mulThe deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown impacted all of our lives. Hopefully, it has made many of us consider the great divides that separate us from people of other colours and ethnicities. I wonder if in the roar of the protests what real changes we are willing to make to our lives. Are we really prepared for the …
Sociologists say that people group themselves together in three ways: Affinity— Similar ethnic, socioeconomic, education, language, etc. background Kinship— Extended family, tribe, band, tight-knit relationships. Geography— Same neighborhood, block, apartment complex, etc. These same categories also function as organizing principles for people who start various kinds of churches. Affinity For several decades, the predominant approach has been affinity. We have …
How might a person on mission learn to read the book of Acts? As might others, I’m swept up into near uncontrollable emotion when I recall the little nativity set erected with sacred precision every Christmas in my childhood living room. That pristine manger transcended my suburb existence; it had a blissful quality akin to magic. The scene still sits …
Christmas is coming. Here in the U.S. the stores are already in full Christmas regalia and carols are blaring throughout the malls. At church, we are getting ready for our pageants and our Christmas parties. The nativity scenes are being assembled, and our images of Jesus and his family alone and abandoned in a dirty stable are forming. Jesus Family …
In Jesus’ day, the religious had turned God’s guidelines into fences. You had to wear, do your hair, eat your lunch, wash your hands their way— or else: you were on the wrong side of the fence. The sign on the fence read: NO UNDESIRABLES! There was a long list of those who were, well, undesirable. Many things could make …
There are a number of good books on church planting. You can see my top ten list here. I would put Mark Lau Branson and Nicholas Warnes’ Starting Missional Churches: Life with God in the Neighborhood in my top books on church planting for a couple of reasons: First, Mark and Nick deconstruct current unhelpful practices of church planting, or planting (the gospel) …
Recently, I received an email from a young seminarian with one provocative question: “What is truth?” she asked. I smiled and deleted the email, knowing I couldn’t supply an answer. Her theological studies were raising new and unsettling questions about God and what it means to be a Christian. I suspect what she wanted was permission to question her understanding …
The V3 Movement is dedicated to seeing five-fold ministry, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers, thrive in the Church. Our friends at Missio Alliance are hosting a crucial event to discuss the role of evangelism in the missional church. From the Missio Alliance website: Evangelism In The Missional Church: How The Kingdom Breaks In Among Us This year’s Missional Learning …
I am sitting in my man cave having a pretty deep conversation with my neighbor who lives a few houses down. He is twenty years older, a different ethnicity, and not Christian at all. In fact he is Buddhist. We are having a great conversation about life, struggles, and yes even God, Jesus, and Buddha. But he is not that …
Sabbath – its probably one of the most essential, least understood and poorly celebrated of any day on the Christian calendar. For some of us, it’s a set of legalistic rules. For others, it’s the only day of the week to do almost anything we want. For most of us it’s a chance to catch up on sleep and get …