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.
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 [...]
An interesting phenomena is occurring in the United States. We are getting smarter, but at the same time we are declining in creative thinking. IQ (intelligence quotient) test scores in the U.S. have increased by an average of three points per decade during the 20th century. The current generation should have IQ’s of more than [...]
I recently visited two different institutions where people live. One was a prison and the other was a monastery. I was visiting the prison as a part of a prison ministry. I greatly admire people who are constantly reaching out to those who are behind bars. I also visited a monastery. That is a place [...]
Thanksgiving is a time for genuine reflection and thankful expression for the many good gifts that God has given to us. It is time to count our blessings. David said, “I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor Him with thanksgiving. For this will please the Lord.” Psalms 69:30,31 NLT I heard [...]
I remember watching the NBA All Star game in 1979. As the teams were going through their pre-game warm up, the commentator mentioned one player that he didn’t recognize. He began to attract attention. The player was actually taking some practice shots with the All Star team. Upon closer scrutiny it was discovered that the [...]
The 2011 World Series was tied 2-2 between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. In that pivotal game, the score was tied 2-2. It was a critical time for each team. At this point a bazaar thing happened. Tommy La Russa, manager for the St. Louis Cardinals, phoned the bullpen to have the right [...]
He may have had a part in saving your life – or the life of one of your family members. Or he is playing a part in possibly saving your life in the future. His name is George Kirchoff. I met him when I was preaching at the Fairhope United Methodist Church. He helped develop [...]