauld, were involved in an affair. She [...]
Memorials In memory of Mary Holman - Mike & Jenny Lynn Henig and Ronnie & Linda Poole In memory of Marguerite Craft - Mike & Jenny Lynn Henig In memory of Weldon Doe - Mike & Jenny Lynn Henig In memory of Nathan Duplantis - Mike & Jenny Lynn Henig In memory of Allison Bronner [...]
Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a disconnect between what we are saying and what we are actually doing. A simple way to say it is whether or not we are just talking the talk or actually walking the walk. Sometimes this is done without really realizing what we are doing. Sometimes it is just [...]
One aspect of getting ready for the New Year is to make resolutions. Most American adults make resolutions each year. Most of those resolutions center around losing weight, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, handling money better, attitude adjustment, etc. The success rate of keeping those resolutions is not very good. Most of us have quit trying [...]
Two recent surveys by Lifeway and USA Today/Gallop are verifying what many people have felt for a long time. Christmas is becoming less a Holy day and more a holiday. Surveys discovered that 9 out of 10 Americans celebrate the holiday, even if they are atheists or agnostics or believers in some non-Christian faith. The [...]
Gift giving is a vital part of Christmas. Too often we swap gifts rather than give gifts. It can be frustrating to try to find the right gift for the right person. When God gave a gift, He didn’t buy it at the store – He gave Himself, His Son. The best gifts at Christmas [...]
Earlier this year I was preaching in a church that has a beautiful sanctuary. All of the appointments are precise, are in the best of taste, and have deep theological implications. Then I saw something very interesting. There is a large banner right next to the wall showing the dove and the flame representing the [...]