Christians are people of prayer. Many larger congregations have multiple prayer ministries. Many people are regularly exposed to and participate in prayer in a variety of ways - alone and in corporate worship; through prayer lists or chains; as a prayer partner or in a prayer group; or as a student or leader in a class on prayer. While praying is a given, prayer guided by the example of Jesus is often limited to praying the Lord's Prayer or Our Read More …
Discipleship
Who is Jesus? – Jesus’ Parables (#0075)
The Jesus' Parables As I read and re-read the four biblical gospels, I became acutely aware of just how often Jesus spoke in parables. About one third of his teaching took the form of a parable. While the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son are the two most well known parables, there are actually between thirty and forty parables in the gospels. (The exact number not agreed upon since similar material is used by different gospel writers and because there is no universally Read More …
Who is Jesus? – The Jesus Priorities (#0074)
The Jesus Priorities: 8 Essential Habits While my own reading of the gospels began to help form and reform some of my views of who Jesus is, it was my encounter with a more comprehensive study that helped me deepen and broaden my thinking. Christopher Maricle's The Jesus Priorities: 8 Essential Habits (2007) summarizes his study of the words and actions of Jesus in the gospels in relation to the question: "What did Jesus say and do during his public ministry that would be instructive Read More …
Who is Jesus? – The Jesus Creed (#0073)
As someone who has been involved in churches near both ends of the creedal continuum, I was intrigued to read Scot McKnight's The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others. I approached this book as someone who had served congregations that held the creeds in high esteem and congregations that were non-creedal in practice preferring instead to live by the phrase "no creed but Christ." I am more interested in Christian unity than in finding ways to separate and Read More …
Who is Jesus? (#0072)
Who is Jesus? For the last few years, I have been studying the life and ministry of Jesus in an attempt to more fully answer the question: “Who is Jesus?” My approach has been centered in the text of the four biblical gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. My journey began when I realized that I was, at times, giving answers with great certitude even when such responses were somewhat speculative or lacked adequate gospel foundation. In addition to reading the biblical 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 …
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 …