Saturday, April 05, 2014
Revolutionary or Evolutionary? 5 Tips for Pastors in a New Role
The Pastor's Number One Resource. It Might Surprise You.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
The greatest resource for anyone in the ministry–other than the obvious Resource of the Holy Spirit Himself, of course–is not the internet, not one’s seminary, and not the public library. It’s not your denomination, and for those of us in the SBC, it’s not Lifeway Christian Resources.
Those are all good, and we recommend them highly. But they’re not the nearest and most reliable source of help for pastors.
It’s your brother.
The pastors in your area–shepherds of the Lord’s flocks just as you are–do the same work as you, struggle with the same issues, wrestle with the same temptations and enjoy the same rewards. You have more in common with the pastors in your town than with anyone else on the face of the earth. Keep reading
20 Questions to Ask Before Preaching Your Easter Sermon
Easter Sunday is like the Superbowl of preaching.
This may be your largest attended service of the year. Statistically, people are more open to visiting a church on Easter (and Christmas) than any other time of year.
Because of this, your Easter sermon is infinitely important.
The eternal destination of many people in attendance is hanging in the balance. For many of them, this is the only chance you will get this year to reach them. For some, it will be your last chance ever.
The weight of responsibility on a pastor to preach on Easter Sunday should not be underestimated.
As you put in the study, hard work, and spiritual preparation to preach this Easter, here are 20 questions to ask yourself. Keep reading
Why I Don’t Go to the Bible to Find a Text to Preach On
“God’s Word is not a text book.” That was one of the first sentences I heard in the toughest, best class I ever took in bible college. Hermeneutics from Norman Arnesen at Bethany College.
Professor Arnesen held his bible up for the class and spoke softly, but firmly.
“Please don’t ever treat this book as anything other than what it is. It’s not a text book, a rule book, or a collection of inspirational quotes. And, whatever you do, don’t ever go to the bible to find a passage to preach on for Sunday’s sermon.”
I was with him until that last part. Thankfully, he explained what sounded like heresy to me.
“It will be tempting, when you have to preach and teach two or three times a week (this was the era of the Sunday evening service and mid-week bible study) to open your bible and search for something – anything! – to inspire your next sermon or bible study. Please resist that temptation.” Keep reading
Social Media Marketing Steps for Your Company
Even just a few years ago, social media was practically non-existent. Now, with billions of social media users worldwide, this trend is here to stay. Social media is a great way for individuals to connect with friends and family, but it can also be beneficial for businesses in other ways. Businesses that use social media platforms to reach consumers have an advantage over businesses that don't. Keep reading
These steps are applicable to churches and para-church organizations.
Karaoke, art connect journeymen to culture
In a dim room walled with mirrors in East Asia, Phillip Bonner* and Jared Knight* watch a flashing TV screen and sing along to blaring karaoke music with their young friends. After a few hours, they pause the music and share their testimonies.
The next day, the two IMB workers sit in their small apartment. Bonner is at his computer creating artwork representing a Bible story in the style traditional to the unreached people group they seek to evangelize. Knight sits at a table with an open scrapbook, attaching pictures and writing Scripture verses.
The International Mission Board identifies a people group as an ethno-linguistic group with a common self-identity, and considers it unreached when less than 2 percent are evangelical Christians. Keep reading
See also
Painting talents provide joy, ministry
Upcoming Events: Anglican Connection 2014 Conference: October 28-30
The Anglican Connection's Annual Conference will be held at Beeson Divinity School, at Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama, from October 28-30, 2014.
The conference will focus on Effective Word-centric Ministry through Expository Preaching, Music, and Small Groups. Keynote speakers include Dr Graham Cole, Anglican Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, AL; and Dr Peter Adam, experienced pastor and former Principal of Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia. Peter Adam’s books include, ‘Speaking God’s Words: A practical theology of preaching’.
The Anglican Connection is a network of Anglican Churches within the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA).
For further details, contact the Anglican Connection.
New Zealand: Ma Whea? Report Released
The long-awaited report of the Ma Whea? Commission into the question of same-gender blessings and ordinations has been released.
The report, which is the fruit of 15 months’ work by five eminent New Zealand citizens, lists 10 options to inform the General Synod debate at Waitangi next month.
The options range from a more conservative statement about who can be blessed and ordained (ie a firmer statement than the canons now prescribe) through various degrees of change and liberalisation. Keep reading
NYC churches again suffer court setback
Dozens of churches stand to lose their meeting places in New York City public schools after another unfavorable court ruling.
