By: Phillip Struckmeyer on April 8, 2015
The Church seems to be loosing its voice. The message of Christ and the Church appear to be lacking relevance in much of today’s Western culture. As Ross Douthat describes the American spiritual climate in his book, Bad Religion, “… both the populists and the intellectuals … share the same basic…
By: Brian Yost on April 6, 2015
In the book, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, Ross Gregory Douthat traces the degradation of Christian religion in America through the decades following the Second World War. He challenges the idea that we are no longer a religious nation or a non-religious society and points out that, “America’s problem isn’t too…
By: Ashley Goad on April 4, 2015
Have you seen the George Clooney flick, “Up in the Air”? Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, who flies around the country firing people. He loves his job and is constantly in the air flying from one city to another. He’s also an accumulator of frequent flyer miles and has a goal of achieving the…
By: Phillip Struckmeyer on March 27, 2015
There has been an accident. The Church has crashed. Reports have it . . . the Church fell asleep at the wheel. Due to a mixture of loosely monitored motives, a relativistic lens on happiness and life satisfaction, and a whole lot of sin . . . the Church has dosed off and drifted off…
By: rhbaker275 on March 21, 2015
Our pastor cluster met today; the cluster is eight to ten pastors who gather together once a month to share ministry, encourage and support one another and to pray together. It is an all-day experience from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A highlight is reading and discussing a book every two months. Today, we completed…
By: Julie Dodge on March 20, 2015
There is a tension in our lives following Christ between living by faith and doing good works. In our lives, we are called to be obedient, and to love as Christ would. This requires action. It is the long debated challenge of James: “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without…
By: John Woodward on March 20, 2015
Bottom line: Most Christian leaders need a deeper, more vital relationship with God. What most church leaders will admit is that they just don’t have time in their busy schedule to cultivate this deeper connection with God. This results in burn out, sin and emptiness, which eventually leads to the very same place that the…
By: Bill Dobrenen on March 20, 2015
I have often wondered how certain people have found their way into leadership positions, especially into ministry leadership positions. If “the cream always rises to the top,” then why does that not always seem to be the case in leadership situations? At least in my own experience it seems that sometimes just the opposite has…
By: Miriam Mendez on March 20, 2015
When I think of the word, “isolation” I cannot help but think of the word “solitude” as well. Although these words are synonymous, each of these words conjures up something different for me. Isolation seems to represent rejection or a detachment and separation from something or someone. While the word solitude, seems to represent a…
By: Telile Fikru Badecha on March 20, 2015
Reading Shelley Trebesch’s book, Isolation: A place of Transformation in the life of a leader is refreshing. Using various case studies and biblical and historical examples, the author describes the cruciality of “isolation experiences” for ministry leaders’ inward transformation. Trebesch cites Clinton’s definition: “Isolation is the setting aside of a leader from normal ministry involvement…
By: Michael Badriaki on March 20, 2015
When I decided to pursue further studies, I was excited about the adventure, but I was also on the lookout for the possible signs of isolation. This is because a friend had told me about how isolating doctoral studies can tend to be. Research also shows that isolation remains a prime factor as to why…
By: Richard Volzke on March 20, 2015
In her book, Isolation: A place of Transformation in the Life of A Leader, Trebesch explores why Christian leaders tend to enter into periods of isolation. The author suggests, that while these periods of isolation are painful, they are profitable and helpful to an individual’s ministry. It is during these times that a pastor will…
By: Dawnel Volzke on March 20, 2015
Religion, as a consumable, shouldn’t come as a surprise given that we are living in a consumer driven society. Yet, I believe that people have become so acustomed to this way of life that they fail to see the dangers within the walls of the church. Miller’s book, Consuming Religion, examines the consumer driven culture…
By: Brian Yost on March 19, 2015
The books Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture by Vincent Jude Miller and Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire by William T. Cavanaugh did a great job of cutting to the heart of consumerism. It is easy to miss the key issues related to consumerism and revert to redirecting blame. The…
By: Mitch Arbelaez on March 19, 2015
It was sixteen years later when I found myself sitting once again in the seats of my first church. I was a member of this church after my salvation at the age of 18. It was in this church where I began ministering to junior high kids, received my calling to ministry and it was…
By: Jon Spellman on March 19, 2015
Commodification Commodification – “To turn into a commodity; make commercial; to treat as if a commodity.”1 I would like to expand this definition just a bit, not alter it, just expand it. Commodification – “To make something (or someone), not originally intended to be bought or sold, into an item to be exploited, used…
By: Carol McLaughlin on March 19, 2015
“Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, ‘Abba, as far as I can, I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?’ Then the old man stood up…
By: Liz Linssen on March 19, 2015
“Finally, remember who God is. As you read the Bible, notice the many promises God gives to his people and notice his faithfulness to keep these promises.” [i] This past year has been the toughest year of my working life to date. It has brought me to new levels of trust in God and utter…
By: Nick Martineau on March 19, 2015
For my end of the semester research project I’ve been reading and writing about how the world has been skewing our view of true leadership. Miller and Cavanaugh helped me see that consumerism has played a pivotal role. Consider this…Who would write, let alone read, a book about a stable, small company providing useful service…
By: Stefania Tarasut on March 19, 2015
Reading through Shelley Trebesch’s book Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of A Leader, this week I was reminded once again of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness, especially in the times of difficulty. I was also reminded again that God’s ways are not our ways… and God allows things in our lives in light…
