Secrets of Discernment
In his book What God Wants to Know, author Bruce Larson tells about being at a family reunion and hearing a true and humorous story from his daughter. Her sister-in-law is a conservationist who actively promotes the preservation of the natural environment and wildlife. While she, her husband, and young son were driving up the
Be Careful Little Hands What You Tweet
I’m a tweeter. I look at Twitter as more than the mundane “I had lunch at…” and “Here I am sitting by the pool (a sight you really don’t want to see)…” Most of my tweets are related to the culture, preaching, revival, or churches. Some are biting. A few, I try to use a
For What Am I Praying? (Part 1)
Last month I asked two question in our prayer inventory based on Ephesians 3:14-21. The first question was, “Why am I praying?” Paul said, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father.” We discovered that “cause” spelled out at the end of chapter 2–it’s the building of the Church. When you and I
"The Bible has always been regarded as part of the Common Law of England." - William Blackstone
"The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it." - Napoleon Bonaparte
"The American nation from its first settlement in Jamestown to this hour is based upon and permeated by the Bible." - James Brewer
"No lawyer can afford to be ignorant of the Bible." - Rufus Choate
"The Bible is a supernatural book and can be understood only by supernatural aid." - A. W. Tozer
"A knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without the Bible." - Unknown
The Bible
"Some day, in years to come, you will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow of your life. But the real struggle is here, now, in these quiet weeks. Now it is being decided whether, in the day of your supreme sorrow or temptation, you shall miserably fail or gloriously conquer. Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process."- Phillips Brooks
Character
"Atheism is the death of hope and the suicide of the soul." - Anonymous
"Atheism in not simply beyond reason, it is contrary to reason." - Dave Hunt
"Atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of man." - Bacon
Atheism
Technology
According to a 2008 Barna Survey: 16% of churches podcast26% of churches have a MySpace or social networking page47% of larger churches (250 or more adults) podcast and have a social networking page56% of churches send e-blasts to members and attenders62% of churches have a website91% of larger churches (250 or more adults) have a
Staff Members
Why Staff Members May Plan to Leave Your Church25% Conflict with current leadership19% Financial pressure13% Don’t fit the vision11% Apathy of the congregation09% Probably will be fired08% Pursuing more education15% Other (need a change, lack of growth, family reasons, burnout, etc.) Why Staff Members May Plan to Stay at Your Church35% They feel “called”18% There’s
Sex by the Numbers
(From USA Today, June 2008) 5 million opposite-sex couples in the U.S. live together “without benefit of marriage” today, up from half-a-million in 1970. 10% of American couples are cohabiting while unmarried, compared to up to 30% in Western Europe, Canada, and Australia. Sponsors fo the National Marriage Project study say the U.S. numbers are
God Behaving Badly
Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist? – David T. Lamb. IVP Books. The old Testament seems to portray God as capricious and malevolent, punishing enemies with extreme prejudice. Is this our God? Without minimizing the sometimes harsh realities of the biblical record, David Lamb unpacks the complexity of the Old
Rubbernecking
Written by: Bill Elliff Drives me nuts. It always happens when you are in a particular hurry to get somewhere, only to discover that the traffic is backed up for miles. “There must be a wreck,” you surmise. But when you finally reach the scene you realize that the car is off the road, out
Silence
Ask any woman in society today how she’s doing, and most often she’ll respond, “Busy!” Forget “joyful,” “productive,” “blessed,” and so on. Career women, stay-at-home moms, college students, and senior adults are pulled in so many different directions that their first response is, “Busy.” I myself find the word rolling off my tongue as I