I’ve Grown Cynical of Cynicism
Ever a struggling cynic, I find it hard—in conclusion—not to finally turn cynicism on myself. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said, the disillusioned person is “first an accuser of his brethren, then an accuser of God, and finally the despairing accuser of himself.”
Millennial Myths and the Real Reasons People Leave the Church
Besides, if churches with more conservative, traditional views on sexuality, creation/evolution, and Biblical inerrancy are really such a turnoff to the millennial masses, then why aren’t liberal mainline congregations teeming with young adults?
Multi-ethnic for the sake of the gospel
There is much work to be done to improve our multi-ethnicity and cultural sensitivity in the Church. Citing Michael Emerson’s work, Mosaix Global Network Director Mark Deymaz noted, “Our churches are 10 times more segregated than our neighborhoods and 20 times more segregated than our local schools.”
To Persuade People, Tell Them a Story
Even with digital and social-media tools, employees often struggle to convey ideas to each other, to managers and to customers. That’s why companies such as FedEx, Kimberly-Clark and Microsoft are teaching executives to tell relatable stories as a way to improve workplace communication.
When Good Pastors Preach Boring Sermons
So, assess your pastor’s words. Do not concentrate on the witty jokes, the inflections in his voice, or any other stylistic method of conveying his message. Even if the delivery is different than you are used to, discover what the content is. If the Gospel is not there, then prayer and a discussion with the leaders need to happen to address this. If the Gospel, albeit simple, is being proclaimed and listeners are called to repent and believe, then there is reason to rejoice!
Listening to God First, then Man
Begin with the text, then look to other resources to understand it better. God wrote the Bible to you. Read God first, then read what others have said.
We must be people of the Book! Only one book contains God’s truth, others are just commenting upon it. Let’s read the original Author first!
10 Reasons Why We Must Love Unlovable Church Members
- God loves them.
- We show the power of the gospel by loving all people.
- We live in Christian obedience when we show love toward all.
- Some unlovable church members need Jesus.
- Some unlovable church members are undiscipled believers acting like undiscipled people.
- Love motivates our praying for unlovable church members.
- Loving unlovable church members is an act of faith.
- Unlovable people are often loners, and loners need help winning spiritual battles.
- Only genuine love allows us to carry out church discipline when needed.
- We are all sometimes unlovable.
6 Reasons Not to Abandon Expository Preaching
Our aim is to take the sacred text, explain what it means, tie it to other scriptures so people can see the whole a little better, and apply it to life so it bites and heals, instructs, and edifies. What better way to accomplish this end than through expository preaching?
President Obama: In Search of a Creative Policy Towards Cuba
For starters, President Obama called for a “creative” analysis of U.S. strategy, thus inviting U.S. foreign policy apparatus to question the value of the current policy toward Cuba, which has been declared anachronistic by the president himself. It makes no sense, if the State Department looks at the matter rationally, to annoy the international community and hinder dialogue with Cuba by gratuitously including the government of Raul Castro on the list of state sponsors of terrorism without providing any credible argument.
Study: Gun Violence In Movies Doubled Since 1950
Using a sample of 945 movies that all found success at the U.S. box office between 1950 to 2012, the study’s authors counted how frequently instances of gun violence took place on screen. Gun violence made an on-average appearance more than twice an hour. The study also found that gun violence in the movies had doubled since the 1950s and, surprisingly, the level of gun-related violence in PG-13 movies now even bypasses that in the biggest R-rated movies.