Death Toll from Volcán de Fuego's Eruption Rises: Pray for the Churches and People in Guatemala

While searching the internet for articles to which post links for today's edition of Anglicans Ablaze, I came across this article, "What Kīlauea Cannot Take: How to Pray for Churches in Hawaii." The volcanic eruption on Hawaii's main island has caused a lot of property damage and impacted the island's population in other ways. But from what I have read, the volcanic eruption in Guatemala has taken a far greater toll in lives, livestock, and livelihoods. The eruption caught many people living near the volcano by surprise. While the churches in Hawaii may need our prayers so do the people and churches in Guatemala. Guatemala may enjoy the highest gross national product in Central America, but 75% of its population live in poverty. Many people were forced to live near the volcano because they had no where else that they could live.

The Very Personal Power of the Holy Spirit

While traveling the nation, speaking in a wide assortment of congregations, I’ve observed a troubling trend of language that depersonalizes the Holy Spirit. Rather than the supernatural and personal indwelling of God’s Spirit, the vernacular of songs, and even preachers, might lead many to believe that the Holy Spirit is some ethereal “force” that periodically appears, perhaps blowing in from the building’s ventilation system. I get the feeling in many places that we are conjuring up an elusive “it” rather than celebrating and cherishing the transforming power of an indwelling “Him.”

Majority Confusion

According to a recent study by Lifeway Research, 56 percent of evangelical Christians say the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a person. In that same study, 28 percent of responders said the Spirit is a divine being, but not equal to God the Father and Jesus. Only 51 percent disagreed. Twenty-one percent were not sure.1

I am convinced that even among those who intellectually and theologically affirm that the Holy Spirit is a person, many still speak of Him as a “force” that mysteriously arrives from some obscure location. They describe Him in third person language as “The Presence” or a “power” in the atmosphere. I am deeply concerned that the Holy Spirit, even in contexts where His work is emphasized and His presence evoked, has become the “misrepresented God.” Read More

What to Do When Your Church Seems to Be Dying

No church leader I know wants to see another church close its doors. We need every local church, now more than ever, if we’re going to fulfill the Great Commission as soon as possible. I’m a Baptist who still believes in the perpetuity of biblical, local New Testament churches until Jesus comes again. But each local church in history has tended to have its own life cycle. Some are revived and have a whole new life. Others disband and dissolve. And many churches limp along in mere survival mode for a couple of decades until their stalwart generation is gone and then close their doors.

Here’s a hard truth. Sometimes, churches need to die. Sometimes, churches need a miraculous healing and fresh breath of life. God is certainly in the miracle-working business and is alive and well on His throne, but under His sovereign reign, history proves that miracles aren’t always in order from His perspective.

If you think your church might be dying, here are some possible next moves. Read More

5 Rather Surprising Findings About Growing And Declining Churches

Carey recently shared 5 attitude differences he sees in the leaders of growing vs. declining churches.

He hit the nail on the head.

My team at The Unstuck Group and I are on the ground serving in 100s of churches of all different sizes each year, and I can confirm his observations. Read More

Related Post:
5 Significant Attitude Differences That Separate Growing And Declining Churches

Evangelism Is NOT Optional! #04

Loving the Lost

It’s fascinating that a lot of Christians don’t seem to like non-Christians, often referred to as the lost or the unchurched. Often we want to keep away from messy people—perhaps missing the obvious that we are messy as well. Read More

Moving Our Congregations to More Effective Evangelism

Too often, people view the connection between discipleship and evangelism in one of two ways: either they inseparably lump them into one category, or one gets relegated to the wastelands of our faith life. If we are honest, usually evangelism gets the short end of the stick. The truth is, discipleship must include evangelism. Being a disciple of Christ means doing the work of evangelism. Read More

A New Equation for Collaboration in Mission

The Great Commission plus the Great Commandment added to a Great Commitment, multiplied by Great Collaborations results in Great Communities. Read More

Friday's Catch: "To Grow a Healthy Church, Become a Healthier Leader" and More

To Grow a Healthy Church, Become a Healthier Leader

When you become a pastor, you become a leader. I’m often asked specifics about my administrative style, but I think leadership style is just as important. Understanding basic, universal leadership concepts is essential to your success. Here are six non-negotiable facts about leadership.... Read More

9 Mistakes Leaders Make

It’s no secret that Christian leaders are struggling these days. Given this reality, I am updating and revising this post first published in 2014. Here are some leadership failures the Bible apparently doesn’t want us to miss.... Read More

5 Right And Wrong Ways To Deal With Criticism

Ron Edmondson offers insight about the good and bad ways we respond to ministry criticism. Read More

Characteristics of Effective Prayer

One very important condition for effective prayer is to be committed to walking out a lifestyle of righteousness before God and people, as indicated in James 5:16.... Read More

