“Don’t get obsessed with one week of numbers. Budgets and attendance can have wild fluctuations. Don’t base your worth on nickels and noses. Use numbers in a godly strategic way, but don’t let them control you week by week.”   It can be the toughest day of the week for pastors. They have preached with... Continue Reading

“When groups root their identity in a specific narrative, then a serious challenge to that narrative will be greeted with real hostility, for such a challenge is not simply a disagreement over details.  It is a denial of personal legitimacy.”   Why has this Trinitarian issue generated such passion?  Given the fact that the EFS/ERAS/anti-eternal... Continue Reading

The condition of the widow should dictate how long to stay and how long not to stay. It should determine what will make this widow feel loved and cared for, or what might exasperate her. As God gives you wisdom in these case by case moments, know that God can use you, even for a... Continue Reading

Specifically, religion is a $378 billion to $4.8 trillion boost to the US economy, the Grims found. Even at the lowest estimate, religious organizations make more than the global revenue of Apple and Microsoft combined; at the high end, religion makes the roughly the same amount as a third of the United States GDP.  ... Continue Reading

The congregation sends its own signals: This week, a pastor and I had lunch at a diner in downtown New Orleans, which I’ve visited only once and he not at all. We were amused at some of the signs posted around the eatery. One said rather prominently, “Guests are not to stay beyond one hour.”... Continue Reading

Two pro-abortion Reverends, Dr. Alethea Smith-Withers and Harry Knox, wrote an article arguing that people of faith should not oppose abortion: “Decisions about reproduction are morally complex,” they wrote. “And clergy do not always use Bible verses as political weapons — a misrepresentation too often promoted in the media. The wisdom found in our faith... Continue Reading

“The penalties for violating the religious restrictions are draconian. The law carries a fine of up to nearly $800 for individuals and over $15,000 for organizations who violate the rules. Foreign visitors, such as missionaries, can be immediately deported.”   Russia recently imposed new restrictions on religious groups outside the Russian Orthodox Church. Although some... Continue Reading

It’s possible the church needs to change. Certainly in some areas it does. But it’s also possible we’ve changed—and not for the better. It’s possible we no longer find joy in so great a salvation. It’s possible that our boredom has less to do with the church, its doctrines, or its poor leadership and more... Continue Reading

Hallmarks of gospel-centered churches: …Meaningful membership encompassing whole-life discipleship, pastoral care, and church discipline. Emphasis on members as missionaries & emphasizing “go and tell” over “come and see.” A total trust in the gospel to be the power of transformation that no amount of inspiration can be. Regular commitment to the Lord’s Supper. Reliance on robustness of... Continue Reading

Now at this point it would likely be very easy to begin naming names. The culture I’m speaking of has many faces from the popular councils and networks, to the brand names, platforms, blogging empires, promoters, and celebrity pastors all of whom give life to the monster. I should note that I’m not opposed to... Continue Reading