Andy Stanley

Religion Notes: Seminary identifies top American preachers

An occasional compilation of events from around the religious world. To suggest items for inclusion, email assistant editor Jeff Brumley at [email protected]

Virgin Birth debate interrupts regular ‘War on Christmas’ program

The other war on Christmas — not the one over saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” — broke into a skirmish after a well-known evangelical preacher suggested he doesn’t have a problem with people who doubt the Virgin Birth. Andy Stanley,…

How do preachers end a sermon?

Several weeks ago, I wrote that it takes nothing short of a miracle for a pastor to write a sermon every week. It is true that sermons are the stuff of miracles, and I stand by my premise. Yet, for…

Embracing the power of story

We share a new series in BNG’s Storytelling Projects about the Norfolk Street Choir as part of our "Singing Our Faith" theme.

While Norfolk, VA is a performance rich city, Freemason Baptist Church’s idea for a street choir was never about performance. Rather, it was “to lift spirits and add dignity to human beings, no matter their circumstances.”

Norfolk Street Choir infuses dignity with a dose of music

Communal singing draws forth “beauty beyond ourselves that we get to see, get to participate in,” Bob Shoup, minister of music, said. Special groups like the street choir amplify that beauty among people for whom “experiences of beauty are harder to come by.”

We created Storytelling Projects because we believe stories, rooted in the Jesus Story, have the power not only to inform but to transform people and communities. They can be sources of spiritual insight, imagination, creativity and hope for all who seek justice and mercy.