Key Digital Discipleship Strategies For Your Church [Podcast]

Everything has changed in the last two decades in the way we communicate. If people’s attention is on digital platforms, we should be on those platforms making them into disciples of Jesus. Listen Now

Seven Tips for Pastors on Facebook - Rainer on Leadership #439 [Podcast]

Social media can be tricky for pastors and church staff. Who to connect with? Who to ignore? It’s not easy, so today Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe provide seven tips for navigating Facebook. Listen Now

10 Signs You’re on the Right Track to Self-Control

It can be hard to gauge if your growing in self-control; here, from Proverbs, are 10 characteristics of people who demonstrate it. Read More

NEW RESEARCH: 5 Stats on How Teens Use Technology

How teenagers use technology in the present has often signaled how broader culture will use technology in the future. We should be paying attention to how young people are using technology so that we can see what the future may be like and how we can handle it with wisdom. Read More

CDC: U.S. Suicide Rates Have Climbed Dramatically

Suicide rates have increased in nearly every state over the past two decades, and half of the states have seen suicide rates go up more than 30 percent. Suicide is a major public health issue, accounting for nearly 45,000 deaths in 2016 alone. That is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta decided to take a comprehensive look at suicides from 1999 to 2016. Read More

One way a church can serve its community is to take a greater role in suicide prevention.

Disciples Keep Christ’s Commandments

When Jesus first called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew into His service, His command to them was, “Follow me.” In time, those who came behind or followed Jesus became known as His “disciples,” “students,” or “followers.” Throughout His ministry, Jesus made it clear to His listeners that being His disciples was not simply about receiving an education or even adhering to a set of ethical principles or stipulations. To be a disciple of Jesus meant to recognize Him for who He really was—the incarnate Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah—and therefore to reorient one’s life so that it conformed to the standards of His heavenly kingdom.

In John 14:15, Jesus put this truth plainly to His disciples like this: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That may seem like a simple, even simplistic, statement, but if we look at it closely, we realize that it teaches us much about what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus. Read More

How to Deal with an Aging Facility in a Revitalization or Replant - Revitalization & Replant #044

Aging facilities can be a drain on a church—especially one needing revitalization. Today, Thom Rainer, Mark Clifton, and Jonathan Howe discuss how to best address this issue. Listen Now

Evangelism Is NOT Optional! #03

Evangelism for Impatient People … Like Me

Patience is key for evangelism—sometimes it takes days, weeks, months or years for it to bear fruit—keep sharing your faith. Read More

5 Steps to Creating a Culture of Evangelism in Your Church

It is a sad reality today that many churches are simply not reaching many people for Christ.  Read More

Respectfully Engaging Judaism [Video]

In this episode of the Dallas Theological Seminary's The Table Podcast, Drs. Darrell L. Bock and Mitch Glaser discuss respectfully engaging Judaism. Watch Now

Start Planning Now for a Smooth Succession

Church succession can be a sticky subject and sometimes involves a lot of awkward conversations. But it doesn’t have to. As pastors age, they can prepare so that the transition of leadership in their churches passes smoothly and their churches are set to stay on a healthy trajectory. Read More

Becoming a Praying Church

In January, our church leaders set a vision to become a more prayerful church, and I have greatly appreciated this focus. I often find my prayer life lacking because I tend to prioritize most everything else over prayer. And, since this tendency seems to be pretty common, it affects how the church approaches prayer. Many churches cut out prayer during the worship service if they’re short on time. Or, prayer is used as a mere transition time to get the band on or off stage. In short, prayer tends to take a backseat.

That’s why my church’s emphasis on prayer has been so encouraging and convicting. We’ve distributed notebooks to write down prayer requests; we’ve committed to follow-up on those requests from both believers and non-believers; we create a prayer calendar each month that directs us and helps us as a church to be unified through prayer.

Now that we’re halfway through the year, I’m reflecting on how the Lord has used this focus to teach me about prayer. Read More

The Ordinary Means of Discipleship

In Acts 2:42, Luke provides a summary of the ways believers in the early church grew as disciples. He writes, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” According to Luke, these Christians devoted themselves to four basic means by which they were discipled. Let us consider these means and the way in which the risen Christ still uses them today in the lives of His people. Read More

Related Posts:
Christians Are Disciples
The Double-Minded Man

These three articles and "What Is a Disciple?"the article to which I posted a link yesterday come from the June issue of Table Talk, which focuses on discipleship. I will be posting links to the remaining articles in that issue over the next few days. They are the kind of article that pastors and church leaders may wish to share with members of their congregations to help them gain a better understanding of what discipleship is about. Whether we practice infant baptism and confirmation or believer baptism, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that those making a profession of faith have a proper understanding of the nature of discipleship. In my lifetime I have encountered too many churchgoers who really do not understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday's Catch: "Why Conflict Leads to Complacency in Many Churches" and More