The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals again upheld Thursday (April 3) a policy that bars worship services in the city's schools, saying the rule does not violate the First Amendment protection of religious liberty. The latest opinion in a nearly 20-year court case enables, though it does not require, the city's Board of Education to evict maybe as many as 80 congregations that use school facilities for corporate worship.
Bronx Household of Faith, the church involved in the lawsuit, is considering whether to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court or beyond the three-judge panel that made the decision to the full appeals court, its lawyer said.
The heads of the Southern Baptist Convention's religious freedom and North American missions entities registered their disagreement with the ruling. Keep reading
Friday, April 04, 2014
What Reformed Theology Is Not
The late theologian Cornelius Van Til once made the observation that Calvinism is not to be identified with the so-called five points of Calvinism. Rather, Van Til concluded that the five points function as a pathway, or a bridge, to the entire structure of Reformed theology. Likewise, Charles Spurgeon argued that Calvinism is merely a nickname for biblical theology. These titans of the past understood that the essence of Reformed theology cannot be reduced to five particular points that arose as points of controversy centuries ago in Holland with the Remonstrants, who objected to five specific points of the system of doctrine found in historic Calvinism. Those five points have become associated with the acrostic TULIP: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints.
It is the task of this article to approach the question of Reformed theology from the perspective of what is called in philosophy the via negativa. This method of approaching truth defines things in terms of what they are not; hence, it is called the “way of negation.” For example, when we speak of the nature of God, we say that He is infinite, which simply means that He is “not finite.” This is an example of the use of the way of negation. When we have a clear understanding of how to employ this method, the way of affirmation, its opposite, becomes manifest. As we look at what Reformed theology is not, it helps us to understand what it is. Keep reading
Reformation 101 [Video]
Below is the opening talk from Steve Nichols’s series of Reformation Profiles, where he looks at the solas of the Reformation through the various Reformers:
- Sola Scriptura: Martin Luther and the Rediscovery of the Authority of Scripture
- Sola Gratia: Ulrich Zwingli and the Rediscovery of Grace
- Sola Fide: Lady Jane Grey and the Rediscovery of Justification by Faith
- Sola Christus: John Calvin and the Blessing of Christ Alone
- Soli Deo Gloria: Glorifying God in Everything
- Q&A
And here are some other helpful entry points into understanding the reformation that changed the church, and the world. Learn more
Funding New Church Plants
Funding a new church plant is probably the most challenging aspect of the task. We aren’t usually doing well on this front. One option is to do a church plant that requires no or little money. This would include beginning as a house group movement. Or, remaining as a house church movement.
Another option is to meet only once a month and in small groups the remainder of the month. This will lower overhead by at least 1/2 the first period of growth. This approach requires high touch and high organizational abilities. Some are trying this but the jury’s out on its effectiveness.
Denominations don’t usually have the money these days to satisfactorily fund a plant. Most of us aren’t good enough nor have track record enough to inspire the confidence from leaders to garner much support. Many planters expect this support. The record is clear: 0utside helping struggling churches, denominational funds are usually just enough to hurt you.
So, what are the options? I know that depending on offering bags is a thing of the past for everyone. I suggest a comprehensive plan of funding as a planter who doesn’t have the partnership of a local church. Develop a three-year plan for funding that includes the following aspect. Keep reading
Formulary Friday: Collecting our prayers
The distinctive structure of the Prayer Book Collects is very helpful in composing our own prayers, in private and public, says Mark Smith.
The Prayer Book Collects are like precious, highly-polished jewels adorning a crown. They are the short prayers which ‘collect’ together particular concerns and themes expressed in the liturgy – and invariably combine clear and easily-memorable phrasing with a highly concentrated shot of sound doctrine.
We’ll have the opportunity to look at particular Collects on other occasions, but for now, let me suggest that the distinctive structure of the Prayer Book Collects gives us a very helpful model for composing our own prayers – whether in our personal prayer times, or in public worship. Keep reading
Photo: Mike Hensen, The London Free
Millennials and the false 'gospel of nice'
Perhaps you’ve heard that there is trouble brewing among evangelicals.
Younger Christians are weary of pitched cultural battles and are longing for the “real Jesus” – a Jesus who talks more about washing feet and feeding the poor than flashpoint issues like same-sex marriage and the sanctity of life.
