Meet the Author Leonard Sweet is the E. Stanley Jones professor of evangelism at Drew University and visiting distinguished professor of Evangelism at George Fox University, was voted one of the 50 Most Influential Christians in America, and continues to write and speak prophetically about the church. An ordained United Methodist pastor, Sweet has authored over 20 books and 600 articles, and is perhaps best known for his forward thinking ideas about the church. For Read More …
Discipleship
Life-Giving Wind (#0742)
Earlier today, I had the privilege of preaching a Pentecost sermon based on Acts 2:1-21 at Naples United Church of Christ. Sermon Text Like many of you, I grew up in the church. More specifically, I grew up in one congregation – the First Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas. I quickly learned my way around the church – from playground to pew. After attending worship for years, participating in Sunday school, and completing confirmation, I was sure I knew what it meant to be Read More …
Rethinking Teaching Online (#0741)
Margarita A. Mooney, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Faculty Fellow in the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, recently blogged about her experience with rethinking how best to teach online. She writes: . . . I have flipped the order in which I present material to students and it definitely captured their attention better than before. I used to assign heavy readings, give a lecture, and then Read More …
Christianity is Bigger Than (#0737)
Some people are certain Christianity can only be formed into a rather specific image of their choosing. Any religious person or group claiming to be Christian is only found worthy of such when conforming to that image. Sadly I have encountered this type of thinking many times. Last week, Cal Thomas' editorial used this rationale to label Barack Obama as a fake Christian or as one "preaching another gospel" because the President used the Bible to support his view of Read More …
Annoying Worship Songs (#0735)
Yesterday Andrew Jones blogged about worship songs that annoy him. More specifically, he shared examples of worship songs that are "lame or badly written or have sentences that just hit me wrong," including "Your Love Never Fails" includes "You cause all things to work together for MY good." (Jones reminds his readers that the passage the song is referencing isn't about "me" at all, since my isn't found in Romans 8:28.) "Mighty to Save" includes "Saviour, he can move the Read More …
Are You Ready? (#0734)
While some people are more adventurous than others, most spend the majority of their time and energy in the "everydayness" that comprises most of life. In youth, adventure means setting aside all that is to fully be something and/or somewhere else. As people age adventure becomes, quite frankly, less and less adventurous. Big plans tend to come in the form of vacations or temporary variations from the norm. In short, people become increasingly risk averse. So Read More …
One Psalm – Two Radically Different Uses (#0728)
David Van Biema recently wrote about how two radically different Christian causes have used Psalm 139: Starting in the 1970s anti-abortionist evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics began using the text to suggest that God's involvement makes abortion unthinkable, and Starting in the 1990s gay and lesbian liberal Christians began using the text to suggest God's foreknowledge and acceptance. So What? While the Bible has long been used to defend both sides of an issue, I cannot think of Read More …
Bread for the Journey (#0725)
I have been privileged to be a part of Christian communities that celebrate Communion differently. Among these differences: Name: Holy Communion, Lord's Supper, or Eucharist Frequency: weekly, monthly, or periodically Who Presides: only ordained clergy or only lay leaders or both groups are welcome in this role Presence: a complex continuum of understanding how Jesus is present Elements: (1) bread - a single shared loaf or multiple loaves - single option for all or for Read More …
Differing Standards for Eternity? (#0721)
Last month megachurch pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren was interviewed by ABC News about the spiritual state of the union. During that conversation he gave very different answers about how people and dogs get to heaven. In his view, people get to heaven only through faith in Jesus Christ but dogs (as well as cats and other pets) are guaranteed admission into heaven. So What? According to recent research Heaven is a more popular notion than Hell. Nearly two-thirds of Read More …
Effectively Welcoming Visitors (#0695)
Kevin Hendricks, founder of Monkey Outta Nowhere and author of Addition by Adoption: Kids, Causes and 140 Characters (2010), recently wrote a post for Church Marketing Sucks entitled "Making Visitors Feel Welcome (But Not Too Welcome)". In the article he reflects on the topic in light of his reflections after hearing Anne Lamott read from her latest book and talk about her own experience. Recognizing a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective, Hendricks suggests those Read More …