Congregationalism & Churches
Despite some misgivings, most supported him as a conservative Christian who would stand up for their values. Szófia Boros voted for Victor Orbán. The young evangelical mother of two has her misgivings about the man who has been accused of undermining democracy—curtailing press freedom, undercutting the independent judiciary, and changing election rules to give an… Read More
Vol. 16 No. 2, February 7, 2017 Dear Friend, Imagine a reporter from a Christian magazine approaches you with the question, “What has God been doing in your life lately? What has God been teaching you? Where is God leading you?” Whatever answer you give would only be a partial answer. The fact is God… Read More
Pastors, leaders, and members pray and volunteer in the city’s communities amid a surge of COVID-19. It had been a week since the beginning of the lockdown. The day after he joined the neighborhood volunteer team, pastor Xue of GB Church received a white one-piece protective suit, a pair of shoe covers, a pair of… Read More
Vol. 16 No. 3 March 7, 2017 Dear Friend, Countless demands can claim our attention and absorb our energies. One businessman told me he was living in a “pressure shell” in which requirements of work, home, and community service were constantly pressing down on him. He was in danger of being… Read More
He preached a nonreligious Christianity that emphasized authenticity, creativity, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Gerald Coates, a church leader who envisioned a new way of doing church, free from formality and the trappings of tradition, has died at 78. Coates was influential in spreading charismatic renewal in the United Kingdom and helped develop… Read More
Vol. 16 No. 4 April 4, 2017 Dear Friend, One of the great balancing acts in the Christian life is to hold conviction and compassion together. We are to know what we believe and why we believe it and to treat other people with dignity and respect even if they do not share… Read More
Why accepting a congregation’s shortcomings is key to developing its strengths. Church can be so disappointing. We want it to be healthy and vibrant, growing and missional, faithful and generous, but we often see more problems than triumphs, more fear than courage, and more weakness than strength in our local congregations. We are not always… Read More
Vol. 16 No. 5 May 2, 2017 Dear Friend, Some years ago I was driving on an interstate listening to a recording of my wonderful New Testament Greek professor Cullen Story talking about the marvelous John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”* He… Read More