If key evangelical influencers don’t listen, we are told, they are about to lose the entire millennial generation. Or, maybe that generation is already gone.
This story has been told with testimonials, chronicled in best-selling books and posted on popular blogs.
Here’s the short version: If only orthodox evangelical leaders would give up their antiquated beliefs, get more in step with the real Jesus, the church and the world would be better off.
Embedded in this narrative are two presuppositions:
• Young evangelicals are fleeing the church at a rapid pace.
• The real message of Jesus looks nothing like orthodox Christianity.
There’s only one thing wrong with these two ideas: They aren’t true.
Let me explain. Keep reading
Barna: "Americans Divided on the Importance of Church"
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Is church important to your spiritual life? Given that you're reading this on a site dedicated to ministry leadership, we hope it is. But not everyone in your community—or congregation—feels as strongly as you do. Recent research from Barna indicates that to the question of, "What helps Americans grow in their faith,"
"… people offered a variety of answers—prayer, family or friends, reading the Bible, having children—but church did not even crack the top-10 list."Keep reading
Federal Appeals Court Upholds NYC's Ban on Worship Services at Public Schools
Bronx Household of Faith v. NYC Board of Education Case Finally Concluded After Decades-Long Battle?
An appeals court in New York City on Thursday ruled that the Board of Education was abiding by the law in prohibiting the Bronx Household of Faith from using public school facilities for worship services during off-hours.
The 2-1 vote, a reversal of a 2012 injunction against the city, comes amid a decades-long battle between church leaders and city officials. The plaintiff's attorneys say they are considering appealing, once more, to the Supreme Court.
Robert Hall, pastor of the Bronx Household of Faith, said he was "very sad" about the court's decision, according to the New York Daily News.
"This is about our rights. There seems to be an increasing attempt to marginalize Christianity in civilization," added Hall.
The Court of Appeals' decision potentially affects numerous other faith communities across New York City's five boroughs, although many Christian congregations share worship space at available churches on Sundays. Keep reading
See also
Three Reasons Why NYC Should Let Schools Rent to Churches Regardless of Today's Ruling
Latino Evangelical Leaders Disappointed With 'Absolutely Unnecessary' NYC Ban on Worship Services in Public Schools
Muslims Drag Christian Woman From Car in Egypt, Stab and Brutally Beat Her for Having Cross on Display
Christian Woman Was Delivering Medicine to the Sick Near Her Church at the Time
An eyewitness report indicates a Coptic woman was recently attacked by Islamic extremists while delivering medicine to the sick near her church in the suburbs of Cairo, Egypt. The attack is one of many carried out by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood after the toppling of former leader Mohamed Morsi.
Although several Egyptian media outlets did not report on last Friday's violent attack in Ain Shams, a suburb of Cairo, an eyewitness of the gruesome event still managed to relay their story to 90 Minutes, a program of the al-Mehwar satellite network.
One Coptic Christian told the media outlet of the horrific event on Friday, when a mob of Islamic extremists reportedly attacked 25-year-old Mary Sameh George, a Copt who was delivering medicine to an elderly friend near her church when attackers noticed a cross hanging from the rear view mirror in her car. They then reportedly attacked her in her car, eventually pulling her out onto the street where she was stabbed. Keep reading
Thursday, April 03, 2014
Who Should Fund a Church Plant?
Church planting is vital to the growth of the global church, but who's stuck with the bill?
When it comes to paying for the new church plant, who should be the one paying the bill?
Are national denominations needed to solicit and divide funds for all their church planters? What role should local and regional organizations play? Where do other churches come in?
While planting a church may originate simply with a vision placed in the heart of a would-be pastor, the logistics of starting a new church require thought and planning if you are going to plant in what has become the typical model. (I've written often on house churches and other approaches, but that is not this aritcle.)
So, if you are planting in a typical matter, you need a funding plan. Keep reading
Photo: www.churchplanting.com
Is an Online Church Really a Church?
Every church should have an online presence, but a physical presence is necessary as well.
Come on—it's 2014.
Every church should have an online presence.
Your church people and your community are there, so you should be as well. But that is different than referring to something that happens via your website as a "church."
Can an online gathering of Christians be classified as a church? Let's think through this by asking five questions. Keep reading
Graphic: theepicjourney.com
7 Helpful Skills for Pastors Leading Growing Churches
I came close to titling these “essential” skills, but I knew that was unfair. God can and does work through all different types of people. But, He has appointed some to be leaders, some teachers, etc. And, I know this from my experience working with and hearing from dozens of pastors each month. There are some great pastors who admit they aren’t skilled at leading the church.
