The modern world has crippled our capacity for speaking with one another. How can we restore this dying art? Our bodies are extraordinary creations, reflecting God’s intricate handiwork. We consist of diverse parts with different, yet collaborative, functions. For instance, a nose does not look or function like a bicep, and neither of these parts …
How do you persuade someone who already thinks they’re a Christian to become one? The largest mission field in Western Europe isn’t self-identifying atheists or Muslim immigrants; it’s people who call themselves Christians but exhibit few, if any, signs of faith. Non-practicing Christians, which a Pew Research Center report defines as those who identify with …
What congregations can glean from the secular thought leaders men flock to. Check out this headlines from the past decade: “Why Don’t Most Men Go to Church?” Christian Century, October 2011 “Why Men Still Hate Going to Church” CT Pastors, Summer 2012 “7 Actions to Engage Men in Your Church” Pastors.com, March 2014 “Why Do …
Feeling lost in the discussions about biblical gender roles? Start here. Recently, the magnitude of sexual assault and harassment in all areas of our society has become evident through movements like #MeToo, #ChurchToo, #TimesUp, and #SilenceIsNotSpiritual, which have brought awareness to a previously hidden sad reality in our midst. In what ways have complementarian or …
But his method of restoring “sacred words” to our common vocabulary runs the risk of redefining them. When was the last time you had a spiritual conversation? If recent research is any indication, it’s been a while. Only seven percent of Americans report talking about spiritual matters weekly. One-fifth of respondents had not had a …
How an epiphany about the wages of my sin opened the door for his cleansing light. God knew he wouldn’t get my attention in a church. Churches didn’t care too well for people like me. Me, being a gay girl. A gay girl who knew better than to let my feet take me where I …
There’s something missing from Oxford’s splendid new Tolkien exhibit. Who was J. R. R. Tolkien? Nearly everyone knows him as the author of two of the most beloved books of the 20th century: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Many also know him as a member of the Inklings and a close friend …
After 20 years of tackling the “hole in our gospel,” World Vision’s most recent president is fine retiring from World Vision with some tasks unfinished. You’ve grown World Vision US from $350 million to $1 billion over your two decades as president and CEO. Today 40,000 international staff serve children in 100 countries, and you …
Job 13:15 is more anguished—and encouraging—in its original wording. “Oh, Job is so powerful!” said a man I had just met. We had found common ground discussing the congregations where we worshiped. After sharing what we did for work, I told him I had written a book on Job, and he was excited to talk …
Why “life issues” aren’t the only issues that pivot on what it means to bear God’s image. Day after day, the screens of our electronic devices are filled with images and reports that are hard to view. Racial hatred bursting out in shouting matches and even violence. Distraught and exhausted refugees fleeing nations devastated by …