The Rainer Report: Why Conflict Leads to Complacency in Many Churches

Thom Rainer examines the different ways that conflict leads to complacency in the local church. Watch Now

A Pastor’s U-Turn

Like David, pastors are shepherds who experience dangerous temptations which can lead to devastating results. Our private failures often result in public collateral damage. I pray this post reaches some who are still on the edge of the cliff, instead at the bottom of it. Consider these four questions as you consider a U-turn today. Read More

How to Ruin Your Life [Podcast]

LifeWay’s Eric Geiger joins Pastor Talk host Marty Duren to discuss his latest book, How to Ruin Your Life. Listen Now

Leading in a Diverse World

Leaders have a unique role to play in creating the environments where diversity can be a benefit rather than a cause for division. Read More

10 Things I Need to Remember Today

Life seems crazy some days. Sometimes, we weep and rejoice in the same day. We trust and we question in the same hour—if not the same minute—when things don’t make sense. No matter how long I’ve been a Christian, I need these reminders to which I cling today.... Read More

8 Signs You’re Trapped in Legalism

We’ve all experienced times when our faith in the finished work of Jesus morphs into legalism. These are warning signs. Read More

Credo Magazine: The Glory of the Atonement

The latest issue of Credo Magazine is online for you to read. The focus of this issue is the atonement. Read Articles

"The English Reformation," "Sola Scriptura," and other past issues of Credo Magazine are also online.

What Is a Disciple?

The Bible reminds us that the early followers of Jesus Christ were first called Christians as the testimony and witness of the faith came to the city of Antioch (Acts 11:25). Though it initially was likely a term of derision, the followers of Christ soon embraced the designation Christian because it openly and unashamedly identified them with Christ. But before the title of Christian was widely accepted, what were the early followers of Christ called? They were simply called “disciples.” Disciple was the preferred reference for believers. But what is a disciple?

In short, a disciple is a student. A disciple is one who disciplines himself in the teachings and practices of another. The word disciple, like discipline, comes from the Latin word discipulus, meaning “pupil” or “learner.” Consequently, to learn is to discipline oneself. For example, if one is to advance in the arts or the sciences or athletics, one has to discipline himself and to learn and follow the principles and fundamentals of the best teachers in that area of study. So it was and is with the disciples of Christ. A disciple follows Jesus.

When Jesus called His first disciples, He spoke the simple words, “Follow me” (Mark 1:17; 2:14; John 1:43). A disciple is a follower, one who trusts and believes in a teacher and follows that teacher’s words and example. Therefore, to be a disciple is to be in a relationship. It is having an intimate, instructive, and imitative relationship with the teacher. Consequently, being a disciple of Jesus Christ is being in relationship with Jesus—it is seeking to be like Jesus. In other words, we follow Christ to be like Christ (1 Cor. 11:1) because as His disciples, we belong to Christ. The disciple of Jesus has certain traits that are commensurate with a relationship with Jesus. What are the qualities of a disciple of Christ? What are the traits of those who follow and are called disciples of Christ? Read More

No, A God-Sized Vision Doesn’t Need To Be Big And Scary

Faith and leadership are more about long stretches of waiting, wandering and wondering than massive, scary leaps.

Does God’s vision for our life, church and ministry have to be big to be real?

I keep hearing that it does. Sayings like “if your vision isn’t big enough to scare you, it’s not from God” have been popular for quite some time now. Apparently we’re all supposed to have a BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal — an acronym popularized by Jim Collins in his book Built to Last) if we’re walking in faith and greatness.

I’m just not sure that’s a necessary part of faith or obedience. Read More

The (False) Promise of Small-Town Community

“That’s where I come from, and I’m proud as anyone.”

I used to sing these Kenny Chesney lyrics while operating a combine in my hometown of Leeds, North Dakota. I love that small town of 447 people. The power behind these lyrics is evidenced as they still ring in my head today, even 19 years after having left. But as time has passed, it’s become apparent that small towns don’t appeal to everyone.

Perhaps this is due to the attraction of big cities in the modern world. They promise much: money, status, and the potential for success. As centers of power and influence, big cities have strong allure.

But growing up in a small farming community produces a pride and status of a different kind.

Yes, we see the big cities and all that comes with them—culture, coffee shops, hotels, media, opportunity. But small-town folks value other things—fresh air, open spaces, country roads, simplicity, and so on.

And yet the sum total of small-town life is more than just country music and big skies. What people really love about small towns is community. Read More

Large or Small? What Is the Ideal Church Size, Anyways?

Whether large or small, congregations of different sizes offer both challenges and blessings to all involved.

The title to this article is a trick question, of course. The “ideal size” when it comes to churches is whatever God calls you to be. That said, whether large or small, congregations of different sizes offer both challenges and blessings to all involved. Being aware of these strengths and weaknesses is more important to the health of churches than one might initially realize.

