The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) recently posted the podcast of a discussion between Leith Anderson (NAE President) and Richard Mouw (President Emeritus of Fuller Theological Seminary), advocating civility in our political discourse. To read a short message about their discussion and to listen to the podcast, go to http://nae.net/mouwpodcast/. For a related letter from GCI President Joseph Tkach concerning the virtue of prudence in approaching politics, click here.
Many are the expectations placed on pastors in our world. But what do church members actually value? Karl Vater (in a Sermon Central article titled, “Church Members Don’t Want a Hero, They Want a Pastor”) gives this list of what members value most in a pastor:
To read the article, go to http://www.sermoncentral.com/pastors-preaching-articles/karl-vaters-church-members-dont-want-a-hero-they-want-a-pastor-2466.asp. For additional resources for small churches from Karl Vater, go to NewSmallChurch.com.
In a recent Leadership Journal article, Clayton Schmit, professor of preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary, wrote that effective preachers approach the craft of preaching as “performance art.” Here is part of what he wrote:
How can preachers present the gospel message to their listeners without getting in the way? How can they communicate the Word of God in such a way that it wins a hearing? There are many answers to this question, and they relate to the multiple skills preachers learn in their theological education: understanding of ministry context, knowledge of Scripture, theological discernment, development of pastoral wisdom, and more. But there is one component that is often overlooked: preaching is performance. Preachers bring their messages to life in the hearing of God’s people when they understand that preaching is a type of performance art.
To read the full article, click here.
In churches as in neighborhoods, in order to build community, it’s vital to get outside the building and onto the “front lawn.” This “front lawn” mentality is vital in a post-Christian era when people rarely take the initiative to come inside the church. We must go outside to them and there build community. For a helpful Christianity Today article on this important topic, go to http://www.christianitytoday.com/local-church/channel/utilities/print.html?type=article&id=133798.
Leadership Network recently announced that on May 17 (at 1:00 pm EST) they will be conducting a free online webinar that will discuss how congregations can conduct effective marriage ministries. For information about the webinar and to register, go to http://leadnet.org/marriage/.
How can a church attract, connect and retain new attendees? George Surratt, Director of Exponential, answers with practical advice in an article titled 5 Simple Ways to Make Your Church Stickier. To read it, click here.
What if we equipped our members to have spiritual conversations with their non-churched friends? Here is a short video from Q Place that helpfully addresses this topic:
On Vimeo at http://vimeo.com/71586509.
For a related book, click here. For a related article, click here.
ChurchLeaders.com recently published an article by Frank Powell titled 8 Signs You Love Legalism More Than Jesus. This helpful article identifies the dangers of legalism. Here is an excerpt:
Legalism is adding anything to the gospel. Legalism takes the words “Follow me” and adds stipulations, clauses and barriers. It’s a facade, and, over time, you believe its lies. The ultimate lie being the simplicity of the gospel isn’t good enough. Legalism shifts the end goal from Jesus to something else. Legalism doesn’t care where you focus, anything but the risen Savior will do. And, it inevitably turns God into an agitated old man, skeptical about anything that breathes. If you’re exhausted with legalism’s demands, you can break free. It won’t be easy or quick. I’m still fighting for freedom. But you can break the chains, and it starts with recognizing you’re enslaved.
The article goes on to point out eight indicators that a person is trapped in legalism’s enslaving grip. To read it, click here.
The April issue of GCI Equipper addresses how churches can join Jesus in responding to the refugee crisis and in ministering to children. Here are summaries of each article (click the title to read it online):
The refugee crisis: How can we respond?
– by Greg Williams
In 2014, nearly 60 million people were displaced from their homes and native countries by war… This global refugee crisis must not be ignored. But how can GCI congregations respond?
Nova’s story – by Nova Musafiri
I left my country in April 1993 because of security issues: students were arrested, beaten to death and tortured because of a dictatorial regime, which reigned for over 30 years. I did not have a choice, but had to escape in order to save my life.
Welcome home to Ottawa – by Fraser Henderson
For the refugees, despite the blistering cold and stark landscapes, there is one thing they can say about this new location they haven’t been able to say for years and sometimes even decades: they are home.
Helping a refugee family in Los Angeles – by Janet Morrison
The first time I saw them was at LAX—seven Congolese refugees…coming to a new world, a new culture. Though they had heard many things about the U.S., they did not really know what they were getting into. Neither did I.
Kid’s Korner – by Susi Albrecht and Nancy Akers
Children’s Church can play an important role in the lives of our kids. It’s a place to bond, learn and grow, while discovering what God has to say through the Bible.
As noted in the article in this issue by Joseph Tkach, there is great need to practice the “virtue of prudence” in our political discourse. In a recent blog post, Thom Rainer of LifeWay helpfully addresses this need as it pertains to political statements made by pastors via social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). To read his post, go to http://thomrainer.com/2016/03/ten-commandments-for-pastors-politics-and-social-media/.
