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 …
Discipleship
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 …
The Future Church – Relational (#0057)
Looking into the Future: The Top 10 Changes for the American Church 3. Relational For many years the trend has been that larger churches are continuing to grow larger while smaller churches continue to decline in membership. In some megachurch settings it is very easy for someone to attend worship and remain anonymous and have little or no interaction with other people. Another trend that has now spanned a few decades is that of emphasizing programs. Many congregations place Read More …
The Future Church – Congregational/Local is Primary (#0050)
Looking into the Future: The Top 10 Changes for the American Church 4. Congregational/Local is Primary Gone are the days when loyalty to denomination is common. The mentality of yesteryear was that a loyal parishioner of First United Methodist in one town would join another United Methodist congregation when that person relocated for a new job or retirement. Today when a faithful participant of one local body of believers moves to a new town, that individual Read More …