How We Think About Hell (and Heaven)
As I heard someone put it recently, it is certainly true that you can be a farmer to the glory of God, but no one will be saved from the fires of hell just because you are. At Covenant College we talk a lot about the biblical concept of calling, referring first to God’s call... Continue Reading
The Stigma Of The Small – Promoting the Intimate Church
Let’s shift from thinking of ourselves as small church leaders to being intimate church leaders. Let’s stop dwelling on size and start working with our strengths. You may be wondering why this project is not called Small Church. It is because the size of a congregation has nothing to do with its health. Carl F.... Continue Reading
Are black evangelical scholars being ignored?
Black evangelical scholars are all over America and hopefully they will be able to start contributing to conversations about the direction of evangelicalism. Protestant mainline churches seem to be far more interested in tapping into the resources of African-American theological scholars in ways that evangelicalism seems unwilling or incapable of doing… Are there black evangelical... Continue Reading
Young Souls in Transition — Emerging Adults and the Church
We can sit idly by and watch these young people emerge on their own, or we can step in as friends, guides, and fellow strugglers. The stakes, as this important study makes clear, could not be higher “I mean, I have my beliefs in my head,” the young man said. “But I don’t enjoy the... Continue Reading
What the Founders knew: Faith enhances freedom
The original Tea Partier, Samuel Adams… took as strong a view of the connection between religion and liberty as any of the Patriots. Religion fueled virtue, Adams wrote, and “the public liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals.” The Tea Party movement seems conflicted about religion. Prominent Tea Partiers, including Glenn Beck,... Continue Reading
Pastor Appreciation Month, Part 2: What Does A Pastor Do?
A number of years ago, one of my boys came up to me around Christmas with a very serious question. He said, “daddy, is Santa real?” In my head, I quickly reviewed all thing things a parent might say either for or against Santa Claus. I paused, and replied, “of course he was. Santa’s real... Continue Reading
Affirming Kids – Consider small ways to make kids feel important and valued.
My small effort…won’t dramatically change the staggering percentage of kids who feel adults view them negatively. Still, I do hope that my conversation…helped him sense that adults in his world do care about him Several years ago I read a Search Institute report that outlined 40 developmental assets children and youth need built into their... Continue Reading
Boys to Men — A Revealing Angle from the World of Advertising
…describes the trajectory of the new man-in-demand: “You lose the T-shirt and the skateboard. You buy an interview suit and a package of Gillette Mach 3 blades. You grow up, in other words.” The “Sunday Styles” section of The New York Times is often a useful barometer of the culture. On October 17, that section... Continue Reading
How to Fail at Failing; How Blockbusters Did and How Churches Often do
…that the problem may be in the preaching. That is the one thing you will always hear them say is the church’s strong suit. Really? Then why aren’t more people coming to hear you? How do you fail at failing? According to a recent article in Time magazine, all you have to do is study... Continue Reading
Relearning Old Lessons: a new generation of evangelicals have forgotten the lessons of the not too distant past
The Evangelical Left in less than a generation has garishly embraced statism as God’s instrument for justice on earth. The policies of the current Administration nearly encapsulated all that the Evangelical Left sought. Following is the annual report of the President Mark Tooley to the Board of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) The... Continue Reading