Wednesday's Catch: The Lord's Supper and More

What Should I Think About During the Lord’s Supper?

How should you take communion? I’m not talking about the form of being served, but what should be going on in our hearts and minds as we partake? Here are some things to consider. Let’s call them the five looks. Read More

The Lord's Supper not only makes visible our union with Christ but also our union with the Body of Christ--our fellow believers. It is a symbolic act that points to a greater reality: Christ is the source of our spiritual nourishment as well as the author of our salvation. Sharing the Supper together we show that we are one with him and with each other. This is just one of a number of dimensions of the Lord's Supper but it is an important one. If your church gathers on Maundy Thursday to share the Lord's Supper and the agape, it is a good time to teach those present about the dimensions of the Supper whose institution they are commemorating.

Why Hanging out with Your Congregation before the Service Can Be Some of the Most Important Time of the Day

I realize that not every reader will agree with me on this topic. I also realize that churches are so varied that few suggestions like this one apply the same way in every congregation. Nevertheless, I do believe that being among your congregation before the service can make a big difference in your pastoral ministry. Here’s why.... Read More

Did Jesus Actually Rise From the Dead? Majority UK Christians Not Sure

A new poll conducted by the British Broadcasting Corporation suggests that a majority of those who consider themselves Christians in the United Kingdom are not convinced Jesus physically died and rose from the dead. Read More

I am prompted to wonder whether clergy who claim many believers are struggling with the idea of Jesus' physical death and resurrection are struggling with this idea themselves. In my experience individuals who say "many people believe, a lot of people are saying, and so on" are actually reporting what they think. They are expressing their own doubts. I suspect(and I admit that I may be wrong) that Christians who reject Jesus' physical death and resurrection do not do so based upon deep reflection but rather on the simple fact it is not an everyday occurrence. They constantly witness what may be described as the finality of death. The idea that someone might rise from the dead is incomprehensible to them. But the truth is that although something may not be an everyday occurrence does not mean that it cannot happen or that it has not happened. It is simply outside our everyday experience. But how many of us experience the entirety of everything? I don't know anyone who has. Our experience is finite.

Christians Have Been Practicing Mindfulness for Centuries

Mindfulness in the Christian tradition has support in Scripture and church history. It’s a lost spiritual discipline that believers should reclaim. I define mindfulness for the Christian with these two words: Holy Noticing. Holy noticing is noticing with a holy purpose, God and His handiwork, our relationships, and our inner world of thoughts and feelings. Read More

Why Is It Inappropriate (and Dangerous) to Alert an Alleged Offender of Abuse Before Calling CPS and/or the Police?

When we learn of a report of abuse, we should not go to the alleged abuser first. That endangers the victim and confounds the legal process (an important, but too often neglected, consideration when an immoral action is also illegal). We should allow Romans 13 to play out and then begin to enact Matthew 18. This article reflects on “why” this is a good, biblical approach. Read More

Could Jesus Have Sinned

Jesus was tempted, but could he have sinned? Dr. Blair Smith of RTS takes on the question in this short video. Watch Now

How to Fall in Ministry

Each time it happens, we get less adept at incredulity, less inclined to outrage and distress. We’re not happy about it, of course, but we are, sadly, getting used to it. Then the backward troubleshooting begins, the diagnosing of sicknesses long after the deaths. Ministry post-mortems tell us so much, but it would be great if we could see the falls coming. But can’t we? Read More

A Three-Legged Stool for Extraordinary Prayer

Without a resolute commitment of 1) Time, 2) Attention and 3) Community, our efforts to learn to pray in life-transforming ways will always fall short. You could call these elements the three legs of a stool, with the stool being an extraordinary life of prayer. Read More

Dealing With Doubts in College (and Beyond)

If you’re struggling with doubt, I’d encourage you to relax. Take a deep breath. Doubts are a normal part of the journey with Jesus, and they’re especially common in times of transition. As you journey out the door, customizing your life into all that God would have it become, you’ll face doubts. But your identity is in Christ, and placing your faith in him will help you work through those doubts. Read More

To Live on Mission Will Never Fit Into Your Schedule. Try It Anyway.

As we talk with and coach leaders in missional living, one of the main hindrances is busyness. How can I live on mission when I’m already so busy? Can I really fit it into my schedule? Maybe it will be easier when things are less busy. But the truth is mission will never fit into your schedule. The key is learning to live your whole life as mission, and seeing where that takes you, and how it shapes your schedule. Read More

3 Reasons to Invite Unbelievers to Church This Easter

The vestiges of Christianity are present enough in our culture that many unbelieving, unchurched people will come to your church this Easter Sunday. So, I propose we take advantage of that and invite our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and colleagues to church this Easter Sunday. Read More

What Is Cultural Apologetics?

Effective apologetics today requires a genuine missionary encounter. Read More

How to Answer the 12 Strongest Objections to Christianity

For many today, both Christianity and Islam are unappealing because they seem violent and oppressive. But is the God of these great monotheistic religions really as bad as we think? When it comes to Christianity, McLaughlin—regular TGC contributor and cofounder of Vocable Communications—thinks the answer is surely no. Moreover, the common moral and intellectual objections to Christianity aren’t insurmountable. McLaughlin engages 12 of the hardest objections to Christianity, expertly showing how each challenge—when properly probed and understood—points to a good and loving God. Read More

Is Religious Decline Inevitable in the United States?

Current statistics about the secularization of American may come as a surprise. Read More