I believe there are some helpful skills for those who want to lead a church to not only care for and disciple the people in the church now, but actually grow and be healthy at the same time — where there is momentum and unity and excitement around the vision of the Great Commission.
Here are a 7 helpful skills I’ve observed.... Keep reading
Why Talking About Church Growth (and Health) Matters
It’s inevitable. Every single time we publish an article on pastors.com designed to help Pastors lead their churches to grow, people react with defensiveness and pseudo-spiritual comments. Everyone seems quick to point out that “it’s not about numbers,” “bigger doesn’t mean better,” and “my small church matters just as much as your big church.”
Yes. We know. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a small church. Small churches do awesome things for the kingdom and for their communities. And Pastors of churches of fifty people can have just as much integrity and just as much of God’s blessing as Pastors of churches of five thousand. Transfer growth is not a net gain for the church – we need to talk about conversion growth. All true.
Some go even further to imply that if you’re big, you must have gotten big by compromising the gospel or watering down God’s truth. These critics can’t help but grit their teeth when they talk about “those megachurches!!”
Here’s the problem. When we celebrate smallness as though growth is optional, we show that we think of the world around us as if our churches exist separately from it. With little regard to the fact that population growth is outrunning us and we’re failing to effectively fulfill the Great Commission in America, we assume that as long as my own experience at church on Sunday is a good one, we’re fine.
We need to talk about church growth because it’s a matter of life-and-death, eternal consequences for millions and billions of people. That’s why we should challenge our churches to grow by sharing the gospel. That’s why we should celebrate stories of growth instead of being overly skeptical and critical. That’s why we should focus on the spiritual needs of those who are outside the church instead of the emotional comfort of those inside it. Keep reading
What Churches Can Do To Ensure Visitors Return The Sunday After Easter
Troy Page recently noted on TonyMorganLive.com, “Remember that the win is not how many people show up for Easter – it’s how many people come back.Shoot for 75% of your Easter crowd.”
This morning I was sitting in our church parking lot waiting on my daughter to get out of her high school small group. Waiting gave me a great opportunity to listen to the conversations of those leaving our church service.
The most impactful conversation took place between a father and his young daughter. He asked the following questions:
- “Did you have fun today?”
- “What did you learn about Jesus?”
These two questions were a reminder of Page’s comments above and what constitutes a win for churches on Easter Sunday. Keep reading
The Great Ordinary Commission
When I teach on the Great Commission, I often begin by asking my students, “What is Jesus’ primary emphasis in the Great Commission?” Typically, most students reply, “evangelism.” I then ask them to read the Great Commission from Matthew 28:18–20, after which I ask my question a second time. The students quickly see that although the Great Commission includes a call to evangelism, it doesn’t actually contain the word evangelism. What the students observe through more careful study of the Great Commission is that Jesus’ primary emphasis is on making disciples.
Making disciples certainly includes evangelism but is by no means limited to evangelism. The sort of disciple-making to which Jesus commissions the church involves much more, including baptizing and teaching. Simply put, if we have only evangelized a people or a nation, we have not been obedient to the fullness of the Great Commission. In addition to evangelism, Jesus provided us with specific instructions that we are to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” and that we are to teach people “to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Moreover, if we have only evangelized, baptized, and received a person into church membership, we have not been obedient to the fullness of the Great Commission. Both baptizing and teaching are the ministry of the local church around the world, and this is why the local church sends us forth to make disciples. As missionaries, preachers, and teachers, we go to all nations to plant, equip, and disciple the church of Jesus Christ. We are called not simply to evangelize and baptize and move on, but we are called to stay the course to do the hard work of teaching Jesus’ disciples to observe all that He commanded, including the command to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Keep reading
See also
Make Disciples
Teaching Them to Observe
What Is Truth?
Free Ebook – Discipling Skeptics and Seekers: Why Every Believer Needs to Share Their Faith
If we are serious about the Great Commission and making disciples, then we need to be serious about evangelism because evangelism is the discipleship of skeptics and seekers of Jesus, say InterVarsity ministry leaders Beau Crosetto and James Choung. In this new FREE eBook, the authors help leaders understand two things: 1) Why every believers needs to be doing evangelism and leading people to faith: and 2) How you can create a culture of witness in your church or faith community. For too long, we were pressuring people, and now we have become passive in evangelism. Crosetto and Choung say the time is now to seek a third and better way. Learn more
Download the eBook
Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Anglicans Ablaze Midweek Special Edition: April 2, 2014
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In this midweek special edition of Anglicans Ablaze:
- Standing Firm for the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone [Video; Transcript]
- Are Your Efforts to Contextualize the Gospel All about You?
