For years, my family participated in Mercy Ministries through the second Sunday Community Dinner. Our children are grown and gone, and life has changed. So, when I heard about Tenth’s ministry at the Federal Detention Center at Seventh and Arch Streets and that they needed volunteers, I joined. Of course, I still did not know exactly what I was signing on for. When I took the necessary training to be a participant, it sounded like I might have made a […]

. . . [B]eing no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:25 Discipleship means becoming Christ-like. But let’s refine that a bit: discipleship is becoming a competent citizen of the gospel within the spiritual kingdom of Christ, until “we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph. 4:25). Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer, who will be our guest during the Discipleship Conference June 18-20, describes discipleship as […]

When new contractors and vendors come to visit the Tenth campus, as we show them the way to their work spaces, we often include the sanctuary along the way. Even if it means a more circuitous route, much can be communicated to an outsider about the church simply by standing on the tile and gazing about. Anyone, regardless of their faith background, feels a sense of grandeur, glory, and wonder. In some ways, the room represents the mission of the church, with […]

Desiring to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, we practice responsible stewardship through budgeting priorities in our finances. At the same time, we realize some special interests warrant designated giving, such as our children and youth. Beyond our prayers, beyond our promises at their baptism, funds fuel programs. In the past, these non-budget funds were raised by word-of-mouth to protect special offerings celebrated throughout the year, such as the Easter Sacrificial Offering. This year, the Trustees are opening […]

When you think about your church family, who do you think of? When I answer this question my thoughts drift to our pastors, the people sitting beside me (six feet away) in the pews, those serving alongside me in the nursery, my small group, and my Sunday school class. My mind quickly goes to those I see and talk to regularly. Rarely do I grasp the reality of just how big my Church family is. Every Sunday at Tenth, we […]

The outreach to immigrants, South Philadelphia English at Kirkbride (SPEAK), serves its adults utilizing ESL strategies to teach digital English lessons, verses, and stories from the Bible. Over the past year, we have experienced quite a journey. Since the original ESL program for adults at the Kirkbride School (February 2019-March 2020) was taking place during school hours, we were not permitted to share our Christian faith. We couldn’t pray with our adults or include Bible stories in the curriculum. March […]

For those who are familiar with the layout of Philadelphia, you likely know that the Schuylkill river delineates a sort of cultural divide. East of the Schuylkill is Center City, west of the Schuylkill is University City and West Philadelphia, all of which have distinct identities as neighborhoods in Philadelphia, but whose primary need is the same. Each person in those neighborhoods needs to know Jesus Christ. Over the past several months, the Lord has been working in the hearts […]

“When will things go back to normal?” We have heard or perhaps thought this question many times over the course of this year. What is it about normalcy that is so appealing? Normality occurs when something changeable conforms to a type of standard or pattern. That standard might be a natural law, or another kind of regulation. The “normal” boiling point of water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Public transportation systems have “normal” schedules. These regular patterns form the building blocks […]

One of the most heart-wrenching and yet encouraging privileges of serving with the Global Outreach Commission is hearing from our partners around the world. Month in and month out we receive reports which move us to prayer and thanksgiving. Even in a year of great change, these reports kept coming. As this global pandemic struck the far corners of the earth, including Philadelphia, it was a great encouragement to read testimonies to God’s unchanging faithfulness and love. These stories are […]