Yesterday I shared an alternative model of evangelism shaped by the interactions and approach of Jesus in the Gospels. I thought it might be helpful to offer a concrete example of this approach in action. As I was planting the Revolution ministry in Mound I was helped along by my daily interactions with teens … More Jesus-Shaped Evangelism in Practice
“The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.” Who can forget this classic coffee jingle? Before there was a Starbucks on every corner, there was Folgers. I can still picture the fake smiles of the actors in the ads as they enjoy their first sip of the morning. For many, coffee is the best part of waking up. For … More ALARM CLOCK 8: The Smell of Coffee in the Morning
I love this kind of thing. Check out this moving story on VIDEO. Who’s hanging out in your church parking lot? And a bonus video below that I found beautiful — even though I’ve never stepped foot on a skateboard. God bless the skateboarders! If Jesus came back today, I think he might be found hanging … More Skateboarding with Jesus
How does this narrative approach then change the way Christians understand and relate to God and the Bible? Let’s look briefly at a narrative understanding of God, the fall, saving faith and evangelism. 1. A Narrative Understanding of God. The particular plot line reveals a lot about the heart and character of the Author. Therefore, in our … More A Powerful Collision: God, Bible, Authority & Narrative 3
Many of you know I spent several years during seminary teaching Driver Education and substitute teaching in the public schools. I had many neat encounters with teens, but one of my all time favorite stories involves Greg. And it all began in the front seat of the student driver car. Greg was a skinny, geeky … More “Behind-the-Wheel” Evangelism
This is a brief follow up post to my recent “Is Evangelism Child Abuse” where I voiced my concern over the trend towards more over-the-top, anti-religious rhetoric in the marketplace of ideas. The broader more significant issue I see at stake in this discussion has to do with monitoring the spirit of the dialogue between … More “Full of Grace, Seasoned with Salt”: On Rhetoric & Respect
I have updated my original post (see italics) and added a direct quote from iMonk. Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk, has a post this week entitled “Is Evangelism Child Abuse?” He is responding to the newest attack on religious people and leaders — the view that attempts to evangelize and convert people (especially young teenagers) is … More Is Evangelism Child Abuse?
Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed is in the middle of a provocative discussion on the fuller message of the “Kingdom Gospel” found by reading the Bible as Story over and against the more popular, privatized gospel boiled down to a few abstract propositional truths pertaining to individual salvation. McKnight pushes us to a larger, more … More ESSAY: The Church as God’s New Language
“Worldwide cases of swine flu climbed to 236 on Thursday, a day after global health authorities warned that swine flu was threatening to bloom into a pandemic and notched up their alert system to the second highest level” (MSNBC.com). The outbreak is the top story on every news channel, in every newspaper, the topic around … More Swine Flu & Unreached Peoples in Perspective
Jeremy L. Berg 