- The Fault Lines Before the Evangelical Earthquake
- Building Better Partnerships
- Why We Obey
- Perfectly Holy in Jesus Christ
- How the Bible Defines Shepherd [Video]
- What's Wrong with People Pleasing?
- Pastors, We Don’t Expect a TED Talk, But We Need a God-and-You Talk
- When Scripture Is the Controversy
- The Truth of the Bible Still Matters, and It Alway Will
- Top Commentaries on Every Book of the Bible
- What Worship Style Attracts the Millennials
- 4 Questions Pastors Should Ask Before Criticizing Online
- 4 Ways to Use Vine
- The Truth of the Cross — Free Audiobook
- Religious 'Nones' Defy Simple Political And Racial Categorization As Numbers Grow
Standing Firm for the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone [Video; Transcript]
In this excerpt from his message at our 2012 Ligonier West Coast Conference, R.C. Sproul explains why it’s imperative to hold fast to the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Watch now
Read transcript
Stream the 2012 West Coast Conference for Free
Are Your Efforts to Contextualize the Gospel All about You?
I never thought moving from one suburb to another would make me reconsider my approach to contextualizing the gospel. That stuff is for missionaries and urban church planters, right?
It turns out it's also for a junior high pastor from a formal church in a conservative Midwest suburb who takes an associate pastor role at a casual church in a liberal suburb in the South.
I immediately enjoyed adapting to my new context. Being in a progressive part of the country, I felt closer to the "front lines" of the battle for the kingdom. My assignment to teach a Sunday school class of young adults—many earning MAs and PhDs—allowed me to indulge my theological and exegetical nerdiness in a way that I couldn't with my former junior highers. The switch from preaching in suits to an open collar was a nice perk. (And I chuckled to myself when I checked the weather up North.)
Who knew contextualizing the gospel could be so great?
Then one morning the next empty box on my Bible reading plan sat beside 1 Corinthians 9. Though I had read this passage countless times, I noticed something I never saw before: sacrifice was the hallmark of Paul's contextualization. Verse by verse, the Spirit began to show me that my enjoyment of my new context—even if not in egregiously sinful ways—betrayed more of a concern for my preferences and pride, not the lost.
Although my theology of contextualizing has remained intact, since that morning I've been forced to reconsider how I go about doing it. Despite how selfless "becoming all things to all people" sounds, our deceitful hearts enable us to apply the principle selfishly.
Are you contextualizing the gospel in a way that is more about you than the people you are ministering to? The following three questions that rise out of 1 Corinthians 9 will help you find out. Keep reading
The Fault Lines Before the Evangelical Earthquake
The recent controversy surrounding World Vision USA’s decision to open employment to same-sex couples and the organization’s subsequent reversal reveals the fault lines in evangelicalism today.
For the evangelicals distraught by World Vision’s initial decision, the controversy was never about the legitimacy or worthiness of people with differing views of marriage doing good work around the world. We should applaud good deeds of relief and compassion wherever we see them and wherever they come from. No, this particular controversy was about the meaning of evangelical.
Can an institution with an historic evangelical identity be divided on an issue as central as marriage and family and still be evangelical? Related to this discussion are questions about the authority and interpretation of Scripture, cultural engagement, and institutional power. All sides of the debate recognize that the definition of evangelical is at stake, which is why some are now publicly casting off the term altogether.
The World Vision decision was a tremor that warns us of a coming earthquake in which churches and leaders historically identified with evangelicalism will divide along all-too-familiar fault lines.
