Archives for March 2005

Resurrection

This week I’m beginning a series of teachings on the resurrection. I guess I sorta started it last week with my Easter message about the resurrection being a 2nd chance for goobers. This week I’m going to start exploring some of the practical implications of the resurrection. Too often, resurrection is reduced to the hope […]

Post-Workshop

Another Workshop has come and gone. Things seemed to go really well. Len Sweet did a great job. Those who attended and listened to what he had to say left with lots to think about. Mike Cope was excellent as usual. Terry Rush did a great job directing the workshop. There seemed to be a […]

The Workshop

The Tulsa Workshop is upon us. Every year thousands of people come from all directions to gather at the Tulsa fairgrounds for three full days of preaching, teaching, singing, hugging, backslapping, and eating. It is the largest Church of Christ oriented gathering of adults in the world. There are some great preachers on the program: […]

The X-Files Have Been Reopened

Back in the day, I was a huge fan of “The X-Files.” One year in Bellingham, I did a six-month long series out of the Gospel of John and I called it “The X-Files.” I think the angle was that we were investigating the claims of Christ or something like that. Anyway, I was looking […]

Purge Sundays

From Christian Week (via Jordon Cooper) The Meeting House, a Brethren In Christ multi-site congregation that calls itself a “church for people who aren’t into church,” regularly invites those who don’t want to “get in” to their church by making a demonstrable commitment, to “get out.” Known to church staff by the tongue-in-cheek label “purge […]

Alexander Hamilton

I’ve started listening to an Alexander Hamilton biography. Early on Chernow states that Hamilton was the most influential founding father never elected president and far more influential than many that were. What was so special about him? I’m not sure yet. I’m only about three hours into a 36 hour recording.

Can You Market God/The Gospel?

Something Sam said over on his blog reminded me of something McLaren said in an interview with Church Marketing Sucks: Can you market God? I think that’s a complicated question. I’m sure you have some good opinions on that. To some degree all that marketing means is communication. If we’re communicating in public, I suppose […]

Consumers or Investors?

Yesterday I spent several hours with our leadership team talking about emerging church stuff. We used Kimball’s book as a starting point. During the discussion, one of our shepherds had the insight that instead of treating the folks who walk through our doors on Sunday mornings as consumers of religious goods and services, we should […]

Mall Mania Part 4 (Remixed Peterson Style)

Here are a few excerpts from an interview with Eugene Peterson. You make spirituality sound so mundane. I don’t want to suggest that those of us who are following Jesus don’t have any fun, that there’s no joy, no exuberance, no ecstasy. They’re just not what the consumer thinks they are. When we advertise the […]

Mall Mania Part 3

Mall Mania Mall Mania Part 2 From StormFront: The Good News of God: “If you don’t like the way you were born–try being born again!” This announcement, prominently displayed recently on a church marquee in our neighborhood, reflects perfectly the spirit of religious life in North America today. It advertises to all who pass by […]