Almost two weeks ago, C. G. P. Grey uploaded their latest video to YouTube. This five minute educational video explains the path one must take if one seeks to become Pope. It has already been viewed in excess of 1.5 million times. So What? Since a new Pope is elected so infrequently, most people outside of the Catholic Church are not familiar with the process. This video provides a good basic overview. How many men have served as Pope during your lifetime? (check out this Read More …
Religious Diversity in America (#1021)
Philip Cohen, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, recently blogged about religious diversity in the United States (US). He rebuts the claim made by a Harvard professor that the US is “the world’s most religiously diverse nation.” While religious diversity in the US has increased significantly in recent decades (from .53 in 1972 to .68 in 2010), the current level of diversity is less than that present in several other countries. The World Values Survey Read More …
Is It Time To Stop? (#1020)
Maurilio Amorim is CEO of The A Group, a media, technology and branding firm in Brentwood, TN that consults with some of the country’s largest ministries, leading churches, and Christian publishers. Recently he blogged about his response to an unexpected question. When asked to write down his favorite quote, he shared the following: Every leader must learn that just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. So What? In the post, Amorim provided a few examples of Read More …
Review of Altar Ego (#1019)
Meet the Author Craig Groeschel is the founding pastor of LifeChurch.tv, which has grown from a single campus in 1996 to a multi-campus church with weekly worship experiences in fourteen locations, including an online campus. Groeschel has written six books, including The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn’t Exist (2010, read my review here) and It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It (2011). Book Basics Altar Ego: Becoming Read More …
Church E-Giving (#1018)
Earlier this month, Leadership Network published Warren Bird's latest research: "The Economic Outlook of Very Large Churches." This 18-page report considers the overall economic outlook alongside how the surveyed congregations collect, allocate and spend funds. Electronic giving (e-giving) is an increasingly important means by which churches receive donations. 100% of the churches with average weekly attendance of at least 2,000 receive some of their income via e-giving. The Read More …
Core Sermons (#1017)
Have you ever thought to yourself (or perhaps even vocalized the idea to others) "my pastor preaches a different sermon every week but really only has a handful of messages to deliver?" In reality, most clergy gravitate to specific themes. Nanette Sawyer, author and the founding pastor of Grace Commons (Chicago, IL), recently shared her own understanding of the five core sermons she preaches. Be here now. It’s where everything is, including God. God loves you and you are Read More …
Review of Beyond the Possible (#1016)
Meet the Authors Married for thirty-one years, Cecil Williams - a pastor and civil rights leader - and Janice Mirikitani, a poet and community activist, have worked together to make the world a better place by investing the last fifty years of their lives in the Tenderloin area of San Francisco. Since accepting the call to serve as pastor of Glide Memorial Methodist Church in 1963, Rev. Williams has worked tirelessly transforming a congregation of 35 into a community offering over 90 Read More …
New Direction for the Catholic Church (#1015)
A recent Pew Research Center poll finds that US Catholics are split on whether or not the next pope should "should maintain the traditional teachings of the church" (51% favor maintaining the traditional teachings while 46% hope the pope will move the church in new directions). Among those who hope the next pope will move the church in new directions, the top changes desired are 19% - become more modern, 15% - get tougher with abusers/end sex abuse, 14% - allow priests to Read More …
Unusual Lenten Discipline (#1014)
In recent years more and more people have chosen to embrace something new rather than give up something for Lent. The list of possibilities for Lenten disciplines is nearly endless. The most unique discipline I have heard this year is that chosen by Shawnthea Monroe. Monroe is senior minister of Plymouth Church - a United Church of Christ Congregation in Shaker Heights, OH. She has chosen to wear a collar for Lent. In doing so, she realizes many she encounters each Read More …
Review of Rise of the Time Lords (#1013)
Meet the Author Michael Belote is an engineer who has always been intrigued about blending his interests with his faith since becoming a born-again Christian as a young adult. More recently, he has written prolifically about his Christian faith on his blog: Reboot Christianity. Book Basics I rarely read, and even more infrequently review, self-published books. Occasionally, however, the content of an author's request for a review or the unique nature of her/his writing Read More …