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Why do we buy what we buy, vote the way we vote, eat what we eat and say what we say? Why do we have the friends we have, and work and play as we do? It's our choice? Yes, but there are forces, often unseen, that shape every decision we make and every action we take. These hidden, life-shaping values and ideas are not promoted through organized religions or rival philosophies but fostered by cultural ...
America's political landscape is experiencing dangerous polarization and fragmentation, with the extremes pulling the country apart. Voices on the left and right clash over different worldviews, definitions of America, and what it means to be an American citizen. The levels of incivility and hostility lead some to invoke the language of a cold civil war or even a looming civil ...
We are told, “Look out for yourself first” and “Nice guys finish last.” But following that path leaves us feeling isolated and anxious, and can even take us to a place of ruin. This is not a magnificent journey. There is a road to life in the unshakeable kingdom of God, but it's not an easy journey. "We cannot enter into the kingdom unless we take our cross and die to ourselves," ...
We are told, “Look out for yourself first” and “Nice guys finish last.” But following that path leaves us feeling isolated and anxious, and can even take us to a place of ruin. This is not a magnificent journey. There is a road to life in the unshakeable kingdom of God, but it's not an easy journey. "We cannot enter into the kingdom unless we take our cross and die to ourselves," ...
Pastors often find themselves struggling to survive in the wilderness of the contemporary church scene. How do they remain faithful in light of the marginalization of organized religion, denominational strife, rapid demographic change, falling numbers and a general malaise among church members? Many pastors feel helpless, others hopeless. Sociologists and pollsters diagnose the problem but can't ...
God created the world in a delicate balance for the good of all plants, animals and people. Tragically, though, from the Fall to today, we as humans have lived in ways that keep living things--including fellow human beings--from surviving at all, much less flourishing. But we can change that. Sociologist and author Lisa ...
Do you find yourself again and again wondering what it would take to get some new volunteers onboard for your ministry? And yet does it seem that you are never able to focus your energy on recruitment? Maybe you find yourself saying things like: "It?s just easier for me to do it myself." At one level, of course, this is true. Almost always, it is easier to "do it ourselves." We avoid the ...
Is your small group boring? (It's okay to be honest.) Do you sometimes have to force yourself to attend the meetings (even the meetings you lead!)? Do you wonder if small groups are doing anything for your spiritual growth? Kim Engelmann, a pastor and small group leader, describes how she felt about one small group she attended: "It is Thursday evening--small group night. I . . . hesitate before ...