Although we may not always think about it, our physical spaces can have a significant impact on the ministries in our churches. However, if we are aware of the strengths and challenges that come with our church sizes, then we will be more likely to intentionally plan to address areas of weakness and play our strengths to their fullest potential. Read More

Entertaining More Than Angels

Abraham and the Three Angels. James  Tissot 1836-1902

Showing hospitality to strangers is an important biblical value. What about showing hospitality to God?

For as long as I can remember, my wife and I hosted dinners—birthday parties for congregants, baby showers, Thanksgiving dinners for displaced New Yorkers, dinners to honor people, and many others. In 2005, I hosted a man I barely knew. I just knew that he was a missionary to China and played a role in the great revivals there.

Unknown to me, he was a giant of faith, a modern-day Paul, a person who would shape the trajectory of my life and all those around me. To think that he would accept my hospitality—an uncomfortable red convertible sofa and food from an untrained culinary hand—humbles me. Hospitality can be paradoxical. Often those who show it are blessed more than those who receive it.

The theme of theoxeny, the showing of hospitality to a god or gods—usually in disguise—is not a common one in Christian theological discourse. I’ve never come across this word in any commentary or theological book (perhaps an indictment on my shallow reading), not even in a footnote. The first time I came across this word was when I was working in Homeric scholarship. Read More

image: thejewishmuseum.org

Evangelism Is NOT Optional! #02

How to Prepare for a ‘Gospel Appointment’—Part 3

Once you’ve scheduled your gospel appointment with someone, here’s how to prepare for the conversation. Read More

Creating an Evangelistic Culture in Your Church

In the midst of a national downward trend in baptisms, what does it take to create an evangelistic climate in the church? In discussing this challenge with several friends in ministry, I’ve noted eight steps necessary to see a passion for evangelism take root in the church.... Read More

5 Tips for Creating Evangelistic Culture in Your Church

How do we create a culture in the local church where the work of the evangelist is accomplished? Here are some actions and convictions required to create that climate. Read More

What To Do When You Fail at Evangelism

As with anything in life, there will be times when we fail in evangelism. This is how we should respond. Read More

Tuesday's Catch: " Is Behavior More Important than Doctrine?" and More

The 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity #4: Is Behavior More Important than Doctrine?

In this fourth post in his blog series on "The 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity," Michael Kruger examines the fourth core tenet of progressive (or liberal) Christianity offered by Richard Roth, based upon a book by Philip Gulley Read More

Essential Tips for Welcoming Visitors

First impressions are incredibly important, so it’s a good idea to train your welcome staff on the following points of etiquette. Read More

Eight Time Drainers of Pastors and Staff (and Eight Solutions)

Thom Rainer looks at some of the greatest time drainers of pastors and staff and offers suggestions about improving each of them. Read More

5 Reasons I Still Believe in the People of God

In my 35+ years of full-time ministry, I’ve at times wanted to walk away from my calling. People problems have usually turned my heart in that direction. Even today, it’s hard to watch as brothers and sisters in Christ struggle and fall. I’m not giving up on God’s people, though. Here’s why.... Read More

Don't Let Your Children's Sermon Go the Way of the Flannelgraph

How we've made those five minutes of our service some of the most influential—for kids and adults. Read More

Audio Mixing 101

One of the hardest things to teach a new sound operator is how to mix. It requires the development of an “ear” for what to change, when to change it and what levels are appropriate. The best advice I usually give is to listen to the radio, CDs and anywhere professional-level mixing is done. This will go a long way in understanding what goes into a mix, but that will only do so much. Read More

Growing Old Graciously

I’ve thought a lot about my journey into and through middle-agedness, precipitated mainly by my transition out of the pastorate and into the pew and having pastored quite a few elderly saints before that transition. I’ve seen men and women grow old well. And I’ve seen some men and women grow old not so well. I do not want to be in the latter camp, and I’ve determined to begin thinking about it now, at the relatively young-old age of 42. I don’t want age to sneak up on me, because that’s how one grows grouchy, I suspect. I may not be able to grow old gracefully—seriously, every morning something new creaks and I am in danger of injury just from yawning—but I can certainly, by God’s grace, grow old graciously. Here’s how.... Read More

When Flesh and Heart Fail: Why Believers Should Consider Advance Directives

In an era of increasingly complex medical care we can’t afford to ignore life’s end, or to divorce our medical decisions from our Christian values. Even amid the sophisticated gadgetry of the intensive care unit, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). Careful delineation of our wishes through an advance directive ensures that when life-threatening illness overwhelms, the gospel remains central. Listen to the Article or Read It

Rapid Multiplication Approach to Multisite Expansion with Chris Hankins [Podcast]

Thanks for joining in for another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today I have Chris Hankins with me, the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Point Church has about 17 services across 9 locations on Sundays. With a total attendance of between 1500-2000 people, that means an average of under 100 adults in each service, so it has a small feel even in a large church. They planted their locations with the idea of smaller services to multiply quickly, be more relational, and reach more people in the Triangle region, which is part of the church’s vision. Chris is here to talk about that rapid multiplication and how to keep the sites aligned as they grow. Listen Now

Is "Ministry Calling" a Legitimate Concept?

