I once was a “professional Christian.” Like David Ramsey, (who recently authored “What Could the Church Learn from Amazon?”), I also stepped away from the church, and I agree with him that part of the problem was “the pressures that…
The gospel and the limits of consumerism
The Gospel of Luke has important words for the down-and-out; but it also has just as much to say to the up-and-out. The message is clear: God’s love liberates us from the tyranny of more.
10 years as a church planter made me a church planting skeptic; here’s why
By themselves, entrepreneurial values in church planting are not bad, but there is a fine line between tailoring church to people’s needs and making church a commodity. In church planting this line often gets blurred.
What is sown in the heart
A trip to the cardiologist is rarely routine. Usually a precipitating episode or a prior procedure prompts the appointment, and we are eager to receive a reassuring assessment. We know that the condition of the heart determines our health, and…
Growing movement seeks ‘freedom from stuff’
The spiritual connection between a 58-inch flat screen TV and the human soul may seem tenuous to many Americans. It may be even harder to believe how that elegantly simple IKEA coffee table makes life more complicated. But rest assured,…
Shopping and the Erosion of Sabbath
I’ve grown accustomed each Thanksgiving to shaking my head in disbelief at how early stores open up the day after and how many people are willing to get up in the middle of the night to get the best deals….