In his new book, The Next Christians, author Gabe Lyons writes that every generation must confront the unique challenges of their era. Here are three questions that must be addressed to do so: What does mission look like in America in the 21st century? How should the message of the Gospel go forward? What does [...]
Posts Tagged ‘missional’
Sage Advice from Billy Graham
Posted in Culture, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged clarity, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, missional, Missional Ministry, Relevant Ministry, vision on May 28, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Taking Risks
Posted in Bahler Family Doing Life, Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Bahler Family Doing Life, Connecting, connection, Consumerism, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, Leadership, love, missional, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, Valuable life goal on May 11, 2011 | 6 Comments »
Ten months ago, we met our 12-year-old daughter in China. We were scared and overwhelmed but driven by the vision that we were being called to stretch beyond our own comfort. Francis Chan’s words were ringing in our ears: God hasn’t called us to comfort. We’re called to take big risks so that if He [...]
Why Traditions Scare Our Kids
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Connecting, connection, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Leadership, legitimacy, missional, Relevant Ministry, trust on November 29, 2010 | 3 Comments »
With pain in their voices, two friends recently shared how their teenage kids weren’t embracing their faith traditions. They had a healthy relationship with them but the kids were no longer buying into what the parents believed. Could this be due to the new challenges that kids must navigate? They’re growing up in a multicultural, [...]
Danger Love
Posted in Bahler Family Doing Life, Empowering Leadership, Relevant Ministry, tagged Bahler Family Doing Life, Connecting, connection, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, legitimacy, love, missional, Missional Ministry, trust on July 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Li Mei is a 16-year-old orphan here in Guangzhou that nobody ever came for. She’s now too old to be adopted and is no longer eligible for government support. An Indiana couple we’ve gotten to know met her on one of their previous adoption trips and have introduced her to an American missionary here. The [...]
We Want to Participate
Posted in Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged alignment, Connecting, Consumerism, creative spirit, Evolving Culture, Hope, Leadership, missional, Missional Ministry, Purpose, Valuable life goal on March 18, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Many years ago there was an invalid man who laid by the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. It was believed that the water could heal but the man had no one to help him get in, so for 38 painful years he waited for a chance until Jesus came by. Many of us have unused [...]
Who Will Save Us?
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged building momentum, clarity, Consumerism, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, Leadership, legitimacy, love, missional, Missional Ministry, Relevant Ministry, vision on February 3, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Who will save the church? That depends on what you mean by ‘save.’ If you mean “what will keep things just as they are?” then the answer is nobody will. It’s over. And if you mean “who will maintain that handy place where we get encouraged on weekends, have our weddings and funerals, hang with [...]
A Noticable Buzz
Posted in Empowering Leadership, tagged alignment, Authentic, clarity, communication, community, Connecting, connection, Empowering Leadership, Faith, Hope, Leadership, mega church, ministry, missional, Missional Resurgence, Purpose, Relevant Ministry on January 15, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
There is a noticeable buzz in both offices this week! Activity is picking up and we are rolling in 2010. Thanks for everyone’s hard work – you’re a great team! That was the last line in today’s weekly update to the Aspen team. Its remarkable really, even though unemployment is over 10% giving to some [...]
How Would We Live
Posted in Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged clarity, Consumerism, Evolving Culture, love, missional, Relevant Ministry on October 23, 2009 | 2 Comments »
The following thoughts from a recent comment made me hesitate…and become quiet. Somehow they put all this cultural, economic, and political turmoil in perspective. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives…But in keeping with his promise we are [...]
Brains Without Boldness
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Relevant Ministry, tagged Empowering Leadership, Faith, Hope, love, missional, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, Valuable life goal, vision on April 24, 2009 | 10 Comments »
Does the book of Acts make you feel guilty? How did those common men astonish the intellectual elites of the day? Acts 4 tells us that it was their boldness in the spirit! Where is ours? Yesterday Francis Chan closed out Exponential09 with a challenge that drew 500 or more to the stage for prayer. [...]
A Broken Spirit
Posted in Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Authentic, building momentum, communication, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Hope, Leadership, mega church, missional, Missional Ministry, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, vision on April 22, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Here are more thoughts from the Exponential09 church planting conference. The theme is “The Art Of Movement” and the talk of the day was about the need for collaboration to create Christ-centered, transformational movements. Dave Ferguson shared that geese can fly 71% further when flying together in formation. So must we work together to build [...]
Things To Think About
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged alignment, Authentic, building momentum, communication, community, Connecting, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, Leadership, mega church, missional, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, vision on March 13, 2009 | 4 Comments »
If you could read my mind, what a tale my thoughts would tell. That’s a line from an old 70′s Jim Croce tune. It came to mind as I read Mark Beeson’s blog post this morning. Mark is the pastor at Granger Community Church, one of the most well known and innovative churches in the [...]
Finding Hope
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Relevant Ministry, tagged Authentic, clarity, communication, community, Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, Faith, Hope, Incarnational ministry, Leadership, legitimacy, love, mega church, ministry, missional, Purpose, Relevant Ministry on March 10, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Take away a person’s memory and they become anxious, take away a person’s hope and they become terrified. That was a provocative thought from author Joe Myers. It explains why Christians can be vicious and so out of character when you threaten their past or their future. These days, that loss of hope is leading to anxious and terrified Christians [...]
How Does God Decide?
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, tagged alignment, Authentic, building momentum, clarity, communication, community, connection, Consumerism, Empowering Leadership, Hope, Leadership, legitimacy, love, missional, Purpose, Relevant Ministry, trust, vision on February 16, 2009 | 2 Comments »
How does God decide who He will bless? That’s one of the most challenging questions I’ve wrestled with. We’ve all listened to deeply sincere parents and pastors pray similar prayers for discernment and blessing. Yet the results are shockingly different. What are the variables to God’s blessing? Recognizing that transforming the heart is the Spirit’s [...]
You Have To Hate Somebody
Posted in Empowering Leadership, Evolving Culture, tagged communication, community needs, Faith, Incarnational ministry, Leadership, legitimacy, love, missional on February 3, 2009 | 10 Comments »
“How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life was possible and not tell them that.” Penn Jillette, provocative talk show host and atheist, was pondering that question recently after a businessman gave him a Bible. Even though he has no belief in God, Penn was puzzled by the lack of interest [...]