I’ve written previously about why my sense of calling matters. In that post, I described what I believe was God’s somehow capturing my attention and re-directing my life in some supernatural way.

 I’ve also written about how I understand the breadth of that calling today. I’m also aware, though, that some folks are wrestling with/questioning the concept of "ministry calling" today, and I want to be fair to them. Here, at least from my studies, are some of their questions and concerns.... Read More

Here’s What You Need to Know About Boys and Violent Video Games

One of the findings in a new Pew Research Center study titled “Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018” is that video game use among teens continues to grow.

“Overall, 84 percent of teens say they have or have access to a game console at home, and 90 percent say they play video games of any kind (whether on a computer, game console or cellphone). While a substantial majority of girls report having access to a game console at home (75 percent) or playing video games in general (83 percent), those shares are even higher among boys. Roughly nine-in-10 boys (92 percent) have or have access to a game console at home, and 97 percent say they play video games in some form or fashion.”

The Pew findings combined with the fact that more than half of the 50 top-selling video games contain violence are causing concern amid continued allegations that violent video games are one of the reasons for the spate of school shootings in America. Read More

Practical Preaching Advice for Pastors and Lay Preachers #02

What Makes A Sermon Good?

Preachers and churches run into trouble when they forget that preaching is first and foremost a proclamation of Scripture. Read More

The Quest!

I remember Haddon Robinson telling us in class that he wouldn’t give anything for simplicity on this side of complexity, but simplicity on the far side of complexity? That was worth so much. What does this mean? Read More

The Power of Vivid Description

Peter Mead: "I’m convinced that one of the key ingredients for effective preaching is effective and vivid description. Practice it. Learn it." Read More

Preaching in Step with the Spirit

This is a simple post, but I think an important one. As a preacher, are you preaching in step with the Spirit? Read More

10 Things You Should Know about Quenching the Spirit When Preaching

Last week I wrote an article that identified ten things we should all know about quenching the Spirit, or perhaps I should say ten ways to quench the Spirit that we must studiously avoid. Today I want to turn our attention to ten ways we tend to quench the Spirit in the act of preaching God’s Word. Read More

Evangelism Is NOT Optional! #01

Check Your Church's Outreach Heartbeat

If your church is struggling to invest in reaching your community and the world, ask yourself this question: Are we a church that is on fire with a passion for God? Read More

4 Ways to Involve Everyone in Evangelism

Pastors can and should equip the church body to understand their role in evangelization. Among other things, a church can do four things to encourage the spirit and practice of evangelism. Read More

3 Church Methods That Need to Change

In light of modern cultural realities, here are three methodological shifts churches should consider to more effectively make disciples and reach our communities. Read More

How to Set Up a ‘Gospel Appointment’—Part 2

Setting up a gospel appointment quite simple. Here are natural ways to do it based on the context where the invitation happens. Read More

Monday's Catch: "Twelve Ways to Be a Godly Leader" and More

Twelve Ways to Be a Godly Leader

If you’re a Christian leader, think about these ways to be a “safe example” to the flock.... Read More

10 Questions Every Christian Leader Should Ask at Least Monthly

The Bible assumes that believers will be striving to follow God, continually living in an ongoing state of evaluation, repentance, and growth. Leaders must, by definition, lead the way. While I’m not suggesting that Christian leaders need to ask all of these questions below every day, I do think we need to ask them at least monthly. Read More

7 Effective Ways To Battle Discouragement In Leadership

Carey Nieuwhof shares 7 things that have helped him to overcome discouragement in leadership. Read More

57 Leadership Tips For Pastors

Joe McKeever offers a bold list of helpful leadership lessons from his ministry journey so far. Read More

Take Care of Your Body

Jay Sanders reminds pastors that God has given them their body for his glory and the good of others and therefore they should take care of it. Read Now

My Secret for Reading Half of the Bible in Just 30 Minutes

Joseph Harrod, assistant professor of Biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, explains how half of the Bible’s 66 books can be read in thirty minutes or less. Read More

How to Grow Your Sunday Attendance Using Social Media

Social media works. And it works because it connects us with God’s original intent for us. He always wanted us to share media (truth and information) socially (person-to-person). So for any church leader still on the fence, or who may be ready to jump in, here are my five big challenges for you....Read More

Reaching and Revitalizing Rural America: Overcoming Misconceptions, and Answering the Call (Part 3)

Christians belong in the space of need and desperation because we carry a message of hope that is vitally needed in those contexts.

