I’ve been reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Letters And Papers From Prison. He was a German pastor & member of the German Resistance against the Nazi Party during World War II. Bonhoeffer was arrested and eventually martyred just before the end of the war. What strikes me is the humanity of his letters. They give depth thatContinue reading “Bonhoeffer’s Frontline Christmas”
Category Archives: Church
Jesus, Marx, and Systemic Sin
Can sin be systemic? The Christian Scriptures teach that sin is both a human condition & concrete action. Sin as a condition refers to the posture of the human spirit in relation to God, namely one of antagonism and total rejection of his rule. Sin as concrete action (also “sins”) are specific manifestations of sin,Continue reading “Jesus, Marx, and Systemic Sin”
Is Jesus Asking The Church To Take Back America?
“Taking America back for God” is a common rallying cry in some American Christian circles. But is God asking this of his Church in America? And what does taking America back mean? The Scriptures never cast a vision of Christ as a King in need of political power. He’s not asking for it. What areContinue reading “Is Jesus Asking The Church To Take Back America?”
The Church Beyond The Ballot
Politics affect people, and people matter to Jesus. All through the Scriptures, faith in God carries with it a concern for the welfare of others. Tim Keller notes, “Jesus forbids us to withhold help from our neighbors, and this will inevitably require that we participate in political processes.” American politics has social implications that intersectContinue reading “The Church Beyond The Ballot”
We The American Church: When Faith and Politics Collide
American Christians are divided on multiple fronts, none more apparent than politics. We need to navigate this moment in a way that honors the Name we claim to represent. To honor Jesus, we must reject both apathy and compromise. American Christians are unique in that we will be held accountable by Jesus on both sidesContinue reading “We The American Church: When Faith and Politics Collide”
Stop The Drift
Drift is dangerous. Nothing about the way of Jesus is automatic to us at first. When we turn discipleship on autopilot, we will drift off in a thousand different directions. Following Jesus demands some intentionality & awareness. Here are three diagnostic questions to ask yourself when you begin to notice drift in your life. Revisit:Continue reading “Stop The Drift”
Escaping Consumer Christianity
We live in a culture defined by consuming. Today companies spend billions of dollars to learn and exploit our spending habits. We’d be foolish to think a consumer culture hasn’t shaped the contours of how we think about and exist as the Church in the West. We must reject consumer Christianity. Common consumer habits maskContinue reading “Escaping Consumer Christianity”
5 Great Quotes: Hudson Taylor
Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) was a British theologian and missionary to China. He founded the China Inland Mission, and pioneered cross-cultural gospel missions. Taylor practiced “incarnational” presence by adopting many of the cultural practices of his Chinese neighbors. “It is not so much the greatness of our troubles, as the littleness of our spirit, which makesContinue reading “5 Great Quotes: Hudson Taylor”
Christians and Conspiracy
Followers of Jesus should be cautious to embrace conspiracy theories. Suspicion feeds paranoia and like Phillip Yancey says, “paranoia is faith in reverse.” What our world needs is Christians eager to share Jesus, not what “the Left/Right don’t want you to hear”. Here are 3 questions to ask as we encounter conspiracy theories online: IsContinue reading “Christians and Conspiracy”
Staying Awake
“So then, let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and sober.” I Thessalonians 5:6 Our family had tickets to Disney World the day it closed in March. That week, like everyone, all our plans changed. For months, we’ve all lived without some of our usual distractions like sports, our busyContinue reading “Staying Awake”
Jared Stacy 