How Fiction Fueled Madeleine L’Engle’s Faith
How does a lonely kid understand that she’s loved by God? An author’s childhood holds the answer. Story, at its heart, is one of the primary modes in which God speaks to us, which means it’s one of the main vehicles for God’s truth. It’s also formative truth: The best, most ennobling stories have the
Why You Got Blocked: What’s Okay, and Not Okay, on Social Media
Social media is a place where we should first seek to be light and salt to a world that needs Jesus. I don’t block a lot of people on Twitter. But sometimes I do, and people ask me why. First, I found Jonathan Merritt’s article on how he mutes some and not others to be
Why Zika, and Other Viruses, Don’t Disprove God’s Goodness
A microbiologist reflects on the problem of evil in human diseases. It’s been two years since Christian missionaries and aid workers in Zika-infested areas wrestled with whether to stay or go after the virus triggered an international public health emergency. Last week, the CDC released a new report indicating for the first time what happens
Evangelical Ethiopian Helps End Orthodox Schism
Africa’s youngest head of state heals the wounds of one of its oldest churches. Ending 27 years of schism, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians in their homeland and in America reunited the two feuding branches of one of the world’s oldest churches. Ironically, the push came from the Horn of Africa nation’s new evangelical prime minister. “It
One-on-One with Joseph D’Souza on GAFCON
Despite the many severe challenges Christians face, the church is growing in India. Ed: What are some of the challenges Christians are currently facing in India? Archbishop D’Souza: Since the time of the apostles, Christians have faced persecution and social and political oppression because of their faith. In India, things are not unlike the early
A Degree of Contention at Christian Schools
Rise of honorary degrees raises concern about misuse of “Dr.” in ministry. What do figures as wide-ranging as Billy Graham, Rick and Kay Warren, Fred Rogers, and Donald Trump have in common? All have been awarded honorary doctorates by Christian colleges. Each spring, another batch of distinguished guests receives these symbolic degrees. Among others this
Five Key Things About Church Revitalization That Most Leaders Miss, Part 1
If you went into ministry for everyone to like you, this was a poor decision. Many churches are stuck and stagnant. That doesn’t mean God isn’t working in and through them, but it can be frustrating for a church to be stuck in the same place for a long time. Sometimes it can feel like
The Great Commission Starts in Your Backyard
For parents, our most important mission field is closer than we think. According to a recent Barna report on spiritual conversations in a digital age, children who grow up regularly talking about faith and seeing their parents integrate faith into everyday life are much more likely to continue being actively engaged in their faith as
Jesus Is Lord. Period.
We’re rendering unto Caesar too much time and attention. Back in the day, the evangelical fantasy went something like this: As you get settled into your airplane seat, you casually remove your Bible from your carry-on. A few moments of solemn reading later, your neighbor taps you on your shoulder. “Pardon me,” he says. “But
Brett Kavanaugh Is a Troubling Supreme Court Pick for Black Christians
I long for the days when Supreme Court judges weren’t viewed as representing a particular ideology. Having worked with Ed Stetzer for the past two years, one thing I have always appreciated about him is his willingness to deal with issues many Evangelicals avoid. His strong stance on immigration issues, the #MeToo movement, and mass