Multiple voices have articulated a burden for this area, and they are no longer distant and inaudible. Many of these leaders grew up in rural areas and have answered God’s call to return and minister there.

In his book, Transforming Church in Rural America: Breaking All the Rurals, Shannon O’Dell writes,

For centuries, the rural church has been isolated and insulated from the greater Body of Christ by the sheer realities of geography. Those days are gone. There’s absolutely no reason that we cannot be networking together as leaders — those who are resisting the urge to settle — by sharing resources, encouragement, wisdom, and vision. We do not have to do it alone anymore; together we can do so much more and do it so much better.

O’Dell pastors a church in Bergman, Arkansas, population 407. His church is now the hub of a rural church network spanning 13 facilities throughout Arkansas and Texas, with another campus in Russia. Read More

Fleming Rutledge: Why Being ‘Spiritual’ Is Never Enough

Americans increasingly identify as “spiritual but not religious.” Radical faith goes beyond both.

We hear a good deal today about “the triumph of the human spirit.” Books and movies about disasters are frequently marketed as triumphs of the human spirit, even though they often portray examples of human depravity. This emphasis on the human spirit first impressed itself upon me when, 32 years ago, our family was undergoing a crisis. I received a long, compassionate letter from a friend on the West Coast. Although the letter was wonderful, one line bothered me. My friend wrote, “Your spirituality will get you through this.”

When I read it, I recoiled. Whatever “spirituality” meant, I was keenly aware that I didn’t have any of it. In and of myself, I had nothing adequate for what was facing us at the time. I had only the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

As Barna and other research institutions have reported, there is a fast-growing category of so-called “Nones”—those who, like my friend, identify as “spiritual but not religious.” Generally speaking, people use this self-definition to mean that they want no part of the “institutional church” but seek a connection to some sort of transcendent dimension. Many millennials define themselves in these terms, so it is important to address these conceptions with warm pastoral sensitivity as well as audacious theological imagination.

Nonetheless, I would argue that the biblical witness is neither “spiritual” nor “religious.” Both of these categories present us with serious problems concerning the proclamation and teaching of the gospel. Read More

Image: Louis Moncouyoux / Unsplash

21 Places Women Emerge Front and Center in Scripture’s Storyline

The growing call for the church to protect vulnerable women is not a new phenomenon. As Karen Swallow Prior has noted, this call is as old as the church itself. Stephen was appointed to serve the neglected women of the congregation, and he eventually became church history’s first martyr.

The content of Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7, which became the catalyst for his martyrdom, is notable. He began with Abraham, who was called by God as a sojourner and never possessed what God promised. He then highlighted how God worked through the abuse of Joseph to preserve Israel, and then freed his enslaved people through Moses’s exile. The persecution of the prophets throughout history, he said, culminated in the betrayal and crucifixion of the righteous one, Jesus Christ.

Inspired by Stephen’s sermon, I began to freshly reflect on the role women play throughout the Bible. Though the list could be much longer, here are 21 events—from Genesis to Revelation—in which women play key roles in redemptive history.... Read More

When You Ignore Christians in Need, Jesus Takes It Personally

When Jesus says in Matthew 25:40, “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (CSB), who exactly is he talking about?

Some want to equate “the least of these” with all poor everywhere, and certainly God wants us to care for all the poor. But here in this parable, he is specifically talking about poor Christians. Whenever Jesus uses the language of “little ones” in Matthew, he’s always talking about his followers. The term “least of these” is simply the superlative form of “little ones,” which is one of Jesus’ favorite phrases for his disciples (see Matthew 10:42; 12:50; 18:6, 10, 14).

Take a minute to let that sink in: When you do kindness to one of Jesus’ brethren in need, Jesus considers it as if done to him, and when you ignore one of his followers, he takes that personally, too.Read More

Saturday Lagniappe: "What Are the Most Common Mistakes New Pastors Make?"and More

What Are the Most Common Mistakes New Pastors Make?

Dr. Hershael York answers in Honest Answers. Watch Now

College Graduates, Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes

Let’s look at a few mistakes that college graduates make that set back their finances, sometimes for many years. Read More

Share this post with college students who will be graduating next year and high school graduates who have decided against college, as well as with college graduates.

