Here’s another good challenge from Skye Jethani on the idol of nationalism: The temptation to root our identity in our country is certainly nothing new. It was equally prevalent during the early church when Christians were divided by their loyalty to Christ and his church, and their loyalty to their nation of origin—whether Rome, Greece, … More Christian Colonists or Tourists?
This Lent we’re exploring how the Cross was not just the way Jesus died, but also the new pattern for how Jesus’ followers are supposed to live. We’re called to not only embrace the CrossEvent, but also learn to walk the CrossRoad. The season of Lent begins with Jesus being tempted by Satan to bring His … More CrossRoad 4: Temptations
This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King, when the church celebrates Christ’s universal lordship and anticipates the coming reign of the Prince of Peace. I share the following reflection as a gentle reminder of where our ultimate citizenship lies. -JB The tread on my tires had run low, so I was sitting at … More On Thanking Vets & Martyrs
Jesus’ mission prioritized the marginalized and neglected people of his day. He didn’t send out his apostles—i.e., “church planters”—saying, “Go ye therefore to the sprawling suburbs and invite the upwardly mobile dual income families with children.” He said, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (Luke 14:21). Would you try growing a church with such folks? … More Funding the Jericho Inn: A MainStreet Update
The question of the evangelist should be: “If you don’t die tonight, what are you going to do tomorrow?” And the answer should be: “I’m going to trust Jesus with all my life, with everything, and that will allow me to live in the Kingdom of God.” -DALLAS WILLARD
The United States has a love affair with Eros; I’d say our society as a whole is worshiping at the temple of Eros — and not just once a year. Consider the numbers… … More Love, Marriage & Singleness at the Apocalypse
“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” -Jesus My politics actually haven’t changed all that much over the years. When I go to the polls every two or four years to give “caesar” my opinion on how best to run this particular “kingdom of the world” called America, I still … More Church & Politics: A Jesus-Shaped Approach
It seems hardly necessary to make an argument for the universally experienced suffering and injustice prevalent in the world. If pain really is God’s “megaphone to rouse a deaf world”, as C. S. Lewis argued, then the message is deafeningly clear and God might consider turning the volume down a bit. What then is the church’s appropriate response to the world’s injustice and suffering? … More A Case for a Cruciform Justice
A friend in ministry just texted me a light and fluffy Friday afternoon question: “I’m laying out a vision for Discipleship with my people on Monday. What are 3 awesome things about being a disciple? What are 3 awesome things about making disciples?” He might as well have asked me to sum up the mystery … More Aching & Yearning for the Kingdom
by Allan Bevere Now that the special Senate election in Alabama is over, it is time for some Christians on both sides of the political aisle to repent of selling their souls in exchange for temporal political power. Conservative Christians who supported Roy Moore in spite of the fact that there were numerous credible women … More It Needed to be Said
It all began when I turned my knob from FM to AM on my radio dial. I was about 19 years old and had discovered the new world of talk radio. It began with non-stop sermons on a Christian station nurturing my new hunger for Bible teaching. Before long I was also drinking in my daily dose of conservative political talk as well. I was hooked. But then Jesus came along … … More Me & Jesus Cruise the AM Dial
It’s easy to get obsessed with numbers in our world. The more the merrier. The bigger the better. A packed room makes a fun party, and a poor turnout has us asking, “What’s wrong?” Make no mistake about it, numbers do matter. Especially when it concerns the spreading of the gospel and reaching people for … More Counting on God: Kingdom Mathematics
Repost from 2010. -JB The biggest things I’ve done for the Kingdom have usually looked pitifully small by the world’s standards. The most heroic acts of faithfulness have usually looked like stupid acts of irrelevance to the watching world. Following Jesus and investing your life in Kingdom impacting efforts may sometimes cost you. Is the … More With Jesus Small is Really Big
Jesus taught his disciples to pray: Let your Name be Holy, May your Kingdom come, May your will be done. John Stott offers the following commentary for us to consider: “The first three petitions in the Lord’s Prayer express our concern for God’s glory in relation to his name, rule and will….It is comparatively easy … More A Revolutionary Prayer
As I type this, I’m listening to nationally syndicated conservative talk show host Dennis Prager. I’ve been a regular listener of his for about 10 years. He’s one of my favorite conservatives, and I’ve always enjoyed his show for it’s focus on clarifying the Left-Right political divide, and the character he shows in his interactions … More Ben Franklin’s God in a So-called Christian America
“Whatever happens, as citizens of heaven live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that — whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent — I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the … More PHILIPPIANS 12: Resident Aliens (1:27-28)
What is the gospel? I mean: What is the full, Kingdom of God-announcing, cross-centered, New Creation focused, sin-bearing, substitutionary atoning, wrath-absorbing, life-transforming, social justice-bringing gospel really about? Scot McKnight is doing perhaps the best job I’ve ever seen in concisely and biblically recapturing the fullness of the Kingdom Gospel of Jesus that has been … More Scot McKnight: Loosening the Helmet of Salvation
Jeremy L. Berg 