By Doyle Sager Once upon a time the citizens of a small town decided to merge churches, Methodists and Baptists combining their sparse attendance and modest offerings in order to provide one vital congregation. All the negotiations regarding membership, polity…
Keep love flowing, even when it seems ineffective
By Joseph Phelps It felt as if I’d taken the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Minutes before Sunday’s service began a worshiper reported to me that the young man sitting next to him the previous Sunday became the self-confessed murderer of…
Discussing “Left Behind?” Don’t leave this behind
Internet and social media outlets are alive with links, shares, posts, comments, and other sorts of communication surrounding the release of the film, Left Behind starring Nicolas Cage. Everything from the film’s quality, to its theology, and even the presence…
Tebowing 2.0: Prayer, the NFL and religious diversity
By J. Andrew Daugherty Tim Tebow is long gone from the NFL, but his on-field prayer posture (called Tebowing) that generated so much media hype has made a resurrection. This time, the player’s name is not Tim Tebow nor is…
World Communion Sunday leads across the divide
By Terry Maples Last Sunday, I worshipped at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where my wife, Joan, serves as minister of music. All worship elements focused on and celebrated World Communion Sunday. Music included Love in Any Language, He’s…
Take care of yourself
About twenty years ago, as our daughters were becoming adults, I began using a parting mantra that was new to me. Instead of a simple “Good-bye” or “I love you” or “Be good,” I began to say, “Take care of…
Appalachian preaching: ‘A Hart Cheareing and Affecting Surmond’
By Bill Leonard In Primitive Baptists in the Wiregrass South, John G. Crowley describes an 1829 sermon preached at Union Church in Lakeland, Ga., by Reverend Matthew Albritton who, one listener said, rose “in the fullness of the gospel and…
A strange invitation to uncommon discipleship
The author, who leads an intentional Christian community in Charlotte, N.C., attended the recent annual national conference of the Christian Community Development Association, a network of Christians committed to wholistic restoration for communities spiritually, emotionally, physically, economically and socially. This is…
Saving the Bible by damning God
“Young man,” a grizzled Presbyterian cleric asked a harried candidate for ordination, “would you be willing to be damned for the greater glory of God?” Uncertain how to respond, and weary from two hours of dense theological questions he didn’t…
Frightful world, fearless living
By Marv Knox It’s ludicrous, all right. Preposterous, even. But make no mistake: Fear misappropriates logic and steals perspective. It robs people of the ability to think clearly. It replaces reason with panicky, overwrought delusion. Far too often, fear is…
Left behind
By Marc Brown As worship pastors, we spend ourselves working and asking God to build a team (a choir, an orchestra, a band) that will help our congregations hear, know and respond to God. As our ministry grows, usually the…
Great Commission and Great Commandment without synergy?
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001? I do too. That is a morning very difficult to forget. I was sitting in the lobby restaurant of a hotel in…