The Persistent and Pervasive Problem of Pseudo-Pique

The pseudo-pique is the sharing of “news” that provokes the sham appearance of irritation or outrage. Rather than accurately expressing our actual emotion or level of concern, we act as if we care more about an event than we do (or even should). Read More

How to Know How Satan Is Tempting You

In his book Tempted and Tried, Russell Moore suggests a way to think about how Satan may be tempting you.... Read More

Satan’s Great Trick

Satan’s great joy is to convince you that the sin you are about to commit is very small and the sin you have just committed is very large. He convinces you of this even when they are the very same sin. Read More

High-Fiving Out of Your Comfort Zone

If you want to become love, stop just agreeing with Jesus . . . don’t just love the people who are easy to love; go love the difficult ones. If you do this, Jesus said you’d move forward on your journey toward being more like Him. Equally important, as you practice loving everybody, always, what will happen along the way is you’ll no longer be who you used to be. God will turn you into love. Read More

Go Tell It on the iPhone

Christians agree: Technology has made in-person conversations harder, but sharing one’s faith easier. Read More

Worship Attendance Rises, Baptisms Decline in SBC

The Southern Baptist Convention expanded by more than 270 churches in 2017. More people showed up for weekly worship services, and congregations gave more generously in a strengthening economy. However, reported baptisms and membership declined as fewer churches participated in the SBC’s Annual Church Profile (ACP). Read More

Surprising Insights from the Unchurched - Rainer on Leadership #437 LINK CORRECTED

When Surprising Insights from the Unchurched released in the early 2000s, we didn’t realize nearly 20 years later that the research would still ring true. Today Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe discuss why it’s still applicable for churches in our day and age. Listen Now

Due an oversight I posted the wrong link for this podcast. I have corrected the link. I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused.

The 3 Most Common Challenges Small Church Pastors Face – And How To Help

Small church pastors need friendship and encouragement. Especially from their peers in pastoral ministry.

Small church pastors are some of the hardest-working, most passionate and sacrificial people anywhere.

They serve without fanfare, helping in ways most people will never see. And they face challenges that many will never experience.

In over five years of writing, speaking and talking with thousands of small church pastors of virtually every denomination and background, I’ve noticed there are three challenges that tend to pop up for them (us) on a regular basis. Read More

Four Things to Remember When Dealing with Discouragement

The sun doesn’t shine much in Portland, but on this day the clouds surrendered and the boggy playground near our Portland suburb exploded with color, warmth, and my daughter’s excitement. Bailey was 10 years old, and a 10-year-old girl has the ability to ride a small bicycle faster and with more daring than any grown man on the switchbacks of the French Alps. My wife and I didn’t see her coming as we walked towards the bright green park, but we heard her. The doppler effect meant the sound of her bike chain straining against the gears multiplied as she powered towards us. She flew between us, separating our stroll with a swoosh.

Sunshine had combined with the ever-present rain to cause the grass to grow tall at the edge of the park. Tall enough that she never saw the cinder block in her path. The back wheel of the little bicycle bucked into the air almost as high as Bailey flew through it. Almost before she hit the ground, I heard the familiar gasping of a child who just had the breath knocked out of her.

When I think of how church planters deal with discouragement, I think of the church I planted in Portland. There is some sunshine, some cloudy days, and a lot of rain. But that stuff is built into the plan. Church planters are typically prepared for discouragement and are generally the kind of people who simply keep pedaling through the haze and capitalize on the sunny days. I suppose there are some tips that are helpful for dealing with discouragement, but most planters won’t need them. They are used to pedaling through.

As I have the opportunity to coach young planters, it’s not discouragement that I want to prepare them for, it’s the complete loss of courage, de-couragement, or un-courage. What do you do when there’s not enough courage for the crash? These are four things that you don’t want to hear and one you do. Read More

Is Sola Scriptura a Rejection of Teachers and Tradition?

It’s one of those moments we wish we could have seen firsthand. It took place in the square before the Water Gate. At daybreak, Ezra brought out the law. He unrolled the scroll and began reading. He kept on until noon, and all the while the great crowd gave their rapt attention. The law was read, interpreted, and studied. Nehemiah 8, which records this event, also tells us that this Bible study session resulted in worship. The people were humbled, and their faces looked to the ground. They bowed before God as He revealed Himself in His holy Word.

This event from the Old Testament is a precedent-setting moment. God’s people gather, they hear God’s Word read, they hear God’s Word interpreted and taught, and they worship. This is how it’s supposed to be. As the decades pass and generations come and go, however, God’s Word sadly recedes from the center of His people’s lives and from prominence in His congregation. The Old Testament prophets spoke of a famine of the Word of God. As we look through the pages of the Bible and through church history, we find such times of famine. One of the severest of these times of famine came on the eve of the Reformation.

