Last semester I taught an undergraduate introductory course in world religions. While my students knew of Confucius, none had previously read his Analects. If you have never done so, I encourage you to take a few minutes to do so online (you can do so here thanks to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Whether or not you read the Analects in full, consider the following excerpt: Tsze-kung asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said,"He acts Read More …
What Anchors Your Spirituality? (#0622)
Rev. Otis Moss III, Senior Minister of 8500 member Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, recently wrote the following words in the Huffington Post: "the cultural motif of Jazz and the theological weight of Jesus' love ethic anchor my spirituality." So What? Take a few moments to think about your spirituality. Then, in a sentence or less, share what acts as its anchor. Read More …
Does He Speak For You? (#0621)
"Why Does MSNBC Invite Hateful, Anti-Gay Liars on TV to Represent Christians?" is a question I cannot answer and the title of Nick Sementelli's recent post on Faith in Public Life's blog. MSNBC recently responded to critics by severing ties with Pat Buchanan who has written and said things that are troubling, prejudiced, and un-Christian. They have, however, as of this writing, continued to welcome Tony Perkins as a regular contributor. Perkins is the president of Read More …
Quotes to Ponder (#0620)
William Bole (pictured at right) is an American journalist whose "writing is situated on the borders between religion, ethics, politics, and intellectual life." Recently he wrote a blog post that included several quotes from progressive pastor William Sloane Coffin's book The Heart is a Little to the Left: Essays on Public Morality (1999), including: Socrates was mistaken. It’s not the unexamined life that is not worth living; it’s the uncommitted life. It is a Read More …
Effective Church Websites (#0619)
Dave Hakes is a software engineer who seeks to "demystify and make practical the many tools the internet offers so that you and your church can better reach people." Recently he shared 7 elements of an effective church website: Focus on those who are not yet a part of your congregation Emphasize pictures of people not buildings Remove clutter Ensure key information is in plain sight (no scrolling required) Create compelling and relevant content Include a welcome message Tell Read More …
Churches That Grow (#0618)
Warren Bird, Research Director for Leadership Network and co-author of 24 books on various aspects of church health and innovation, recently blogged about factors that are correlated with church growth. According to the FACT – for Faith Communities Today 2010 survey the following factors are Location (downtown or central city congregations are more likely to be growing than those in other locations) Age of the congregation (newer congregations are more likely to be Read More …
Taking Advantage of Mainline Decline (#0617)
Emmy Award winning journalist Chris Yaw is an Episcopal priest who effectively blends his expertise in media and ministry with his passion for building healthier congregations in his new creation: ChurchNext. Recently he interviewed me on the topic of the continued decline of mainline Protestantism in America. You can view the video or download a mp3 here. So What? Yaw asked me the kind of questions congregational leaders should be discussing as they consider what it Read More …
Declining Biblical Literacy (#0616)
Almost everyone agrees that Americans are not very religiously literate. While lacking basic knowledge of the world's great religions, Americans typical know more about Christianity. Last week the Barna Group reported on research it undertook for a noteworthy client: the American Bible Society. The following snapshot shows how people responded to some basic questions about Christianity: So What? John 3:16 has been among the most popular signs at American professional football Read More …
Stop Sitting (#0615)
Tim Sanders is a former Yahoo! executive and author of four books, including the New York Times bestsellers Love is the Killer App (2003) and The Likeability Factor (2006). Recently he blogged about the health risks associated with sitting. According to an infographic created by MedicalBillingandCoding.org, people who have sitting jobs have twice the rate of cardiovascular disease as those with standing jobs. Since January is traditionally the month of Read More …
A “Bed-In” (#0614)
Having lived in Texas many years, I am familiar with the phrase "everything is bigger in Texas." When it comes to churches, Texas has more megachurches than most would imagine. Edward Gilbreath went as far as to name Dallas, Texas as the unofficial capital of American Evangelicalism in Christianity Today. The latest news out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas revolves around Ed Young's Friday the 13th "Bed-in" event. Ed Young, minister of Fellowship Church, staged a 24 Read More …