From the category archives:

Church

A Missional Response to Kentucky’s Struggles?

My home state of Kentucky is ranked next to last among the states in “well-being,” according to a recent Gallup poll.  Based on responses to questions on work environment, emotional health, physical health, basic access, healthy behavior, and life-evaluation, Kentucky scored a “D minus,” 62.3%.  The Well-Being Index is calculated on a scale of 0 [...]

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Authenticity and Hypocrisy from the “Pulpit”

As a pastor, I try to be authentic and transparent to people in our community.  I’m generally fine with admitting mistakes, confessing sin, and telling people I’m still a work in progress.  But, what if I don’t want to be completely transparent?  What if I’m going through a rough season (or even a rough morning)?  [...]

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Bonhoeffer on Church, Endowments, Clergy, and Social Life

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes about the church:
‘The Church is her true self only when she exists for humanity.  As a fresh start she should give away all her endowments to the poor and needy.  The clergy should live solely on the free-will offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling.  She must take [...]

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Tithing and the New Testament Church

Some provocative words from Michael Spencer (aka, ‘Internet Monk’) at his blog this week:
Tithing to a local church … is a practice that I can’t see being scripturally required in any new covenant sense. I was taught my entire life that God commanded me to tithe to my local church. Awareness of the larger needs [...]

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Commitment In Relationships: A Lesson From Ruth

There once was a woman named Ruth, and she was a Moabite.  That is, she was from a mountainous strip of land in Jordan, then called “Moab.”  She can teach us a great deal about real, muscular commitment to relationships.
The Ruth of the Hebrew Scriptures made a commitment to Naomi, her mother-in-law, when her mother-in-law [...]

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Swiping the Offering at Church

I know of other churches that do this, but Tim Stevens blogged about the decision his church made to put “giving kiosks” in their church building.  I will say that my reaction to these “money machines” in a church building has always negative, bordering on disdainful.
What do you think?
Take a minute and read what Tim [...]

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Lesslie Newbigin: Power of a Believing Community

Lesslie Newbigin explains how the Jesus-message can make sense and have impact on our culture:
How can this strange story of God made flesh, of a crucified Savior, of resurrection and new creation become credible for those whose entire mental training has conditioned them to believe that the real world is the world which can be [...]

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Evangelism & Social Activism: On Eliminating the ‘&’

For too long, evangelism and social activism have been separated. Followers of Jesus are given the false impression they must choose to be involved with one or the other at a time.
Jesus came with saving love for the whole world. He indwells the church, empowering us to be on mission with him, redeeming [...]

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