Martin Luther originally launched his protest against the church over the issue of indulgences. He wanted a debate. While he was involved in various disputations in the wake of posting the Ninety-Five Theses, he finally got a real and true debate at Leipzig. Over the summer months, Luther squared off with Johann Eck, Rome’s premier theologian. Over the course of the debate, Luther declared the Reformation plank of sola Scriptura, the firm and unwavering commitment to the absolute authority of Scripture. Luther’s writings and the reports of these debates convinced Pope Leo X that this German monk was a heretic. The date and the time was set for the ultimate showdown: April 17–18, 1521, at the Imperial Diet, or meeting, at Worms. Read More

The ‘Other Guys’ of the Reformation [Podcast]

In this talk on the Reformed tradition beyond Calvin, Ligon Duncan gives biographical sketches five lesser-known but key Reformers: Heinrich Bullinger, Ulrich Zwingli, Johannes Oecolampadius, William Farel, and Renée Ferrara. Listen Now

Heinrich Bullinger who replaced Ulrich Zwingli as the leading pastor of the Swiss Reformed Church at Zurich exercised a strong influence upon the Elizabethan Reformers. His Decades was used as a theological textbook in the Elizabethan Church.

image: the gospelcoalition.org 

When the Cross Means ‘Western’ and Not Jesus

In the German state of Bavaria, a new law has ordered crosses decorate the entrance of every state building; however, the reason why, and the implications it could have for the United States, will be troubling to many evangelicals.

Like much of the Western world, Bavaria has seen a surge of support for far-right, aggressively-nationalistic, anti-Muslim, anti-immigration political groups. A recent New York Times report suggests that the law was passed by Bavaria’s more centrist conservative premier as a way of strengthening their voting base by showing their commitment to more “traditional” Bavarian culture as more and more refugees enter Germany.

“This is about culture, not religion,” Christian Moser, mayor of the small Bavarian town of Deggendorf, told the Times. “The cross is not a sign of religion.” Read More

Radical Islamists erroneously equate the secular West with Christianity in their propaganda. The use of Christian symbols in the manner described in this article plays into their hands.

Why Lone Ranger Leadership Does Not Work

Even if you’re not old enough to remember the Lone Ranger program, you probably recognize the term to describe someone who “rides alone.” He may be powerful and seemingly heroic, but he tends to be a loner. Here, though, is why that leadership style doesn’t work in a church.... Read More

Practical Preaching Advice for Pastors and Lay Preachers #01

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Preach Other People’s Sermons

So what’s the problem with idea-theft, sermon-theft or writing-theft? It’s an integrity issue. It’s a character issue. And at the heart of it is giving credit where credit is due. Read More

Three Keys to Preaching that Makes a Difference

There are few factors more likely to cause a sermon to "crash and burn" than the lack of a clear, concise purpose. Before a preacher steps into the pulpit, it is essential that he know what it is he is seeking to accomplish. Unless the preacher knows what the sermon is for, no one else will either. Here are three keys that will unlock the door to more meaningful preaching. Read More

15 Preaching Best Practices

Tips from great preachers that make a difference in the pulpit.Read More

Practical Advice To Preachers And Writers From C S Lewis

Whether you are a preacher or an aspiring writer, master communicator C.S. Lewis has some suggestions for you. Read More

10 Commandments of a Great Sermon Introduction [Podcast]

The sermon introduction is extremely important. In the first few minutes of the sermon, there are some things we ought to do and ought not to do. In today’s episode of The Preaching and Leadership Podcast, we’re diving into the 10 commandments of a great sermon introduction. Listen Now

7 Ways to Avoid Writer’s Block as a Preacher

I’m not sure of any other vocation that involves creating as much content as a preacher. Every week, you’re creating, writing, crafting, and molding a new sermon. But you’re not just writing that sermon, you’re researching it, praying through it, letting your subconscious ponder it, and you’re getting ready to present it. Read More

Five Distracting Physical Habits of Preachers – Part 2 of 2

Every preacher needs to be aware of a potentially hazardous problem that can show up in their sermon delivery: distracting physical habits. Read More

Teens ditching Facebook for YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, survey finds

More teens are splitting up with Facebook, choosing to spend their social media time on rivals including Snapchat and YouTube.

A survey from Pew Research Center finds 51% of teens (ages 13-17) still use Facebook, a sharp drop from the 71% of teens who said they used the social network three years ago.

Facebook usage lags behind rivals such as YouTube, where 85% of teens say they spend their time. Facebook-owned Instagram is next at 72%, followed by Snapchat at 69%.

The survey showed only 10% of teens said they used Facebook most often, compared to 32% for YouTube and 35% for Snapchat. Read More

Related Post
Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018

A 'wake-up call' about what's killing America's young people

There has been a significant rise in accidental deaths, homicides and suicides among young people across the United States, and experts are calling it a wake-up call.

The total death rate for 10- to 19-year-olds in the United States declined 33% between 1999 and 2013 but then suddenly soared 12% between 2013 and 2016, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report, released Friday, revealed that this rise in deaths is attributable to injury-related deaths, such as traffic accident fatalities, drug overdoses, homicides and suicides, as opposed to illness, such as cancer or heart disease. Read More