As a 6′-7″ tall dude, I’ve had a hard time relating to Zacchaeus, the “wee little man” who couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd. In a crowd of people, I am the “tree” that many are trying to see around! … More A New Vantage Point
The big box “church-as-business” model that arose in the last quarter of the 20th century was a complete (and short-lived) anomaly in the long 2,000 year history of Christian ministry. It rode the wave of American-styled capitalism and is grounded in the values of American consumerism and market driven strategies — not the New Testament … More From Big Box to Big Souls
Over three decades ago, my late hero and Protestant “Saint” (if Presbyterians canonized people) Eugene Peterson wrote the following in the opening paragraphs to his book on pastoral ministry called Working the Angles (1987): “American pastors are abandoning their post, left and right, and at an alarming rate. They are not leaving their churches and getting … More Reclaiming the Pastoral Vocation
Anyone interested in a sample of my academic work, here’s a full essay on race and ethnicity in the ancient world and today. (I shared a few sections a few weeks back.) Dr. Dennis Edwards said of it, “This is great, dare I say prophetic!” Unfortunately, the formatting and footnotes did not transfer to the … More One Body, Many Ethnic Parts
I’m reposting this from the deep archives as it is a lesson we seem slow to learn. By the way, did you hear about the ‘Preachers N Sneakers’ controversy? Below is an excerpt from a spot-on, timely and utterly devastating articles I’ve read in years about church leadership. I wish it never needed to be … More Dangers of Celebrity Pastors & Megachurch Cultures
Rachel Held Evans died on Saturday at the age of 37, leaving behind her husband and a 1 and 3 year old. Life is precious and fragile indeed. Never heard of RHE? That’s okay. Now is a great chance to check out her writings. I confess I have not read any of her books, or … More Searching For Sunday
The original vision for MainStreet was centered around the “house to house” fellowship described in the Book of Acts. The more formal nature of a Sunday service in a church building was to be viewed as secondary. We dreamed of a number of house groups popping up all over the town, with gracious hosts reaching … More ‘House Church’ Revisited
By Skye Jethani | With God Daily Devotional In my previous role as an editor at Christianity Today, I had the opportunity to engage many Christian leaders and to see “behind the curtain” of numerous ministries. Often I came away from these encounters deeply encouraged and grateful. Sometimes I did not. Occasionally, my time with … More Doctrine, Demons & Disciples (Skye Jethani)
Yesterday I began my next doctoral essay. Here’s a sneak peek at the introduction -JB. “If you had sent a letter…there would have been nothing to prevent my seeming to be actually in your company, and enjoying it as though we had been together… But why do you not write?” –St. Basil to Leontis, 364 AD Pastors know … More The Unbearable Silence of Monday
For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” (2 Cor 10:10) Have you heard of the 10,000 Hour Rule? Associated with popular writer Malcolm Gladwell and his book Outliers, the principle holds that 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” are needed to become world-class in any … More Only 5,275 Hours to Go!
Many of you know Billy Graham was a personal hero of mine. Many of you may not know the story of his grandson, Tullian Tchividjian. He became a very gifted and high-profile pastor with a huge following. Bestselling books, leader of a large church, and a family legacy to bolster (and afflict?) him. He feel … More Stumbling in Grandpa Billy’s Footsteps
Richard Halverson, the former chaplain of the United States Senate, summarized church history this way: “In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centered on the living Christ. Then the church moved to Greece, where it became a philosophy. Then it moved to Rome, where it became an institution. Next, it … More The Idol of Celebrity (Skye Jethani)
“What is this babbler trying to say?”(Acts 17:18) “In public he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them” (Mark 4:34). “Let your house be a gathering place for sages; And wallow in the dust of their feet; and drink in their words with … More Preaching or Teaching?
I often talk about church as a car repair shop rather than a Sunday trip through a car wash. While the latter may feel nice and give your exterior a little extra shine for a few days, it does not address the ‘engine’ inside that makes us go. At MainStreet we desire to open the … More Epictetus: Soul-Wrenching Work
Today marks the 7th anniversary of MainStreet Covenant Church’s first weekly worship service. I thought this an appropriate occasion to announce the completion of a commemorative book I’ve produced that details the journey. As you probably know, I love history, and therefore I love probing origins. Any appreciator of the past quickly becomes an appreciator … More NEW! MainStreet Beginnings Book
Just read a great article by Ellen Davis called “Surprised by Wisdom.” Here’s a taste: Anyone attuned to both the [biblical] text and contemporary culture might pause as early as the second line of the book [of Proverbs], where the purpose of “the proverbs of Solomon” is stated thus: “For knowing wisdom and discipline {musar)…” … More Wisdom’s Allure
“Do not be conformed to the culture around you…” –Romans 12:2 In a recent sermon, we explored the way Paul’s poem in Colossians 1:15-20 served, in part at least, to subvert and reshape the imaginations of the believers in Colossae who were immersed in the cultural narrative(s) and values of the Roman Empire, i.e., the Pax Romana. … More Five Cultural Narratives
Eugene Peterson captures the thought of preachers as they look out on the congregation each Sunday: “Every Sunday I look across this congregation and wonder, prayerfully, what is going on. I know most of you pretty well. But there is a lot I don’t know. I am here every week with the conviction that this … More QUOTABLES: View From The Pulpit
by Pete Scazzero Benedict (480-547 AD) lived during a time when the Roman Empire was disintegrating and eventually founded twelve monasteries near Rome. To guide these monks to live a simple, orderly life around Christ, he wrote “a little rule for beginners” now famously known as the “Rule of Benedict” (RB). This “Rule” became one of the most … More Lessons from the “Rule” of Benedict
By Hershael York By its very nature, the field of pastoral leadership is fraught with such incredible difficulties that we must say with the Apostle Paul, “Who is sufficient for these things?” Leading God’s people is unlike any other task in the world — which is why it requires a calling of the Spirit, and not … More 10 Challenges of Being a Pastor
At least 2 or 3 times in the past several years of pastoring, the following 4 lectures by Eugene Peterson have helped save me from drowning in the sea of vocational ministry. I, like countless other pastors, consider Eugene Peterson to be the Dean of Pastors and a voice of sanity in a culture of … More Jonah & Pastoral Vocation (Eugene Peterson)
“Most of the individuals in this amalgam [i.e., congregation] suppose that the goals they have for themselves and the goals God has for them are the same. It is the oldest religious mistake: refusing to countenance any real difference between God and us, imagining God to be a vague extrapolation of our own desires, and … More QUOTABLES: Subversive Pastor
“So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9). Always a highlight in ministry is celebrating new beginnings and renewed commitments. One prayer and desire I have for the precious folks who came to the waters this past … More A Tapestry of Love
Ever feel overwhelmed by the number and size of the needs around you? Ever wonder how one person can make an impact in this broken world? One side-effect of the digital age of social media is that we’re constantly made aware of all the tragedies and suffering around the globe: abducted children, famine, sex trafficking, … More The Secret to Feeding 5,000
“You’re name is NOT Jeremy!” the large, black man shouted into my ear with his thick Caribbean accent. His hands were heavy on my shoulders as he stood over me as I sat helplessly in a chair in a dim-lit room. “Your true name is Jeremiah! You are the weeping prophet!” he continued in his … More The Weeping Pastor
Jeremy Berg 