I Quit! (Text: I Corinthians 1:10-17) Let us pray. Holy One, you are still speaking God – enable us to be a still listening people. May my words and the conversations they produce draw us closer to Jesus and to all who seek to follow him. Amen. Church fights happen more often than we like to admit and can do more harm than a damage assessment report might suggest. Arguments can begin with something as routine as choosing new carpet for the fellowship hall or Read More …
Call to Worship for Sunday, September 12 (#0140)
Call to Worship Love is what draws us here. Our desire to be loved entices us. Brother-Sister love invites us. God’s creative love unites us. Love is what fills us here. A friendly embrace warms us. Holy conversation informs us. Christ’s Read More …
Prayer of Invocation for Sunday, September 12 (#0139)
Prayer of Invocation and the Lord's Prayer Leader: No matter who you are – what you have done or have left undone / No matter where you are on life’s journey – how widely you have traveled or how persistently you have sought to stand still /In this house of worship, all are welcome to experience the indescribable and immeasurable love of God. Together, let us pray to the Triune God . . . All: Most Gracious God, we greet you once again in this sacred space. We have come Read More …
Glenn Beck the Spiritual Leader? (#0138)
Glenn Beck is best known as a conservative news commentator and host of The Glenn Beck Program. In recent months, he has made comments and taken actions that lead many to believe he is seeking or has assumed a new role as a religious leader. During his March 2 radio program he said: I beg you, look for the words "social justice" or "economic justice" on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Read More …
Review of Christians are Hate-Filled Hypocrites . . . and Other Lies You’ve Been Told (#0137)
Wright, Bradley R. E. Christians are Hate-Filled Hypocrites . . . and Other Lies You've Been Told: A Sociologist Shatters Myths From the Secular and Christian Media. Bethany House, 2010. ISBN: 9780764207464 Meet the Author Bradley Wright is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Connecticut. After keeping quiet about his Christian faith early in his career, Wright became more open after gaining tenure. His specialties include religion, social Read More …
Review of Mere Churchianity (#0136)
Spencer, Michael. Mere Churchianity: Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality. WaterBrook Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780307459176. Meet the Author Michael Spencer is best known for founding and serving as the primary writer of the Internet Monk, which was consistently rated among the top twenty Christian blogs for many years. Spencer earned a seminary degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, preached each week at a private school and a Presbyterian Read More …
Why Religion is Needed (#0135)
Oliver Thomas recently wrote an interesting opinion piece for USA Today: Why Do We Need Religion? In the article, Thomas suggests that religion's greatest contribution to society is that it "makes us want to live." He continues: Alas, many of us have discovered purpose for our lives through religion. Inside America's churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and ashrams, we wrestle with the great questions of life. And with due respect to my atheist and left-leaning friends, most Read More …
National Back to Church Sunday – September 12 (#0134)
The group of people known as de-churched or previously churched has risen significantly in recent years. To help welcome these folks back into the life of a local congregation, LifeWay has created an event called National Back to Church Sunday, which will be held on September 12. Individual congregations of all denominational traditions and those with no such affiliation are invited to be a part of the event and to register their participation with the National Back to Church Sunday Read More …
A Youth Movement in Pastoral Ministry (#0133)
Many mainline denominations face or will soon face clergy shortages. As a result several denominations have and others are in the process of creating guidelines that allow multiple paths to ministry especially to facilitate providing enough clergy to fill pastoral positions in smaller congregations. Young clergy in their twenties and thirties are increasingly rare and makeup a small percentage of the clergy in any given denominational tradition, especially in traditions where a Read More …
Review of Transformational Church (#0132)
Stetzer, Ed and Rainer, Thom S. Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations. B&H Publishing, 2010. ISBN: 9781433669300. Meet the Authors Ed Stetzer is the President and Missiologist in Residence of LifeWay Research. Ed is a contributing editor for Christianity Today, a columnist for Outreach Magazine and Catalyst Monthly, serves on the advisory council of Sermon Central and Christianity Today’s Building Church Leaders, and is Read More …