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Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010

April 2014

April 27, 2014

Pope Declares John and John Paul to Be Saints . . . God Declares You to Be a Saint

Today, Pope Francis did something exceptional, declaring two former popes to be saints. Now, Pope...

April 03, 2014

Lenten Reflections on the Apostle’s Creed

Every week in church, we recite the Apostle's Creed. I didn't grow up doing this,...

January 2014

January 15, 2014

Why Millennials Long for Liturgy

An interesting take on the millennial generation's burgeoning interest in liturgical workshop over at The...

May 2013

May 24, 2013

You Can’t Think Your Way To God

Christianity Today has published an interview with my friend James K.A. Smith, the philosopher, editor of...

January 2013

January 29, 2013

What is Your Church’s Front Porch? Could It Be Digital?

Anthony B. Robinson has written an excellent piece for Faith & Leadership: "Building a Front...

July 2012

July 17, 2012

No Surprise Here: Confidence in Organized Religion at Low Point

Gallup recently released its results of the annual "confidence in institutions" poll. "The church or...

May 2012

May 14, 2012

Mother’s Day and Churchgoing: Good News and Bad News

The good news: Mother's Day is a big church attendance day, ranking in the top...

May 09, 2012

Recommendations for a Nation of Heretics

In my last post, I began to comment on Ross Douthat's new book, Bad Religion:...

May 07, 2012

Are We a Nation of Heretics?

Are we a nation of heretics? Ross Douthat, a columnist for the New York Times,...

March 2012

March 21, 2012

The Church as a Thin Place: Dreams and Visions

Part 10 of series: Thin Places In yesterday’s post, I began reflecting in a more...

March 19, 2012

The Church as a Thin Place

Part 8 of series: Thin Places In my last post in this series, I examined...

November 2011

November 19, 2011

Catholic Church to Buy Orange County’s Crystal Cathedral

The Los Angeles Times reports that, after months of rumors and lots of battles in...

November 07, 2011

What is a Church? A Church as an Alternative Community, Part 1

Part 10 of series: What is a Church? The Church as an Alternative Community, Part...

November 05, 2011

Nine Stereotypes for Pastors – My Latest Addition to The Pastors Workshop

My latest contribution to The Pastors Workshop is up. In this column, I consider different...

November 03, 2011

A Presbyterian Church Makes the New York Times and There’s No Scandal!

I was surprised and pleased to see that a Presbyterian Church made it into the...

October 2011

October 26, 2011

Trust in Government at All-Time Low. Will This Hurt the Church?

Today's New York Times has bad news for the government. Trust in government is at...

October 06, 2011

The Church Is Not Your Canvas

One of my favorite writer-bloggers, Tim Dalrymple, has put up a post entitled "The Church...

September 2011

September 10, 2011

Clergy and 9/11 Ceremonies: Conflicts Reveal State of Religion in Our Culture

Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times has written a fine piece on some of...

September 10, 2011

Church Signs You Don’t See Everyday

Recently, I was walking along through a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. On the same...

July 2011

July 30, 2011

Gratefully Remembering John Stott

As you probably know, John Stott died on Wednesday, at ninety years of ago. He...

July 28, 2011

Crystal Cathedral to Convert to Catcholicism?

Today's New York Times reports on the genuine possibility that the Crystal Cathedral in Garden...

June 2011

June 11, 2011

What is Pentecost? Why Does It Matter? What is the Spiritual Significance of Pentecost?

Part 3 of series: What is Pentecost? Why Does It Matter? My last post in...

June 10, 2011

Pentecost FAQ, Part 2: What is the Spiritual Significance of Pentecost?

Part 2 of series: What is Pentecost? Why Does It Matter? In yesterday’s post I...

June 09, 2011

Pentecost FAQ: What is the Christian Celebration of Pentecost All About?

Part 1 of series: What is Pentecost? Why Does It Matter? This coming Sunday, Christians...

June 04, 2011

My Latest Column in The Pastor’s Workshop: Preaching Living Water When Your Well Has Run Dry, Part 2

My most recent column in The Pastor's Workshop, my domain in The Preachers Portal, is...

June 03, 2011

Bad News for Churches and for Religious Freedom: City Can Block Churches from Using Schools, Appeals Court Rules

According to a federal appeals court, New York City can keep churches from using school...

May 2011

May 20, 2011

Is the End Near? Is Tomorrow Judgment Day? When is the Kingdom of God Coming?

Is the End near? Is Judgment Day approaching? Will it come tomorrow? Harold Camping of...

May 14, 2011

Reading the Times: Social Media in Class; Persecution of Christians in China

Speaking Up in Class, Silently, Using Social Media Trip Gabriel, writing for the New York...