Katie Glaeser's recent post on the CNN Belief Blog about this topic captured my attention. Until I read it, I had never pondered the possibility of adopting a terrorist for prayer. It is simply one of those things that I suspect many people would never consider unless they were prompted to do so. In the article, Glaeser tells the story of Adopt a Terrorist For Prayer (ATFP), which was founded in 2008. According to Bruce Thomas, ATFP's founder and a former military Read More …
I Will Follow You Anywhere If . . . (#0293)
Scott Williams is the Campus Pastor of the Northwest Oklahoma City Campus of LifeChurch.tv, which launched three years ago and already has an average weekly worship attendance of over 3,500. To connect with Williams, read his blog, watch him on YouTube, follow him on Twitter, or friend him on Facebook. Earlier this week he shared his list of "10 Reasons People Will Follow A Leader Anywhere" 1. They have a mind of their own, not a “Yes Man or Read More …
A Shift in Theological Education (#0292)
In the last two weeks two United Church of Christ (UCC) related seminaries have announced plans to launch or expand hybrid or online educational offerings. Andover Newton Theological Seminary will partner with The Alban Institute to offer "courses in church leadership and vitality . . . using Andover Newton’s online learning system and Alban’s authors as instructors." These four week offerings are designed primarily as continuing education for clergy. Eden Theological Seminary will Read More …
World Day of Prayer – Will You Pray? (#0291)
The first Friday of March is the World Day of Prayer. According to a suggested press release available from the World Day of Prayer USA Committee's website: World Day of Prayer (WDP) is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March. Services begin at sunrise in the Pacific and follow the sun across the globe on the day of celebration. Each year a different country serves Read More …
Multiethnic Calling (#0290)
Mark DeYmaz is the founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas and the co-founder and current Executive Director of the Mosaic Global Network, which is a relational network of local church pastors/planters, researchers, educators and ministry leaders, that exists to catalyze the growing movement toward multiethnic economically diverse churches. His article in the March/April edition of "Outreach" featured brief excerpts from key speakers at the Multi-ethnic Church Conference, Read More …
Reasons to Tweet (#0289)
Frank Viola is an author and popular Christian conference speaker. He has written numerous books on the deeper Christian life and radical church reform, including From Eternity to Here, Jesus Manifesto (co-authored with Leonard Sweet - read my review here), and Pagan Christianity (co-authored with George Barna) as well as Finding Organic Church, Reimagining Church, and The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. To connect with Viola, friend him on Facebook, follow Read More …
Being a Welcoming Church 2.0 (#0288)
Elizabeth Drescher is a religion writer and scholar of Christian spirituality. She writes commentary on religion, culture, and social media for the online magazine, Religion Dispatches and multiple other journals. Drescher's first book, Tweet If You Love Jesus: Practicing Church in the Digital Reformation, will be published later this year. Currently she teaches in the undergraduate program in Religious Studies and the graduate program in Pastoral Ministry Read More …
What is Progressive Christianity? (#0287)
Progressive Christianity is a relatively new term that might not exist today without the work of ProgressiveChristainity.org. In 1994 when the Rev. Jim Adams (shown at right), then the rector of St. Mark's Church on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., founded the organization as The Center for Progressive Christianity there "was no known organization, scholar, or church leader publicly using the term, 'progressive Christianity.'" Within eight years, the term was regularly used "by scholars, Read More …
Review of Open Source Gospel (#0286)
Landon Whitsitt. Open Source Gospel: Ten Commandments for the Future of the Christian Faith. E-book, 2010. Available online at http://landonwhitsitt.com/open-source-gospel/ Meet the Author Landon Whitsitt is an ordained Presbyterian (PCUSA) pastor who serves as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Liberty, Missouri, and as the Vice-Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), which is the second highest elected official in the 2.3 million Read More …
No More Interim Pastors? (#0285)
The Author Anthony Robinson is an ordained United Church of Christ pastor who currently serves as President of Congregational Leadership Northwest. He travels throughout North America as a speaker, teacher, preacher, consultant and coach serving congregations and their leaders. Robinson has taught at several schools including Toronto School of Theology, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, and Vancouver School of Theology. He is the author Read More …