All in Culture
It’s my belief that more thinking rarely changes a person’s thinking. Instead, we need the experience of actually test-driving our thinking with real-life action. As we do that, we also need interaction with new circles of people with whom we want to identify and who can push us into exploring new ideas and new lines of thought.
What if the work in front of us is not to inspire more individuals to be prophets? What if the task ahead of us is actually priestly work – to attend to the rituals, texts, and structures that gather and define the people of God?
Wright and Bird ground their response in Jesus’ primary message about the kingdom of God. They argue that in a time of fear and fragmentation, amid carnage and crises of various kinds, Jesus is King and Jesus’ kingdom remains the central object of the Church’s witness and work.
Ross’ principles are valuable and speak to the pastoral heart Ross holds towards Kingdom-people. Ross desires to remind Kingdom-people of the calling of God and the imagination of Kingdom-living available to each person in light of that calling.
I developed these rules several years ago to help me live in a way that honored God. My rules are not spelled out in the Bible, though they very much reflect my understanding of Biblical principles and practices.
The pursuit of purpose, particularly for Christians, transcends individual spiritual alignment; it is a societal imperative giving rise to discerning, disciplined, and transformative individuals.
Parents, as you face this milestone event, remember that the very term “empty nest syndrome” indicates that it is a very big deal.
On a deeper level, I am not convinced that as a Christian my mission is to save America. I accept that my mission is to save Americans, not America.
Perhaps we should focus less on developing skills that could be done by AI, and focus more on developing skills like emotional regulation, living within our values, being authentic, and having empathy.
I want to encourage us with the conviction that we as ministers, theologians, and Christian leaders have something important to add to the conversation.
As the Siburt Institute exists to equip church leaders and help churches thrive, a conversation around power becomes a crucial topic for leaders who partner in God’s work of transformation.
Christ is alive and present among His church. He knows us well and has the power to help us overcome our spiritual challenges but will not tolerate persistent disobedience.
Inequality of sexes was not God’s original idea but a consequence of the fall; therefore, it is temporary in nature and destined to disappear under the reign of Christ.
We must begin to view the world through a different lens, one that adopts the priorities of the Kingdom over those of our culture.
For many, tattoos are a way of marking one’s identity to the world. Asking about their ink is a window into their heart, to see what is most important to them.
Jesus was inviting them out of their fear and scarcity mindset to one of abundance. Rather than seeing the scarcity of the moment, Jesus invited them to see the not-yet-visible abundance of the kingdom of God.
When we face the unknown, we are demonstrating a different type of faith to the world, and we may have the opportunity to share about how God has been faithful in our lives and the lives of others in the past.
When we wait, we unfurl our hands from their tight-fisted demands and curl our fingers around the hand of God.
In the current election season I have felt a pressing need to address the people of God and urge them to speak and act in a way that represents Jesus.
It’s time to stop being mad about what people aren’t doing and ask for what you need. I mean it. I’m like a broken record out here as I’m coaching people through conflict. “Just ask,” I say, over and over.
