What matters is not the size of the church or the slickness of the programming. What matters is that those who come find a ministry and relationships worthy of spontaneous word-of-mouth recommendations. from Sticky Church
02348 – Where Does God Want Me?
I tell our new members: You don’t join a preacher; you join the church. And you join the church for one reason—because you believe that God told you to plant your life there. If you join because of a style of preaching, that can change. If you join for the facilities...
02278 – The Church & Grace
The church is, above all, a place to receive grace: it brings forgiven people together with the aim of equipping us to dispense grace to others. from Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News?
02253 – All Persons Have Worth & Dignity
In Christ’s incarnation all of humanity regains the dignity of bearing the image of God. Whoever from now on attacks the least of the people attacks Christ, who took on human form and who in himself has restored the image of God for all who bear a human countenance....
02224 – Churches Denouncing Social Structures
When the church hears the cry of the oppressed it cannot but denounce the social structures that give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which the cry arises.
02221 – Avoiding Thorny Matters?
A church that doesn't provoke any crisis, a gospel that doesn't unsettle, a Word of God that doesn't get under anyone's skin, what kind of gospel is that? Preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed do not light up the world.
02210 – Using Gender-Inclusive Language
As the father of two girls (now also grandfather of three), I have cringed listening to some preachers and teachers in the church make perfectly good points while using solely male pronouns during their exposition... There are, indeed, “hidden figures” in our...
02192 – God Loves People?
It's hard to convince people that a God they can't see loves them, when a church they can see doesn't seem to like them.
02175 – Exaltation vs. Exploitation of Jesus
Recognize the difference between the exaltation of Jesus and the exploitation of Jesus. You can stick the name of Jesus on anything. On any church, on any speech, on any campaign, on any ministry, business, banner, t-shirt, or car bumper and shamelessly exalt the...
02165 – Separation of Church & State
The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.