Here are the three camps I see right now.... Keep reading
Photo: United States Geological Survey
Building Better Partnerships
Partnerships and collaboration are crucial to getting things done in today's culture. And great organizations partner well. If you want to grow your organization, project or initiative, then finding, building and sustaining great partnerships has to be part of your plan. Here are a few thoughts as you consider the possibilities. Keep reading
Why We Obey
When I was a new Christian, I learned that I owed the Lord obedience in every sphere of life. Yet I was a bit muddled as to why I obeyed. If asked to explain, I answered three ways, which we can call the way of wisdom, the way of trust, and the way of gratitude. Keep reading
Perfectly Holy in Jesus Christ
Christ Stimulates a Life of Holiness
When it comes to holiness, I’ve got it, and I’ve got a lock on humility too…
Well, perhaps I better come clean—I struggle to be humble. There, I said it. Thanks for hearing me out; feels good to get that off my chest. At least I’ve still got holiness. Seriously. Just look at the Corinthian Christians. They were messed up (and so am I)! If Paul could call them “sanctified,” or set apart, and “saints,” or holy ones, then I think it’s fair to say I’m holy, for I too have called on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:2).
Now, truth be told, I have no claim on holiness as a description of my conduct. I’m holy only in the sense that God the Father has set me apart from the world in Christ through the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 1:2), but this one sense matters immensely. Let me explain… Keep reading
How the Bible Defines Shepherd [Video]
“Shepherding” is an unusual term in our modern society. Most of us have only encountered sheep at a petting zoo. But shepherding is a term the Bible uses often in referring to leaders. Shepherds were a normal, common part of the culture in the Ancient Near East, and people who heard this term in Jesus’ day would have understood immediately what it meant and why it mattered. Aaron Ivey, the worship pastor at The Austin Stone Church, explains what the Bible means by this term and why it’s crucial to understand in our modern, western context. Watch now
What's Wrong with People Pleasing?
The pitfalls of approval-motivated leadership.
James is a young pastor in his first church. James learned great theology from seminary, but very little about what to expect from boards or how to handle conflict. His first meeting shakes him.
Several board members come across as harsh and opinionated. Several times James tries to make a point, but each time his ideas get shot down. When he verbally agrees with the deacons, even though internally he doesn't agree, they respond with smiles and affirmation. He begins to regularly acquiesce to these deacons to keep their approval and support, thus subconsciously forming some patterns of thinking and relating. In board meetings, he constantly scans the deacons' eyes and body language to gauge the meeting's emotional temperature.
Based on what he senses, he knows when to speak and when to remain quiet. He finds that being agreeable and non-assertive makes the meetings more peaceful. Even though he may disagree with a decision or want to go in a different direction, he doesn't speak up. He puts on a smile, nods, and agrees. And he feels better, at least in the meetings. But the next day he berates himself for not speaking up.
James also begins to notice something else. The day the deacons hold their monthly meeting, he always has to take a heavy dose of ibuprofen to stop a headache. Resentment slowly builds. His wife and kids also notice that he becomes irritable with them on those meeting days. This cycle repeats itself for his entire five years as pastor of this church …
People-pleasing, approval-motivated leadership afflicts many of today's church leaders. Keep reading
Pastors, We Don’t Expect a TED Talk, But We Need a God-and-You Talk
Pastors face a lot of pressure to perform. Some of it, admittedly, is self-imposed.
One of the main places this pressure is felt is in the demand to research, write and deliver a great sermon every week.
In fact, several times in the last few months, I’ve read blog posts that have suggested that every Sunday sermon should be like a TED Talk.
In today’s post, I’d like to do two things that may seem impossible to accomplish simultaneously.
- Relieve some of the performance pressure
- Challenge us all towards something better
But first, let me answer a question that many of you may be asking. Keep reading
When Scripture Is the Controversy
If we learned anything from last week, maybe it’s that the real controversy among evangelicals in the coming days will be about the Bible, not homosexuality.
Beneath the surface of the recent scuffle is the more vital issue of how disciples of Jesus posture themselves toward God’s word. It’s not simply about our grasp of what Scripture is, or our conviction of Scripture’s inerrancy, or even where we land with different interpretations. It’s fundamentally about how we approach the words of God, even before we get to the interpretation part. It’s about how we look when we’re looking at Scripture.
The question is: What is the church doing when it’s doing what it does with the Bible? Keep reading
The Truth of the Bible Still Matters, and It Always Will
The Bible is literally true.
If I just lost you, that's okay. I get that this may come across as a weird statement to anyone reading who is 1) not a Christian, 2) a new Christian, or 3) a "progressive" Christian who disagrees. And it's downright laughable to the skeptic who denies it on scientific or historical grounds. I'm okay with that.
