Not my words, nor my thoughts. I may or may not agree. These links are offered to make you think.
12 Reasons for Keeping the Kingdom of God Separate from Politics, Part 1
12 Reasons for Keeping the Kingdom of God Separate from Politics, Part 2
Without exception, whenever the Church as succeeded in gaining what so many Christians try to acquire—political influence—it has resulted in a government that is bloodier than most secular governments. If Scripture is not sufficient to teach us to keep the kingdom of God completely separate from the politics of the world, history should be!
Loving Your Enemies in an Age of Terrorism
Jesus did not say “love your enemies, for in so doing you will find they love you back.” Instead, he said “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven …” (Matt. 5:44-45). While love can and often does bring healing, sometimes it will simply give us the strength to face the threats of our enemy without fear and without threat in return.
The One Thing Christians Should Stop Saying
The truth is, I have no idea why I was born where I was or why I have the opportunity I have. It’s beyond comprehension. But I certainly don’t believe God has chosen me above others because of the veracity of my prayers or the depth of my faith. Still, if I take advantage of the opportunities set before me, a comfortable life may come my way. It’s not guaranteed. But if it does happen, I don’t believe Jesus will call me blessed.
He will call me “burdened.”
SOTM: God Promised Me a Kingdom and All I Got Was This Lousy Church
Therefore, the purpose of the subjects of the King is to be as filled with justice, peace, and freedom as the King himself, because the world can best see this King through his subjects. And what point would there be in serving a just King in a Kingdom filled with people who are not just, peaceable, or free?
Disembodied Bodies, Mark Driscoll, and How “Pastor” Has Lost All Meaning
“Pastors” can now write, preach, and teach faceless masses without having to know the names of anyone but the employees working on their “team.” It is a disembodied view of “the body;” a Christian audience without the reality of a church. Churchless “pastors” want people to buy their books, read their blogs, retweet their thoughts, and pay money to attend their conferences, but they don’t actually want people.
Nine Observations about Announcements in Worship Services
To have or not to have announcements in the worship services? That is the question many church leaders ask today. And indeed there are several tendencies or trends related to announcements, and they are often related to the size of the church.
I asked a number of church leaders of congregations of varying sizes about their practices in this area. They pretty much confirmed what I am seeing as well. Here are my nine observations.
- Keep the reader in mind
- Eschew obfuscation
- Choose your words carefully
- The department of redundancy department
- Stay active
- Go with the flow
- Boil it down
- Read, read, read
Why You Should Never, Ever, Throw Anything Away
On the season premiere of PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow,” a woman shared her great-great grandparents’ baseball memorabilia collection. Sounds like your standard fare for the show, right? WRONG.
Because the collection’s owner was able to provide letters and cards of Boston Red Stockings players dating back to 1871, it’s actually worth OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.