When we think about our "calling," we often think of someone being "called" into full-time ministry. But, that is a very truncated view of what our calling is. From the Latin word for "calling" we get the concept of Vocation. Everyone has a God-given Vocation, a role to play in their family, church, workplace, and… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Ministry
What Is Poverty In America?
Is there real, widespread poverty in America? The National Review put out an article that claims that those classified as poor in America (approximately 40 million people) are actually much better off materially than we might think. They have things like air conditioners, DVD players, big screen TV's, X-Boxes, computers, internet, refrigerators, adequate shelter, plenty… Continue Reading
Haiti’s Suffering: One Year Anniversary of the Earthquake
A year ago today, a massive 7.0 earthquake rocked Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas of impoverished Haiti and killed an estimated 230,000 people, injured over 300,000, and left over one million people homeless. When the news reports began to filter in from Haiti, most in America were shocked at the devastation that we saw. The… Continue Reading
Does the Church Have a Future in Montgomery, Alabama?
Of course, the immediate answer is yes. But, I am asking the same question I asked about a year and a half ago in this post: http://www.downshoredrift.com/downshoredrift/2009/07/can-the-christian-church-help-montgomery-alabama.html. Not much has changed in Montgomery in a year and a half except that more people have moved to bedroom communities and more Christians have congregated in megachurches.… Continue Reading
How NOT to Help the Poor (HT: @timmybrister)
I saw this video over at my friend, Timmy Brister's site. He is also reading the book I mentioned in my post yesterday. In light of initiating a discussion on poverty and Christian solutions, I thought I'd repost it here. Thoughts? Continue Reading
What Are Christians to Do to Help the Poor?
Our church is sending a team to Haiti next Spring and a lot of our youth are going. We have also been very active in India over the past few years and have also done a good deal in our own community to try and alleviate poverty and give aid to the poor. Jesus commands… Continue Reading
More on the Need for Church Structure/Ministry Teams
I'm fairly organic when it comes to the nature and function of the church. The church is a living organism, not a corporation or assembly line. Modernity changed the nature of the church and pastoring from a pastoral perspective to a business model with the pastor as CEO and the church as a business that… Continue Reading
How Much Structure Is Needed In Church Ministry?
In many ways, I can't believe that I am writing this post. I'm not that guy. I'm not the guy that thinks that having a good structure for church ministry will solve things. I firmly believe that ministry is mostly a matter of the heart and that people work best together when they are motivated… Continue Reading
Deacon Ministry, Generous Justice, and Caring for the Poor (Tim Keller)
I just got Tim Keller's latest book, Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just. If it is like the rest of his writings, I am sure that I am going to learn a lot. At the beginning of the book, he talks about his motivation to consider the Biblical view of justice. He recalls how he was… Continue Reading
Why It Hard for the World to Listen to Christians
I am a firm believer that we must contextualize the gospel to our current culture. That is the work of a missionary. Every culture speaks a certain language and thinks a certain way. The Missionary Christian must exegete his/her culture and find ways to declare who God is so that people can understand. Every culture… Continue Reading