By: Kyle Chalko on February 22, 2018
Even though I was just a 10-year-old boy, I still remember the moment Hulk Hogan, pulled out the black and white nWo (New World Order) shirt and turned his back on the WCW and betrayed his partner with a leg drop. Hogan was the good guy! He was the Real American! Fight for the rights…
By: Jay Forseth on February 22, 2018
In 1987, I took my mom (in her wheelchair) to a Billy Graham Crusade at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. I was 21 years old, mom was nearing the end of her life, but she wanted to hear this evangelist no matter what, so she could see with her own eyes folks “flood the…
By: Jason Turbeville on February 22, 2018
In their book The Rebel Sell: Ho the CounterCulture Became Consumer Culture Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter make the argument that being “counterculture” is actually not a strike against capitalism and consumerism. In fact, it feeds directly into capitalisms ultimate goals, to package and resell what they believed to be fighting against it. I have always…
By: Stu Cocanougher on February 22, 2018
“The mind is important because God is important.” 1 – Mark Noll In May of 1984, I sat in the pew of First Baptist Church, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee for the annual baccalaureate service. I was an upcoming High School graduate, ready for the next chapter in my life. The pastor, a man who…
By: Jean Ollis on February 22, 2018
The company started by providing full time jobs for local artisans in Costa Rica…their artisan community “has expanded from Costa Rica to El Salvador, India, and more. Now 200+ artisans can depend on steady income in positive working environments, thanks to the support of Pura Vida bracelets customers.” They have partnered with “over 174 different charities…
By: Lynda Gittens on February 22, 2018
“There wasn’t a major Protestant leader in America who obstructed King’s Beloved Community more than Billy Graham did.” by Michael E. Long, author of “Billy Graham and the Beloved Community: America’s Evangelist and the Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. Author Mark Noll is a historian of American Church Culture. He addresses the influence…
By: Mark Petersen on February 22, 2018
“Wanna buy a watch?” The words were repeated, “Wanna buy a watch?” Mumbled under their breath in a stage whisper, Chinese vendors surreptitiously approached us in Beijing’s Tienanmen Square. We stopped to view their wares. One of the many watches for sale contained the image of Mao Tse-Tung, arm waving frantically, uselessly. We laughed at…
By: Chris Pritchett on February 22, 2018
When I was a teenager, having grown up in the Roman Catholic tradition, I had no concept of a Christian culture, no awareness that there was such a thing as a Christian sub-culture, and certainly no concept of a Christian youth sub-culture. That is, not until my friend Eric brought me out of a life…
By: Dave Watermulder on February 22, 2018
When I was growing up, my family had a family motto which my Dad established and reinforced through the years. Our family motto was: “no weird kids”. As far as family motto’s go, it isn’t a classic. It isn’t something that will carry through into our adult years or give direction or meaning to our…
By: Jennifer Williamson on February 22, 2018
According to the book The Rebel Sell, Heath and Potter believe that counterculture movements (be it the Hippies of the 60’s or the Punk Rockers of the 90’s) are founded on a false premise which renders them “a set of dramatic gestures that are devoid of any progressive political or economic consequences and that detract from…
By: Katy Drage Lines on February 22, 2018
One of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough. I wish I had studied more and preached less. People have pressured me into speaking to groups when I should have been studying and preparing. – Billy Graham[1] It’s somewhat both illuminating and embarrassing to think back to your high school self. But perhaps…
By: Mary Walker on February 22, 2018
There is no longer a Christian mind. Harry Blamires[1] The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind. Mark Noll[2] That is why I say that, though of course the issues have been important elsewhere in the world, Americans seem to have had a particularly hard time of…
By: Mike on February 22, 2018
I grew up in the 60’s when radio broadcasts came out of a large stereo console and the nightly news from a black-and-white TV that filled our living room with sounds and images about Vietnam and the Beatles. I was a young boy then but still remember feeling lonely when my dad went away on…
By: Jake Dean-Hill on February 21, 2018
Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter’s The Rebel Sell: How the Counterculture Became Consumer Culture was another interesting read. It was fascinating to learn about their perspective about the concept of the counterculture and how they believe it became consumer culture. Their chapter entitled Freud Goes to California was also very interesting, and as you can…
By: Jennifer Dean-Hill on February 21, 2018
Before I was a therapist, I was a preacher’s kid, a Christian school teacher, pastor’s wife, and actively involved in church leadership. From 4th grade on, I have attended private schools, universities, and ultimately seminary. I often felt valued and impressed upon to be an active part of church and community leadership due to my…
By: Jim Sabella on February 21, 2018
“The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an Evangelical mind.” [1] Ouch! With that statement, Noll argues that though the evangelical church has grown on many fronts, it lacks when it comes to the “life of the mind.” He states: “By an evangelical “life of the mind” I mean…
By: Dan Kreiss on February 21, 2018
How could rebellion and non-conformity, the kind espoused by the Church in contrast to the dominant culture, actually be fueling the consumeristic culture it allegedly rails against? If, in fact, Heath and Potter are correct in this argument as found in their book ‘The Rebel Sell’, what efforts could ever unhinge the overpowering influence of…
By: Christal Jenkins Tanks on February 17, 2018
A couple of years ago, the Society of Vineyard Scholars hosted their conference in Raleigh at Raleigh Vineyard Church. Two of my dear friends were coming into town to present papers at this conference. As a part of this conference were worship services. One night I had come to the church to pick up one…
By: Kyle Chalko on February 16, 2018
William Cavanaugh in his book Being Consumed: Economics and the Christian Desire lays out a framework for how western Christians should respond to the economic system they live in. Should Christians be for or against (insert political/economic controversial issue here) is part of the premise of Cavanaugh’s book. However, instead of trying to give direct…
By: Chip Stapleton on February 16, 2018
‘People come to faith not just because they decide that the propositions are true but because they experience God directly . They feel God’s presence . They hear God’s voice . Their hearts flood with an incandescent joy.’ (Luhrmann, 223) The sentiment above, is one that has rung true in my experience. Simply put, there is more…
