I have found that to know what really matters in life is to eliminate all the things that distract you from what really matters. Even though our minds are filled with other thoughts, preoccupied with schedules and not always thinking about heavenly things, the Easter message reminds us that what we do with our lives matters to Jesus. A column for the Advocate by Bishop Jonathan Holston.

It’s so easy to simply get caught up in the enthusiasm of the crowds and join the procession that has the loudest brass bands or the most elaborate floats or the greatest number of celebrities or the most charismatic leaders. It’s easy to miss the procession where Jesus is riding on a humble donkey proclaiming dominion, not with violence, but by courageously loving, humbly serving and bravely acknowledging his place among the victims of imperial power. A column by Bishop Jonathan Holston.

By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. As we continue in this season of Lent, of sacrifice, of self-reflection and seeking God, we are called to wrestle with how we bring hope to situations of despair in our world. On Feb. 14, once more we found ourselves in anguish over the loss of young lives in a mass shooting—this time with 17 dead and more than a dozen wounded at a high school in South Florida. Less than three months into this year, 30 mass shootings have been reported in our country.

As we prepare to embark this month upon our Lenten journey, we do so in the midst of a world that is in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

So once again it’s a new year, a time when we make resolutions. All of us desire a clean slate to bring change to our circumstances and improve our quality of life. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. Prayer focuses us to listen attentively for God to speak. As Mary wrestled with what it meant for her to bear the Son of God, so must we wrestle with what it means to carry the good news of God’s son into today’s world.

The cabinet and I have met the Hulapalooza Challenge, and now it is your turn! By Bishop Jonathan Holston.

By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. Across the Caribbean, Texas and Florida, the devastation of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria is extensive. While there is tremendous evidence of God’s faithfulness in our midst, we recognize that these are trying times that are overwhelming and often lead us to think there is nothing we can do to help.

In his latest column, Bishop Jonathan Holston reflects on the eclipse, Chatlottesville and the church's commitment to witness, advocacy and prayer.

Bishop Jonathan Holston reflects on how, as Ephesians reminds us, God does not push us around but is always at work within us.

By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. When I think about Annual Conference, it has always been a time of reinforcing our identity, mission and ministry as a community of faith. In other words, we are people who love God, seek to do God’s will, love and cherish each other and treat others with dignity and honesty, as well as people who build bridges of understanding and peace. This is who we are, what we do and why it matters...

Bishop Jonathan Holston writes about the 2017 South Carolina Annual Conference, what he calls "a blessed time to gather for praise, worship, service and holy conferencing."