Walk into many American churches this Sunday morning — especially if they’re new or nondenominational — and you’re likely to experience the same things: People dress casually. The auditorium looks like a theater, complete with high-tech sound and lighting systems. … Continue reading A History of Contemporary Praise & Worship | Book Review
Pastors often hear complaints about church from members of their congregations. These negative comments can create a doom-and-gloom mentality among church leaders, as if everything in their congregation is going wrong. According to The Congregational Scorecard, a new report from … Continue reading What Do Churchgoers Want? | Influence Podcast
Faithful Theology is the first book in Crossway’s Short Studies in Systematic Theology series. The purpose of each book is to “(1) introduce the doctrine [under examination], (2) set it in context, (3) develop it from Scripture, (4) draw the … Continue reading Faithful Theology: An Introduction | Book Review
According to Stephen Covey, one of the seven habits of highly effective people is beginning with the end in mind. I doubt Covey was thinking about the Book of Revelation when he identified that habit, but I can’t think of … Continue reading The End Times and the Church’s Mission | Influence Podcast
Over the past few weeks, churches have creatively responded to public health orders that closed their doors by going digital, offering worship experiences and small group meetings online. Is this use of digital technology a “new normal”? Or is it … Continue reading After Digital Church, What? | Influence Podcast
Jay Y. Kim’s Analog Church had the misfortune of hitting bookstores at the precise moment American churches were rushing to go digital due to COVID-19-related shelter-at-home orders in many places across the nation. Bad timing aside, the book’s message is … Continue reading Analog Church | Book Review
The dictionary definition of honor is “to regard or treat (someone) with admiration and respect.” In I Choose Honor, Rich Wilkerson starts with this definition but goes on to show that the biblical conception of honor is more far-reaching. He also shows that honor is a pervasive biblical theme: “The stories of honor contained in the Word of God start from the verses in Genesis and continue to the last words in Revelation.” Along the way, he demonstrates how to honor family members, God’s creation, the poor and outcast, and God himself (through worship.” He then discusses how to create circles … Continue reading I Choose Honor | Book Review
Today’s Scripture reading: Luke 2:1–20 The Christmas story in Luke 2:1–20 teaches us five lessons. We looked at the lessons of sovereignty and humility yesterday. God rules over all creation, directing the course of history toward the fulfillment of … Continue reading Value, Worship, and Evangelism | Luke 2:1-20
Today’s Scripture reading: Luke 1:46–56. As I wrote at the outset of this series, Christmas is a singing season. With today’s Scripture reading (Luke 1:46–56), we get to the first of the four songs Luke records. It has come … Continue reading Magnificat! | Luke 1:46-56
Today, over at InfluenceMagazine.com: Matt Marcantonio offers some good advice for overcoming the generation gap at church. I interview Kristi Northup about worship ministry pet peeves for the #InfluencePodcast. Christina Quick notes a Pew Research report that finds evangelical Millennials more … Continue reading Monday’s Influence Online Articles
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