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And Yet Again, What of Evangelicals?
We have been decrying the decline of the “liberals.” Alternately, there has been the call for the end of “conservatives.” All in the Church. Not even in politics! Now, John Ortberg has us wringing our hands about evangelicals again. Not really. I just wanted to be sensational in my headline. This is a well-thought out column. We need to realize…
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This Just In: Sex Still Sells!
Whether it’s hot topic issues like “gay marriage” or “abortion,” or “books” like the hot selling trilogy on just plain hot sex and the current flap over how we, as evangelical Christians, should handle it, this much we know to be true: sex still sells. We are definitely not getting is this: no matter who we are, Christian or not,…
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Dividing Christ?
Near Emmaus put together a nice synopsis of recent articles regarding “liberal” and “conservative” Christianity in America. I found Ross Douthat’s piece in the New York Times to be a great read. As I have read the comments on Douthat’s page and other responses, what I have wondered about is just how far we will go as “labeled” Christians to hold…
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So You Think YOU Have Problems?
Over the past several months I have taken part in two blog tours for the Common English Bible. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience because it allowed me to really dig into a new translation. I am a translation junkie, so this was a great exercise for me. I have found the CEB to be really refreshing to read…
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Rules for Writing in a Socially Unaware World
You’ve run into them. I’ve run into them. After several years of actually having cell phones, one would think some sort of etiquette would develop, but it doesn’t. I can be preaching and someone’s cell phone will go off. Instead of scrambling to get the thing silenced, everyone keeps acting like it’s not theirs. Then, inevitably, someone realizes: “OH! That’s…
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Tomorrow is Flag Day
As Yakov Smirnoff would say, “I LOOOVVVEE this country!” So, please, understand what I am saying. We have a civic calendar and often we substitute it for the church calendar, especially in the American church. Tomorrow is Flag Day, and I salute what this country does and means. I love living here. But, here are my flags and where I…
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The Incredible Love of the Church
8 We were glad to share not only God’s good news with you but also our very lives because we cared for you so much. (1 Thess. 2:8, CEB) Before we moved to Minneapolis we lived for a few years in Colorado. I was working outside the church at the time. The church we attended was fairly large and after…
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Are You Ready for the Invitation?
In Luke 14 someone declares to Jesus, “Happy are those who will feast in God’s kingdom!” Jesus’ illustration that follows gives a chilling thought: Not all will feast. Some will just refuse. They are invited. The invitations are given without hiding anything. The invitations are given ahead of time. But people find all kinds of excuses not to come. Those…
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Hardships Are Not Optional
21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each…
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Make His Paths Straight
We are on a journey in our church. This week starts our summer reading. We want to go all the way through the New Testament. This week’s reading is the Gospel of Luke. All of it. The challenge before us is to prepare the way of the Lord. WE need to be prepared. We need to make the way expedient…
Category: Church Life
