Teddy Ray is pastor and preacher for the Offerings Community and the Executive Pastor of 1st United Methodist Church in Lexington, KY. Recently, he wrote about the dramatic growth in multi-site churches and provided an explanation of how his church's approach differs from the traditional multi-site models. Multi-site congregations are a relatively new idea. Ray mentions the years multi-site congregations in the USA reached significant numeric milestones: Read More …
Review of Today We Are Rich (#0946)
Meet the Author Tim Sanders is a popular keynote speaker, consultant to Fortune 1000 companies, bestselling author, and CEO of the Los Angeles tech start-up Net Minds. Previously, he was the Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo, as well as its Leadership Coach. Sanders has written several previous books, including the New York Times best seller Love is the Killer App (2003). Book Basics Tim Sanders masterfully weaves together his own life lessons, the wisdom of his grandmother Billye, Read More …
11.7% (#0945)
As the number of mobile internet capable devices increases, people are spending more and more of their online time on these devices. In 2012, "Americans will spend about 11.7% of their daily media consumption with mobile devices." The chart at right illustrates the significant rise in non-voice use of mobile devices since 2009 in comparison to other media consumption. Notably, mobile has experienced an increase greater than that of any other media. So What? Last Read More …
Restoring Perspective: A Prayer (#0944)
Yesterday a 20 year old man chose to use a gun to do harm to others and to himself. Today 27 people are dead, including 20 children and the young man who is responsible for the deaths. While many have opted to use social media to forward a specific political or theological agenda rather than to address the tragedy directly others have called any conversations about those matters inappropriate. Regardless of personal preference or perspective, prayer is an appropriate and Read More …
Review of Red Letter Revolution (#0943)
Meet the Authors Shane Claiborne is a founder of The Simple Way, a New Monastic community in inner city Philadelphia that has helped to birth and connect radical faith communities around the world. He "writes and travels extensively speaking about peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus." Claiborne is the co-author of several previous books, including The Irresistible Revolution (2006 with Jim Wallis), Jesus for President (2008 with Chris Read More …
An Internet Challenge (#0942)
From 2003-2011 Paul Brandeis Raushenbush was the Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel at Princeton University. Now he serves as the Senior Religion Editor for the Huffington Post. A few weeks ago he wrote an article focusing on the power and prevalence of the internet as a source of religious information. He concluded that piece with these insightful and challenging words: Instead of the bombs of negativity, distrust and conflict that can find Read More …
More Than Coffee (#0941)
When it comes to church, it seems coffee is everywhere. Because of its significant visibility, people often use it as a way (or sometimes the way) of enacting change for the good. Thankfully, as a result of conversations about what should be offered, many congregations have chosen to transition to fair trade coffee served in more environmentally friendly cups. Thomas Turner, program manager at International Justice Mission, recently blogged about the importance of Read More …
Sex Outside of Marriage by Religion (#0940)
A new study published in the American Sociological Review, found that Muslims and Hindus "are more likely than Christians and Jews to refrain from sex outside of marriage". More specifically, the data shows: Those who report having premarital sex: 94% of Jews 79% of Christians 65% of Buddhists 43% of Muslims 19% of Hindus Those who report having extramarital sex: 4% of Jews 3% of Christians Less than 1% of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists So What? While this Read More …
Review of When God Talks Back (#0939)
Meet the Author T. M. Luhrmann is a psychological anthropologist and the Watkins University Professor in the Stanford Anthropology Department. Her books include Persuasions of the Witch’s Craft (1989), The Good Parsi (1996), Of Two Minds (2000), and When God Talks Back (2012). Luhrmann was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2003) and awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (2007). Book Basics T. M. Luhrmann grew up in an environment that Read More …
Memorable Moments in Worship (#0938)
Some church services are more memorable than others. While many faithful churchgoers have heard hundreds or even thousands of sermons, most can only recall a few in any detail. The following video from Hickory Grove Baptist Church illustrates what I imagine was the most memorable moment for almost everyone present in that service. Catch The Kid from Hickory Grove Baptist Church on Vimeo. So What? Pastor Clint Pressley likely prepared for many things, but apparently not Read More …