Several news sources, including the UPI, are reporting that Fox has refused to air a proposed Super Bowl commercial for Jesus Hates Obama: a conservative comedy website that sells anti-President Obama merchandise. For those who would like to view the spot and make their own decisions, the video can be seen below. For those who are not sure that they want to watch this type of material, consider this summary from the Huffington Post: The ad shows Read More …
Review of Christians & Jews – Faith to Faith (#0252)
Rabbi James Rudin. Christians & Jews - Faith to Faith: Tragic History, Promising Present, Fragile Future. Jewish Lights Publishing: 2011. ISBN: 9781580234320. Meet the Author Rabbi James Rudin is widely recognized as an international leader in interreligious relations. He has been affiliated with the American Jewish Committee (AJC) since 1968 in a variety of roles including National Interreligious Affairs Director. Since retiring from that position in 2000, he Read More …
The Future of Global Missions: 9 Trends (#0251)
Eric Swanson is Leadership Community Director for Externally Focused Churches and co-director of the Missional Renaissance Leadership Community for Leadership Network, which seeks to accelerate the impact of leaders by focusing on three big ideas: connecting, innovating, and multiplying. Previously he served with Campus Crusade for Christ for twenty-five years. Swanson has co-authored several books including To Transform a City: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City (2010) and Read More …
A Prayer for Christian Unity (#0250)
Modernity provided an ideal framework for denominational growth (we now count denominations by the tens of thousands). I am hopeful that postmodernity will provide an opportunity to move from fragmentation toward unity. There are encouraging signs all around from the way postmoderns engage one another and experience religion to the reform underway or being discussed by multiple denominations. So What? A Prayer for Christian Unity God of Many Names, may this new era we are naming Read More …
Let us Commit to Being the New Church (#0249)
In the Fall/Winter 2010 edition of the "New Times Newsletter," a periodical associated with the Center for Progressive Renewal, Amanda Hendler-Vost, co-pastor of Land of the Sky United Church of Christ shared the story of the birth this congregation. During their first official worship service on Pentecost Sunday, 2009, co-pastor Sara Wilcox (pictured at right), included these words in her sermon: Let us commit to more than singing a new church into creation. Let us commit to being Read More …
Could the End Be Near for Denominational Universities? (#0248)
Bobby Ross Jr. wrote an article for the January edition of Christianity Today in which he offers evidence that the era of denominational universities has past or soon will. He begins with these words: Faith-based universities with historically strong denominational ties - Nazarene, Mennonite, and Southern Baptist schools among them - are enrolling fewer students from within their own ranks. He provides several examples including: A decline from 70 to 53% of students enrolling in Read More …
What Does it Mean to Live as a Follower of Jesus? (#0247)
What does it mean to live as a follower of Jesus? The profoundly simple yet incredibly challenging answer is found in this creative two minute video. So What? Director, animator and compositor Dan Stevers created this video for Journey Community Church to help publicize an upcoming event featuring Scot McKnight. If you don't know anything about Scot McKnight beyond what you just watched, I encourage you take the time to learn more. You can read his award winning blog, Read More …
Review of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything (#0246)
James Martin, SJ. The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life. HarperOne: 2010. ISBN: 9780061432682. Meet the Author The Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, and is the culture editor of America, the national Catholic magazine. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business with a bachelor's degree in finance. After working for six years in corporate finance and human resources, he entered the Society of Jesus Read More …
The Acceptable Year of the Lord – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (#0245)
Today our nation observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day. While many people know about The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., far fewer are familiar with any of his sermons beyond "I Have a Dream." I invite you to take a few minutes to read two excerpts from Dr. King's sermon entitled "Guidelines for a Constructive Church," which he preached at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on June 5, 1966. This morning I would like to submit to you that we who are followers of Jesus Christ, and Read More …
US Army’s Controversial Spiritual Fitness Test (#0244)
The United States Army may be sued as early as next week over a controversial well-being assessment that includes questions designed to measure spiritual fitness. The assessment in question is a part of the Army's Comprehensive Solider Fitness (CSF) program, which was announced in October 2009 with an estimated cost of $125 million. According to the Army: The purpose of the CSF program is to enhance the performance and readiness of the force by giving Read More …