Church & Culture
It's Christmas Eve as I write this post. Today and tomorrow are busy days for pastors.
While many others get a break tonight and tomorrow, pastors like me are hard at work.
We’re preparing for Christmas Eve Candlelight services, Midnight Masses and Christmas Day celebrations. ...
How do we keep Christ in Christmas when Santa is everywhere we look? Can we have fun with the Santa story? Or is that diluting the true meaning of Christmas?
What’s a Christian parent to do?
I have good news. When it comes to Christmas, we really can have it all. Jesus and ...
Sin is real.
But grace is stronger.
Hell exists.
But grace is greater.
Justice demands retribution.
But grace is God’s scandalous response.
Why are some Christians so quick to diminish simple statements of grace with a ‘yeah, but’ response?
Whenever ...
For a guy who doesn’t preach on politics, my recent post about not preaching on politics sure has me talking a lot about politics lately.
Last week, I wrote My Silence Is Not Compliance: Why I Don’t Preach Politics from the Pulpit. It generated some great responses ...
Social media has become our face to the world.
When we use it well, it can be a great tool for ministry and relationships.
When it’s done badly, it can cause massive, sometimes irreversible harm – to others, ourselves, our churches and the message of the gospel. ...
I don’t speak on political issues in my church.
I don’t support candidates.
I don’t address legislation.
I never take a side on controversial news items when I'm behind the pulpit.
And I’m tired of being called a coward because of it.
On ...
The Pilgrims didn’t plan to change the world. But they did, anyway.
They began as a small church that wanted to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. They ended up founding a nation and sparking a revolution.
This week, Americans celebrate ...
There was a lot of pain and suffering in the world last weekend. Caused by horrifyingly evil acts.
Our church prayed for France, Lebanon, and Kenya yesterday.
You've heard about France. But you may not have heard about Lebanon and Kenya.
In Lebanon, 43 people were ...
Well, that was ironic.
Last week I wrote a post, Six Church-Insider Issues I Don't Care About Any More. It resulted in more readers than any previous week this blog has ever had.
Apparently, being passionately apathetic is contagious.
As promised, today's post ...
Helping people come to faith in Jesus used to be as easy as 1-2-3.
1. Invite a friend to church.
2. The friend comes to church.
3. The preacher closes the deal.
(That’s New Testament evangelism, right? Uh, maybe not.)
It’s harder today.
In my previous ...