At our recent ChurchNext conference, our topic was on discipleship. It is such a familiar word, but what is means is beginning to change (or be rediscovered if you prefer). Actually many things are changing as the church is challenged to rethink itself .  This video does a great job of communicating that if we get discipleship right, we get church right. Prioritize discipleship.

I’ve been working through a book called, “To Change the World” by James Davison Hunter. In the book, Hunter describes how traditional approaches to changing the world in the name of Jesus aren’t very productive, and in fact, may contribute to the growing irrelevance of the church to current North American society. It is an important read, and will make you rethink how you and your church or organization should “transform” the world.  Better, Hunter suggests, would be an approach of “faithful presence.”  The central part of his argument hovers in...

Here is a wonderful clip of John Ortburg interviewing Dallas Willard at Catalyst 2010. In recent conversations, I’ve been reminded of how turned around so many of us are with regards to what we have understood to be the gospel. My point is not so much to cast blame as it is to figure out how we might faithfully portray the gospel to the world today in ways that the message is received as good news. This short video touches on that conversation, and helps us to reframe what that heavenly eternal life is like and how we can enter into that today.  It may sound crazy and radical to some ears, but...

I’m in the midst of teaching a bunch of classes on Calling and Vocation. A very helpful way to understand and to help others understand if God is calling them to do something has been presented by Tim Keller in audio (3.5 minutes). In essence he suggests that we must pay attention to three things: Affinity – Do I sense that God is calling me to this? Do I have the self-perception of an ability and desire to do this? Ability – Do my spiritually discerning friends believe I have the ability to do this? Do they sense God is calling me to do this? Opportunity – Does the...

There is a newly posted series of recordings of Dallas Willard and Todd Hunter called, “The Church as a Community of the Kingdom of God.” While it was recorded in Nov 2004, it feels fresh to me. This is in large part because it hits the most critical elements that, IMHO, churches today must understand and recover if it is to faithfully be the church to this coming generation. In short, I agree completely with what is presented… merely seven years after is was taught. Where have I been? These elements include the centrality of the Kingdom, understanding how to be signs and instruments...