When I was a graduate student, I took a missions class called "Contextualization" as an elective. The class was essentially intended to equip missionaries for understanding the cross-cultural context, or setting, in which they were going to do mission work so that they could share the message of Christ in culturally astute ways. We discussed …
Bibliography for Daniel series
After many of my preaching series, I enjoy sharing a bibliography that I used to help prepare for that series. Sometimes they are wide-ranging, such as the series on the life of Joseph, while at other times they are more clearly bounded by one specific topic, such as the series on prayer. Here is the resource bibliography …
Seeking God’s Will: The ‘Three Lights’ of God’s Guidance and Hearing God’s Voice
Many of us search for God's will in our lives. In fact, one of the most pervasive questions I receive as a pastor is: how do I know God's will in my life? In his book, The Secret of Guidance, F. B. Meyer writes these words: God's impressions within and his words without are always …
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Evangelical Dis-incarnation and Online Church: some thoughts on Judah Smith and Churchome Global
This past week, Judah Smith, pastor of Churchome (formerly 'City Church') announced via Twitter that the church's latest "site" would be through an app on your smart phone. You can read an article about it here: "Judah Smith Launches Church 'in the palm of your hand.'" This move, listed as on of the locations on the church's …
More than 300 Chinese Christian Leaders Sign Joint Statement Affirming Religious Freedom
A friend recently shared with me that, in the midst of increasing pressure by the Chinese government on the Christian church in China, a group of pastors wrote a public statement affirming both their commitment to Christian faith in the midst of suffering and an international call to uphold religious freedom. This is noteworthy for …
Matthew Erickson 