Voices

I often make observations about the churches I visit. Being at Calvary Church in Westlake inspired me to encourage you as you think about connecting with and communicating to those in your congregation and beyond.

It would be a mistake to view the decline of cultural Christianity in North America as signaling the decline of Christianity as a whole. Nevertheless, the North American church does have unique challenges to confront.

When we talk about the missio Dei (Latin for “mission of God”), we are referring to God’s grand effort to reconcile all of creation to himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

“Jesus Stories” are simple, short retellings about something Jesus said or did in five minutes or less. They are accompanied by open-ended questions that spark discussion.

There is no such thing as a neutral ideological vacuum. We must stand for something. And what the new kind of relativistic tolerance is showing is that it is not really tolerant at all. 

Here are 20 insights from my friend Canon Dan Alger's new book, "Word and Sacrament: Ancient Traditions for Modern Church Planting."

Christians, evangelicals included, seem to love evangelism, as long as someone else is doing it. It’s time for all of us to start preaching our good news again.

Preaching is a vital component of Christian worship. In preaching, we proclaim God's Word, calling unbelievers to repentance and faith and believers to spiritual growth.