I made a rather significant decision when I was seventeen years old. I was struggling with God's calling on my life and my father-in-law gave me a copy of W. A. Criswell's autobiography, Standing On the Promises. While reading Criswell's words, I not only became convinced God was calling me to be a Pastor, but also that the foundation for preaching and leadership is the inerrant, infallible Word of God found in the Bible. Criswell recounts this story.... Keep reading
Top Commentaries on Every Book of the Bible
The last twenty years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number and quality of biblical commentaries being published. With such a large number being published every year, it can be difficult to choose among them.
To help as you select biblical commentaries for your study, Reformation Bible College’s Dr. Keith Mathison has put together a list of his “Top 5” commentaries for each book of the Bible. Learn more
What Worship Style Attracts the Millennials
My son, Jess Rainer, and I recently spoke in Texas on the topic of the Millennials, America’s largest generation of nearly 79 million persons. Because we co-authored a book entitled The Millennials, we have had the opportunity to speak on the subject on many occasions.
We reminded this audience in Dallas of the birth dates of this generation, 1980 to 2000, and then proceeded to share our research. We had commissioned LifeWay Research to survey 1,200 of the older Millennials; the researchers did an outstanding job. We have thus been able to share incredible amounts of data and insights from these young adults.
The Question about Worship Style
And though Jess and I did not originally ask those questions in our research, we have sufficient anecdotal evidence to respond. And our response is usually received with some surprise. The direct answer is “none of the above.” Keep reading
4 Questions Pastors Should Ask Before Criticizing Online
My #1 pet peeve of pastors online would be the same as my #1 pet peeve of pastors offline. That’s usually the case with me. I see a strong connection between our online and offline behavior. Except, in this case, there is one small problem: I never (or at least very rarely) see pastors display the behavior I’m about to discuss in real life.
It seems to be a way of relating they’ve reserved for Twitter and Facebook.
What’s the behavior I’m talking about? I call it witch hunting. Keep reading
4 Ways to Use Vine
Create short video clips with Vine to improve your church's social network presence.
Vine
a mobile app that allows you to create and post six-second video clips that can be shared or embedded in social networking sites
40+ Million
number of Vine users
Vine shouldn’t be used to attempt to get an entire message across, but it should be used as a conversation starter and to get people curious about your ministry. If used creatively Vine will spur curiosity that will hopefully turn into a visit to your church. Learn more
The Truth of the Cross — Free Audiobook
During the month of April, we’re giving away the unabridged audiobook download of The Truth of the Cross by R.C. Sproul and read by Lawrence F. Pritchett.
In The Truth of the Cross, Dr. Sproul surveys the great work accomplished by Jesus Christ through His crucifixion—the redemption of God’s people. He considers the atonement from numerous angles and shows conclusively that the cross was absolutely necessary if anyone was to be saved. The Truth of the Cross is an uncompromising reminder that the atonement of Christ is an absolutely essential doctrine of the Christian faith, one that should be studied and understood by all believers. Learn more
Religious 'Nones' Defy Simple Political And Racial Categorization As Numbers Grow
In recent surveys, the religious “nones” — as in, “none of the above” — appear to lead in the faith marketplace. In fact, “none” could soon be the dominant label U.S. adults pick when asked to describe their religious identity.
But they may not be who you think they are. Today, “nones” include many more unbranded believers than atheists, and an increasingly diverse racial and ethnic mix.
And, researchers say, this is already making nones’ attitudes and opinions less predictably liberal on social issues. Keep reading
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Three Views: How Can Churches Reach Nominal Believers Before They Become 'Nones'?
Experts discuss how to prevent nominal Christians from leaving the faith.
Deliver a Jolt
Drew Dyack
When we think of the evangelistic challenge presented by ardent atheists, outreach to nominal Christians seems like a breeze.
After all, nominal Christians have a positive view of the faith, enough of one to identify with Christianity. They're not apt to rail against religion or deny the existence of God. When it comes to reaching them with the gospel, it's tempting to think they just need a nudge.
But actually, they might need a jolt. Keep reading
Image: Illustration by James O’Brien
Aged Out of Church
Even in our congregations, midlife has become a joke.
As anyone who's hit midlife and they'll tell you: this stage is no joke for us.
The emotional, spiritual, physical, and relational shifts that occur at midlife can lead to disconnection from old social networks and a profound sense of loneliness, which brings with it serious health risks. At this point, many also feel drained by the increasingly common occurrence of death, disease, divorce, and the changes that redefine old friendships.
