Shooting the messengers? ‘Conservative’ theology and church growth
The authors of “Theology Matters” concluded that congregations who espouse “liberal” theology are declining and congregations who espouse “conservative” theology are growing.
The art of leadership: Playing ‘piano’
The image of leadership being valorized in both the Church and the society in our time is the leader who can play the changes fortissimo. But is it not also important to be able to play softly?
‘Doing good’: The future of Christianity in the U.K.
Christian activism is increasing, not decreasing, in Britain. Is this the future of Christianity?
Cruciform Epiphany
One way of picturing the church calendar is as an unspooling thread, with each loop expanding the last. But this year, I’m pondering the complementary, and in some ways more elusive and profound, truth.
TBT: ‘The Year of the Lord’
“In this new year of the Lord that lies before us, there will be a plentiful measure of blood and tears. But, as always, Christ stands with outstretched, nail-scarred hands ready to make every man who responds to him an agent in the dispensation of His healing grace.”
More important than you thought: ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’
For those of us who did not live through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the context may not be immediately evident.
Putting the Incarnation back in ‘incarnational’
The Incarnation is not a principle. It is not just a reminder that God works and speaks through people. It is not primarily a model for ministry.
God’s secret name, and our names
“I AM WHO I AM,” God told Moses (Exod. 3:14). God has a name. But, unlike ours, his Name perfectly expresses what and who he is. “Jeff” is an arbitrary noise, an arbitrary signature, that has no intrinsic connection to a person who by no means has to exist. “Jeff” expresses nothing.