Congregationalism & Churches
Modern worship music can seem awfully simple. But it has a vital role to play, especially when paired with Scripture. If you spend any amount of time in churches that have a notable proportion of people under the age of 40, you’ll hear the genre of music called “modern worship.” The chords are simple, the… Read More
Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims—all from different ethnic backgrounds—are coming together to resist the violent military junta. For the first time since anyone can remember, members of Myanmar’s majority Bamar people are seeking long-term solidarity with the country’s ethnic minorities. Since a coup in February 2021 stunned the world, the military, known as the Tatmadaw, has… Read More
Pentecostals targeted for Bible studies, baptisms, and outdoor worship amid increasing efforts to “repress civil society.” Six months after a Pentecostal pastor won a religious liberty case before the United Nations, Belarusian politicians are trying to strip citizens of the right to appeal to the intergovernmental organization. Human rights organizations warn the legislation under consideration… Read More
I was a narcotics officer on the brink of suicide when God began his mighty healing work. About 12 years ago, I was parked on a dark frontage road in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was about 9 p.m., and I had just finished helping another city’s narcotics team serve search warrants. I was… Read More
In today’s hybrid work culture, Christians should recommit to the biblical rhythms of work and rest. Over the past few years, many of us have unfortunately become familiar with descriptors like the Great Resignation and the Great Disengagement. Even if you have not heard these terms, you are likely familiar with their meaning. The former… Read More
When leaders admit wrongdoing, we should respond with quiet sobriety, not clapping. Yesterday, I finished a 17-year ministry at Southern Hills Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa. Our attendance was the highest it’s been in a long time. I did what I’ve done week after week, Sunday after Sunday, since August 28, 2005: preach a… Read More
Staffing shortages and ongoing pandemic restrictions have kept volunteers out—and left the incarcerated craving the kind of spiritual support they had before. James Hyson hasn’t had access to ministries, classes, or mentoring groups since before the pandemic. That’s because the ministry staff who volunteer at the New Jersey prison where he is incarcerated haven’t been… Read More
Roger Olson sympathizes with liberal leavers, but he draws the line at liberal theology. In the preface of Roger Olson’s new book, Against Liberal Theology, we meet a particular type of exvangelical all too familiar in this age of disillusionment and deconstruction. As Olson describes this tribe, “They grew up in fundamentalist churches, found them… Read More