And yet, rather than engage these important but uncomfortable issues that come with aging, our culture—including, at times, the church—would rather laugh it off. We see midlife as a caricature: the man with a bad comb over buying a red convertible or a thick-waisted woman drenched with sweat after her internal thermostat cranks itself up to the "temporary inferno" setting. We make the middle-aged into a punchline:
- Midlife crisis is that moment you realize your children and your clothes are about the same age. (Insert rimshot here.)
- The good news about midlife is that the glass is still half-full. The bad news is that it won't be long before your teeth are floating in it.
- Don't think of them as hot flashes. Think of it as your inner child playing with matches.
Sure, the jokes are funny in a late-night TV monologue kind of way, but for Christians, midlife needs to be more than merely a punchline.
Church should be a place of meaningful connection with God and others at every stage of our lives, but nearly half of more than 450 people who participated in an informal and completely unscientific survey I hosted on my blog last year told me that their local church had in some painful ways exacerbated the challenges they faced at midlife. As a result, they'd downshifted their involvement in the local church from what it had been a decade ago. Keep reading
Image: Photo of Paul McCartney - an Aging Icon of the Baby Boom Generation
Image: Photo of Paul McCartney - an Aging Icon of the Baby Boom Generation
How churches can support each other through financial twinning
Churches which preach the biblical gospel are twinning financially so that richer churches can partner the work of poorer ones. In this article from the latest edition of Crossway, James Paice explains how and why they are doing it. Keep reading
How might gospel-centered churches in your denomination partner together to support each others' ministry?
The Atonement in the Tabernacle: Exodus and Leviticus by Dr. Scot McKnight
Dr. Scot McKnight elaborates on different theories of the atonement, particularly dealing with the Passover.
Atonement theories, in spite of the many claims that some of these theories did not arise until the patristic era or the medieval era or during the Reformation, derive from biblical exegesis. There are then biblical groundings for each theory—from the classical theory sometimes called Christus Victor to the satisfaction of God's honor theory with Anselm or with the more substitutionary theory of the Reformers—so it is historically inaccurate to pretend that atonement theories belong to specific eras and, the earlier one is, the better the theory.
Furthermore, we diminish the glory of the cross of Christ when we are forced to choose which theory is ours. Over coffee one day a pastor told me he had chosen the Abelardian theory and, as he put it, "You can have only one." So I did my best to provide a case for a multi-metaphor theory of the atonement. Keep reading
“Spy” Considerations for Easter Sunday
Last year, I published on this blog, “Eight Confessions of Church Spies,” a summary report from the “spies” our church consulting team, the Lawless Group, has used over the years. As we approach the season of Resurrection Sunday—when guests are more abundant at our churches—perhaps these questions will help you consider what guests experience at your church. You might want to evaluate over the next two weeks so you are more prepared for Easter Sunday. Keep reading
Make Your Announcement Segment Better
It’s the weekly spot in the worship lineup dreaded by many church staffers (and some attendees!): service announcements. Why? They often go on and on. Try limiting your announcement to three items. Keep each announcement short. Cast vision for why the item is important and why people should care. Know what you’re going to say and be enthusiastic. There’s a lot of pressure to announce all sorts of activities, but limiting the space will help you stay focused on what’s important, and it will help your congregation be better informed, too. Keep reading
T4G Panel on “Group Ministry in the Local Church”
Groups are a big part of local church ministry. Whether they come in the form of discipleship groups, accountability groups, Sunday School, or home groups, it’s clear that evangelicals believe groups matter.
For this reason, The Gospel Project is excited about hosting a discussion panel on Group Ministry in the Local Church at Together for the Gospel on Wednesday, April 9th in the zero dollar book store from 2:00-2:40. Learn more
20 Nigerian churches destroyed during violent March
Christian cleric calls on military to thwart ‘barbaric’ campaign
More than 20 churches have been destroyed by Fulani herdsmen during attacks on communities in Benue State, Nigeria.
The attacks in Nigeria’s "Middle Belt" started early in March but resumed March 23 in the town of Gbajimba, in the Guma Local Government Area. The attacks have claimed more than 100 lives of local Christian farmers of the Tiv tribe.
Benue State is 95 percent Christian, and the rest mostly Muslim.
Benue Gov. Gabriel Suswam on March 11 escaped injury when his convoy was ambushed by Fulani herdsmen who engaged his security aides in gunfire at one of the affected villages in the Guma area.
The Muslim Fulani, believed to be from neighbouring states, have attacked a number of communities, killing Tiv farmers and setting their houses ablaze. Keep reading
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