By Alan Bean Dietrich Bonhoeffer was the only prominent Christian in Germany to grasp the hideous spiritual implications of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis from the outset. Martin Niemoller’s famous ”first they came for” litany sketched out a typical pattern…
Incidental contact
Packing up a house is an archaeological expedition through the layers of a life in one place, not only because of the collections of things that have to be sorted and assigned a destination, but also because of the stories…
Who will save your soul?
You know what they say: “Be careful what you wish for!” Truer words were perhaps never spoken when it comes to today’s Hebrew text from the book of Job. Today is week three of a four week series called, “Losing…
Discerning your call: It’s not just for clergy, say some churches
By Jeff Brumley There is a trend developing, according to media outlets like the New York Times and Huffington Post, in which American universities are trying to help their students become more thoughtful, well-rounded people. So, many of them have…
Christian stuff the world needs, part 3: Fear not
By Corey Fields We hear a lot about the declining influence of the church. Christians today, however, have a very urgent opportunity to provide what I believe can be the most powerful prophetic witness to some serious moral issues. This…
What independent voters can teach the Church
I’ve been a registered independent voter since I turned eighteen. I have prided myself on the fact that I vote based on the candidate and not the party. However, when I look back at the elections I have participated in,…
When she preaches
Growing up, I sat at the feet of countless remarkable male preachers. Besides Beth Moore, I don’t recall ever hearing a woman preach until my sophomore or junior year of college. I witnessed countless men stand behind pulpits, open their…
God’s vision for congregations is not about me
God does not necessarily want your congregation to be successful, to grow big, to compete with others churches, to be the church with the best reputation, to have the most beautiful buildings, to have the friendliest people, to have the…
Is social media trending or transforming?
Editor’s note: Faith & Leadership offers sermons that shed light on issues of Christian leadership. A version of this sermon was preached at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London on Sept. 13, 2015. Genesis 11:1-9; John 16:7-15 I’m going to start with…