Four Reasons I Came Back to Church
I’ve written a couple of pieces lately that have gotten a lot of attention about why younger people tend to walk away from church. If you haven’t seen them yet, here are the links:
Seven Reasons Why Young A...
Showing Jesus the Door
Feet stuffed into women's pumps and skirt obligingly hoisted to reveal a mottled backside, Leslie Cochran presided over Austin's parade of oddballs for over fifteen years, their undisputed Queen.
Leslie was ...
Worship, Evangelism and “Earning the Right” to Invite
Those of us who are involved in church are well-trained to invite people to worship. We find ways to bring up in conversation how great our music is, how compelling the sermons are and how children are invo...
Four More (BIG) Reasons Young Adults Quit Church
There has been a surprisingly positive response to the article I published earlier in the week called “Seven Reasons Why Young Adults Quit Church.” And as I noted, it was hardly a comprehensive list. There we...
Seven Reasons Why Young Adults Quit Church
From time to time I revisit the question: why are young adults walking away from religion? Although the answer(s) vary from person to person, there are some general trends that I think apply in most cases.
...
When Dreams Meet Reality: Life in Intentional Community
After years of being a youth pastor, I remember the time I came home from yet another event that required endless administration, energy and resources and asked myself, “Is this what it means to be the Chur...
Examining John Piper’s “Masculine Christianity”
I really want to give people like John Piper the benefit of the doubt. Given that he’s a minister in the Baptist tradition, it doesn’t surprise me when he only refers to God as “he” or when he talks about t...
St. Francis, Pray for Us
Today (October 4) Christians around the world celebrate the life of St. Francis of Assisi, one of the bright lights of the Church and one of the most venerated religious figures in history.
The life and witne...
Letter from a Young Evangelical to the Muslim World
Salaam aleikum, shalom, and peace be with you at the end of your holy month of Ramadan and on the eve of a reflective and solemn moment for Americans on the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11.
Many who share my eva...
What Does Hip-Hop Tell Us About Faith and Society?
Last week, Rev. Michael Waters wrote a post entitled "An Odd Future for Faith In Hip-Hip." In the piece Rev. Waters asserts that "I am increasingly troubled by certain contemporary moves in hip-hop culture ...