Post-Christianity and the Church by Jon Perrin

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While the previous generation valued tolerance, Millennials emphasize acceptance and support for alternative viewpoints and lifestyles. This leads many of them to deem the Church as archaic and useless – even toxic. As a matter of fact, a recent study revealed that public opinion has shifted concerning Christianity. Spiritual practices that were once considered normal Christian behavior – sharing one’s faith, abstaining from sex outside of marriage, praying out loud for a stranger in public, etc. – are increasingly viewed as extremist. … read more

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Sodom or Salem? America It’s Your Choice

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It’s been fifteen years since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. Immediately following 9/11, President George W. Bush began to emphasize that our country was in “a different kind of war.” Indeed, most of us had no idea we were in a war at all, but we suddenly realized that evil men had been plotting against us and we had been caught unaware and unprotected against an unthinkable assault. … read more

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The Church We Are Becoming by Ed Russo

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The church we are becoming is one where both the churched and the un-churched feel welcome when they drive onto our campus, come through our doors, and leave feeling refreshed, encouraged and empowered. We are becoming a church where hurting and broken people are brought to a sense of wholeness and restoration through unconditional love, acceptance and forgiveness. We’re becoming a people so compassionate that others are drawn from difficult situations into our environment of renewed hope. The church we are becoming is much like a family: one house with many rooms … read more

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Stars in My Eyes by Lisa Cooke

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One of the things I love to do when Tony and I visit Rocky Mountain National Park is to go into the park late at night, away from city lights, and look at the night sky with the uncountable number of stars. Those stars, even though they appear as just pinpricks of light, have always fascinated me.  …read more

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All Sizzle and No Steak

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As a young assistant pastor, I was assisting in various areas of the church, including helping with the coordination of our thirty-eight cell groups. My pastor was on Dr. Cho’s church growth board, and was also in the process of obtaining a doctor of ministry degree in church growth from Fuller Theological Seminar; his concentration was on cell groups. At that time, my pastor asked me to attend a church growth conference sponsored by another church, and one of the workshops I attended was called “Taking Your City Block by Block.”…read more

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Inventories and Testing

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I hear other pastors talk about giving “personality profiles” and “gift mix tests” to help determine the temperaments and the giftings of their people. I’ve also heard of these being used in providing spiritual guidance, especially in terms of helping people prepare for marriage. Has this truly been helpful to churches and the people taking these kind of inventories? If so, how? Can you tell me some of the better tests and inventory tools that are available for use in the local church?

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