Who are the influential leaders in American Christianity?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/004/7.42.html — The Zoloft Dispensation
http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001629.cfm - How Should We Then Work?
Resisting Unhealthy Adoration from Those We Lead
http://preachingtoday.com/16666 – The Danger of Practical Preaching: Why people need more than the bottom line.
Confessions of a Megachurch Pastor: Extended
LESSONS FROM THE RICHEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED
As always, a thought provoking article from MacDonald. Good reading for the new year on the whole.
I would suggest the Pursuit of God to help with this quest.
Take Time to Be What? - LeadershipJournal.net
Take Time to Be What?
A classic hymn shows why holiness is scarce these days.
by Gordon MacDonald
In the early 1880s, William D. Longstaff wrote a poem that later became a hymn called “Take Time to Be Holy.” In my branch of church tradition, we often sang this hymn. As a kid I considered it uninspiring (sorry, Mr. Longstaff), and I groaned whenever the song leader announced it. Today, decades later, I have taken a fresh look at the song and reconsidered my earlier appraisal. There’s substance here.
Take time to be holy,
Speak oft with thy Lord,
Abide in him always,
And feed on his word.
Make friends of God’s children;
Help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.
There are three more verses to Longstaff’s hymn, and the second verse is also worth quoting:
Take time to be holy,
The world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret
With Jesus alone;
By looking to Jesus
Like him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.
Baptist Press - Why revival tarries - News with a Christian Perspective
Why revival tarries
Henry Blackaby
Posted on Jul 2, 2007
ATLANTA (BP)–Ezekiel 18:31b-32 is the heart cry of God to His covenant people, Israel: “‘… why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord God. ‘Therefore, turn and live!’” God had just reminded His people that if “a righteous man turns away from his righteousness … and dies … it is because of the iniquity that he has done that he dies” (Ezekiel 18:24-26, 26).
Wreck the Roof - LeadershipJournal.net
Wreck the Roof
Are you willing to take apart the church to bring people to Jesus?
by Mark Buchanan
I’ve never met a pastor who didn’t agree in some measure with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian during WWII. From his cell in the Flossenburg concentration camp, he wrote, “The church is only the church when it exists for others.”
Family.org: Pregnancy Resource Ministry
Great resource and launching page for those interesting in helping promote a culture of life.
High Stakes - LeadershipJournal.net
High Stakes With internet wagers unregulated, gambling is on the rise and closer to home. How will we help the hooked and persuade the unconvinced? by Abram Book Jeanne* was trapped. Her social outings to the nearby casino had grown into an addiction to slot machines and video poker. “I’m hooked, and I could be facing bankruptcy,” the 59-year-old grandmother told her pastor. Gulfport wasn’t a casino town when Dean Register accepted the call to pastor First Baptist Church. But soon after he moved there, Mississippi voted to allow casino boats, and the three coastal counties were soon transformed into a seaside Las Vegas, minus the showgirls. Knowing the pain legalized gambling would cause in his community and his congregation, Register fought approval.
Atheists With Attitude by Matt Kaufman Since anyone can post anything to the Internet, it’s inevitable that much of it’s junk, and some it’s outright, well, evil. So naturally, there’s a Web site — heck, there are probably lots of them — devoted to blasphemy. I first read about the site on CNS News (a shorter story with some extra info can be found on MSNBC’s Web site). It goes by the charming name of Blasphemy Challenge, which sounds like a really warped board game. And that’s not far off, actually, except things are a bit more high-tech than that.
ED: Good follow up to article I referenced before. Thanks Jonathan for blasting it out on the airwaves.
Mentor Series: Fearless, Effective Evangelism
Mentor Series: Fearless, Effective Evangelism by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
Excellent interview by boundless.org
From Rev Magazine via Pastors.com (http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=10253)
Message fodder (in random order):
www.SermonCentral.com (largest, but content varies in quality since they gather free stuff)
www.HomileticsOnline.com (subscription service with PowerPoint ideas)
www.DesperatePreacher.com (interesting place leaning toward lectionary preachers)
www.MondayMorningInsight.com (this is Todd’s place, but it really is good Alan)
www.Biblegateway.com (not our favorite, but several pastors recommended it)
www.SermonSearch.com (smaller than Sermon Central; owned by Salem)
www.PreachingPlus.com (associated with Rev! & Group; good stuff)
www.Pastors.com (vintage Rick Warren is tough to beat)
www.WillowCreek.com (Willow Creek’s messages and service materials)
www.PreachingToday.com (CTi’s entry into the sermon/illustration market)
www.SermonNews.com (newer stories based on real news accounts)
www.SermonNetwork.com (new site with real promise)
Quotes:
www.quoteland.com (great place to find good sayings)
Video clips:
www.highwayvideo.com (author’s preferred clip source)
www.faithhighway.com (other great clips)
www.SermonSpice.com (granddaddy provider of clips)
www.youtube.com (all over the place, but some viral videos free)
www.worshiphousemedia.com (more videos with their style)
www.bluefishtv.com (check out the $1.99 download price)
www.sermonvideos.com (but wait, there’s more)
Creative ideas:
www.creativepastors.com (Ed Young is a creative guru)
www.wiredchurches.com (Granger Community Church ideas)
www.lifechurch.tv (Greg Groeschel gives stuff away)
www.group.com (Search: “Unforgettables” for experiential ideas)
Preaching blog
http://www.theocentricpreaching.com/ (one of the few on the subject)