Spiritual maturity as leaders requires us to know how to help just enough not to be hurtful, and we also need to know how to lead just enough not to take leadership away from others. Read more
Spiritual maturity as leaders requires us to know how to help just enough not to be hurtful, and we also need to know how to lead just enough not to take leadership away from others. Read more
by Zen Hess Read Part 1 here. Seeking the Welfare of the Nation: Military and American-ism My second concern, the one I said was more dangerous, is that Grudem’s reflections centered chiefly upon the welfare of America. Of course, choosing an American president must consider the welfare of America. There are several reasons, however, that we must also consider the welfare of other nations. One reason comes from Grudem’s explanation of why we should be involved in politics in the... Read more
by Zen Hess Grudem’s Argument: Trump is a “Good candidate with flaws” Is it moral to choose the lesser of two evils? A better question might be, “Is it moral to have less blood on your hands?” Dr. Wayne Grudem recently wrote an article for Townhall about why voting for Donald Trump is a “morally good” choice. I should say that I respect Grudem immensely and do not mean anything hereafter as a personal attack. I wish only to engage... Read more
Although it is commonplace today for Christians to create organizations that tackle social problems, that approach was an innovation in the American Protestant church, says one of the nation’s top church historians. This post is reprinted from Faith & Leadership. The American Protestant church’s great innovation was its voluntary organization, but organization alone did not guarantee success. The real key to thriving is focus on mission, said Mark Noll, the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of... Read more
By Timothy Askew; reprinted from Inc. with the kind permission of Timothy Askew. In the first century AD, Roman poet Ovid wrote the following: “There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled.” I’ve always been a closet napper. Yup. But, not wanting to be judged a slacker, I’ve kept my little secret to myself. However, now, lo and behold, it turns out that what I thought of as weakness... Read more
I love the Faith and Work Collective over at Asbury Seminary’s Seedbed. Yes, I’m an Asbury alum, so I’m biased, but I feel like I consistently find quality faith/work/vocation stuff there from a Wesleyan perspective. Here’s two recent posts you might like (one opinion, one statistics): Working for Pharaoh: (and by the way, I have a story to tell about this one, too. Plus, I’ll be surprised if you can get through the post without singing the Richard Thompson song.)... Read more
By Mike Coyner Acts Chapter 20 records that Paul gathered the leaders of the church at Ephesus to say farewell before he left, knowing he would go to Rome and his likely death. In his farewell to them, he reminds them that he gave everything for the Gospel and for the churches. He says he did not shrink from sharing totally with them, he did not “hold back” or “shrink” or “reduce” the Gospel – rather, he gave his “all”... Read more
I did not think there could be so much noise I would have rather had a world of light Than all those colors, advertisements, toys And guaranteed successes overnight. I would have rather had a world of rain Than one of preaching what I could not feel; Some isolated alley where the pain And storms could blow; that would have been more real Than schedules, conversations, graceless days, The desperation of a formless aim, A building with no soul, no... Read more
This post is a contribution to the Patheos Book Club on God Unbound: Wisdom from Galatians for the Anxious Church. Perhaps one of the signs of middle age is that your friends suddenly start writing books. I first met Elaine Heath in the early 2000’s when she and I were both receiving fellowships from an organization interested in giving creedally orthodox United Methodists funding for doctorates so that we could change the United Methodist Church. Fifteen years later, she is... Read more
By David Spickard People have been asking me how I’m reacting to all that’s going on with the tragic shooting deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and now the police officers in Dallas. I wrote out my thoughts this morning for our Jobs for Life team. I hope they’re helpful to you. JfL family, It’s difficult to know what to say or do in a time like this. For the most part, I’m numb. And yet, we need to respond. This... Read more
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