When I became a pastor in 1990, seeker was the term of art for a nonbeliever. Churches such as Willow Creek and Saddleback had popularized the term as part of their attractional ministry model. Rather than emphasizing that a person … Continue reading Apatheism | Book Review
“To say the events of 2020 have been disruptive to our lives is the understatement of the decade,” writes John Davidson. For pastors, however, those disruptions provide an opportunity to rethink ministry in order to increase “the effectiveness of their … Continue reading Rethinking Your Church’s Ministries after COVID | Influence Podcast
Ministry of Women in the New Testament Dorothy A. Lee (Baker Academic) Does Scripture limit the ministries of Christian women based on their sex? According to this book, it does not. Instead, writes the author, the New Testament teaches that “women should have full access to the church’s ministry, whether in lay or ordained ministries, and that this access needs to depend not on gender but rather on a sense of vocation and on the church’s discernment of calling.” In an era of rising complementarianism among some evangelicals, this book offers a much-needed corrective. P.S. If you liked this recommendation, … Continue reading Three Books on Women in Leadership | Book Recommendations
Apologetics is the reasoned defense of the Christian faith. The term comes from the Greek word for a legal argument, apologia. That word appears in 1 Peter 3:15, a classic proof text for apologetics: “Always be prepared to give an … Continue reading Urban Apologetics | Book Review
How does a journalist report crime when the government is run by criminals? That’s not a philosophical question for John Russell; it’s an existential one. Russell is an English expatriate working as a reporter for a liberal German newspaper in … Continue reading Wedding Station | Book Review
Dean Merrill is the author, co-author, or editor of more than 30 books. His newest is 50 Pentecostal and Charismatic Leaders Every Christian Should Know (Chosen Books), forthcoming in March. Merrill recently talked with Influence Executive Editor George P. Wood … Continue reading Spirit-Filled Trailblazers: An Interview with Dean Merrill
The past year has been tough one. Millions have experienced grief and loss as a result of the COVID pandemic. Unfortunately, many American Christians have a hard time processing these negative experiences. “When we fail to attend to them,” Peter … Continue reading How to Handle Grief and Loss after COVID | Influence Podcast
Since 2014, researchers at Chapman University have conducted the Survey of American Fears. Their most recent reportcatalogues 88 things of which Americans are “afraid” or “very afraid.” The top 10 fears include corrupt government officials, pollution and climate change, loved … Continue reading Do Not Be Afraid!
“Good leaders can change the world in remarkable ways — just as bad leaders can do serious harm,” writes Richard Stearns in Lead Like It Matters to God. While many define good leadership in terms of results, however, God defines … Continue reading Lead Like It Matters to God | Book Review
American Christianity has often been described as “a mile wide but an inch deep.” In other words, there is a mismatch between the quantity of believers and the quality of their discipleship. The rise of the “nones”* has narrowed American … Continue reading Emotionally Healthy Discipleship | Book Review
