CHANGE, CHANGE, AND MORE CHANGE

Much of the church in the U.S., including my own, needs change, change, and more change.  Even a quick glance at what is happening around and among us should be enough to convince us that the church simply must change.  In the U.S., most denominations are in decline and some of them must “pull up” …

ON CHANGING CHURCHES

Given the current condition of our culture—both inside and outside the church—I think as many of us as possible should seriously consider changing churches!  Let me explain.   Some time ago, Lavone and I were driving somewhere, not on the interstate, but on a two-lane highway through the countryside.  We came up over a bluff …

IMAGINE A “CHRISTIAN” CONGRESS

According to the Pew Research Center, just under 88% of members of Congress identify as Christian (87.8%) compared with 63% of the U.S. population.  In addition, less than 5% of the Congress identify as religiously unaffiliated (e.g., humanist or unwilling to say) compared with 33% of adults in the U.S. today. ** Let the findings …

How Lent Leads to Kingdom Blessing

The Kingdom that begins with Lent leads us to blessing.  There is the call to turn—repent!—which is Lent.  There then comes a pronouncement: “Blessed!”  Consider how stunning this is. When Jesus begins to teach about the Kingdom of God, the first word is “Blessed!”  This is not what we expected, not from God almighty in …

Why and How Jesus’ Kingdom Requires “Lent”

What kind of a kingdom begins with Lent?  Well, a good and godly one.  In fact, the gospel story begins with Jesus announcing the presence of God’s kingdom, and then proposing our proper response in “Lenten terms.”  “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced.  “The kingdom of God is near!  Repent …