Part of the impetus behind church planting in America is the diversity of culture present in the States. Ed Stetzer notes this complexity. He describes American culture as a waffle with many dimples. Each community has its own nuance. Even neighborhoods within local communities may be further nuanced and so forth. This complexity has been on display in recent days in our country. The conversations happening at the national level sound different than those happening at the regional … [Read more...] about On Church Planting and Cultural Complexities
Why Church Planting
Why plant a church? Why plant a church in the Bible Belt? Why plant a church when there are already so many churches? Do we really need more churches? In this post, I want to explain the thinking behind church planting that helped to convince me of its ongoing need today in America. Misunderstandings Diagram 1 For some time, I was convinced of the importance of church planting in global missions, but, probably like you, I wasn’t sure how it made sense in the United States because … [Read more...] about Why Church Planting
The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments
HUMAN RITES (Audiobook)The Power of Rituals, Habits, and SacramentsBy Dru JohnsonNarrated by Trevor JohnsonCourtesy of Eerdmans How might your everyday, never-think-twice-about routines be shaping and forming you, for good or bad? Dru Johnson invites us to consider this question. In Human Rites, Johnson explores how our schedules and smart phones, sacraments and training, all work together to mold us into who we are. Though we may not view all of these activities and elements of our … [Read more...] about The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments
Confronting Christianity
CONFRONTING CHRISTIANITY12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest ReligionBy Rebecca McLaughlin In Confronting Christianity, McLaughlin takes on some of the toughest modern objections to Christianity with care and concision. She tackles these questions, a chapter at a time: Aren’t we better off without religion?Doesn’t Christianity crush diversity?How can you say there is only one true faith?Doesn’t religion hinder morality?Doesn’t religion cause violence?How can you take the Bible … [Read more...] about Confronting Christianity
Our Current Lives Matter
Because Christ is risen, our current lives matter. The Apostle Paul goes into great detail about the resurrection of the dead in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15. Listen to how he concludes that discussion. Starting in verse 54: “[54] When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” [55] “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” … [Read more...] about Our Current Lives Matter
Sample’s 70/30 Formula for Leadership
Time management gurus stress the importance of putting the boulders in your schedule first. You must prioritize the key actions and items of your life. But does this strategy ever free us from all the details that so often follow? Can we delegate all the little stuff away? I don't think so. Leadership necessarily involves dealing with minutiae sometimes. I have been mulling over this contrarian advice from Steven Sample: ...I have come up with Sample's 70/30 Formula for … [Read more...] about Sample’s 70/30 Formula for Leadership