Winner, Lauren F. Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline. Paraclete Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-1-55725-532-7. Meet the Author Lauren F. Winner is Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality and Duke Divinity School. She is the former book editor for Beliefnet and the author of three books: Girl Meets God, Mudhouse Sabbath, and Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity. She has appeared on PBS's Religion & Ethics Read More …
Dust to Dust (#0067)
About six weeks into a new year is long enough for life to become routine. It is also time to pause and to really hear the words of Genesis 3:19b "you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (NRSV) or "you started out as dirt, you'll end up dirt" (The Message). So What? Whether or not you attended an Ash Wednesday service or received ashes, allow the words of Scripture to call you to recognition of the frailty of human life, especially your own. As you recognize your sinfulness, Read More …
The Future Church – Top 10 Changes (#0066)
Looking into the Future: The Top 10 Changes for the American Church Over the last few months I have posted about each of the Top 10 Changes I view as important for the American Church over the next several years. It is my hope that this list will challenge individual disciples, leadership teams, and congregations to think proactively, prayerfully, and strategically about not only what it means to be the church today, but also what changes are needed to be effective in the Read More …
The Future Church – Discipleship (#0065)
The future church is focused on discipleship, not membership. Shown below is a helpful set of comparisons between these two models developed by Michael Foss in Power Surge: Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church. MEMBERSHIP MODEL DISCIPLESHIP MODEL Pay dues Follow the way of Jesus Take care of members Equip disciples for ministry For members only For all God’s people Pastor does the praying Disciples are fervent prayers Bring a guest on occasion Inviting is a way of Read More …
The Future Church – Experiential (#0064)
Looking into the Future: The Top 10 Changes for the American Church 2. Experiential (Doing/Practicing the Faith) The future church knows Christian education is important as an empowering tool, not an end unto itself. Gone are the esoteric classes on matters of intellectual curiosity with little or no connection to living as a disciple of Christ. Christian education, faith formation, discipleship or whatever term you may prefer is a lifelong Read More …
Too Much Misinformation (#0063)
Stetzer, Ed. Chicken Little was Wrong. Christianity Today, January 2010. Meet the Author Ed Stetzer is the President and Missiologist in Residence of LifeWay Research. Ed is a contributing editor for Christianity Today, a columnist for Outreach Magazine and Catalyst Monthly, serves on the advisory council of Sermon Central and Christianity Today's Building Church Leaders, and is frequently cited or interviewed in news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. Additionally, he Read More …
Review of Whose Community? Which Interpretation? (#0062)
Westphal, Merold. Whose Community? Which Interpretation? Philosophical Hermeneutics for the Church. Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8010-147-2 Meet the Author Merold Westphal is distinguished professor of philosophy at Fordham University, where he has taught for more than twenty years. He has written many books including Onto-Theology and Levinas and Kierkegaard in Dialogue. For a more complete listing of his writings, lectures and research interests, view Westhphal's Read More …
Still Hungry? Sermon Video (#0061)
Still Hungry? 2nd Sunday of Christmas Colossians 1:17-19 / John 6:24-35, 41-42 Watch the sermon below or read the manuscript. Still Hungry? from First Presbyterian Church on Vimeo. Did you know that all of my recent sermons are available here at sowhatfaith on the sermon page? Read More …
Prayer of Adoration (Second Sunday of Christmas) (#0060)
Praise to the Lord The heavenly mystery – human and divine The earthly reality – God with human flesh The holy child - born on Christmas morn Praise to the Lord The one in whom all things hold together The one who came to save all people The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Praise to the Lord The one who was tested but never swayed The one who was tempted but never sinned The one who died that we might live Praise to the Lord Who inhabits our praises and hear our prayers . . . Note: Read More …
Review of Longing for God (#0059)
Foster, Richard J. and Beebe, Gayle D. Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion. InterVarsity Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8308-3514-0. Meet the Authors Richard Foster is the founder of Renovaré, which is a nonprofit organization that advocates, encourages, and resources intentional living and spiritual formation. Additionally, he is the author of many books including Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Life with God: Reading the Bible for Spiritual Read More …