Browsing by Rob Blezard
The Prosperity Gospel Is Surprisingly Mainstream
BOOK REVIEW: In “Blessed: A history of the American Prosperity Gospel” author Kate Bowler finds there are deeper roots and wider expressionof the much-maligned “prosperity gospel.” It is an outgrowth of American optimism, says a reviewer from ChristiantityToday.com. (Photo by Sarah Reid, used by Creative Commons license. Thanks!)
7 Important Reasons to Unplug and Find Space
Technology has some wonderful benefits. I use it almost every day. And I would never, ever argue against the responsible use of it. However, that said, it is becoming increasingly obvious that our world is developing an unhealthy attachment to it, argues Joshua Becker, who makes a compelling argument for going unplugged. (Photo by Quinn […]
The Earth is the Lord’s
We seem to have become a very possessive people, and so we feel it is our right to cut, chop, dig, blow up, hew down and sell off anything that is on “our land.†But Psalms 24: 1 challenges us: Everything belongs to the Lord, and we have no right to exploit it just for […]
Getting Out of Student Debt and on the Road
“I thought of student debt like I thought of death: I didn’t think of it all,” recalls a humanities major who graduated from college with $32,000 in debt and no way to pay it. But instead of getting depressed, he got busy — and creative, paying off the debts in just a few years. In […]
Kindle a Stewardship Flame in Your Church
Check out Faith Aflame from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a free comprehensive offering with a broad assortment of downloadable resources for congregational leaders.  Click here or above to explore the Faith Aflame site.
105 Sermons on Stewardship and Tithing
Stuck on what to preach about stewardship this year? Here’s a trove of sermons to get your creative juices flowing. SermonCentral has archived 77 sermons from a variety of Christian churches and preachers. (Photo © Lisa F. Young – Fotolia.com)
Abundant Living – Re-thinking Stewardship
Perfect for “stewardship season,” Here’s a meaty five-session study course that digs into the connection between generous living and a faithful discipleship walk. Included are a study guide and links to video introductions (hosted on YouTube) for each session. The study guide contains suggestions as to how to lead each session and additional resources that you may wish to obtain to encourage further discussion. (Photo by AlicePopkorn, Creative Commons License)
The Tithe and Leadership
What plan do you have, or does your parish have, for beginning to tithe? By its nature, because of its costliness, tithing cannot begin accidentally. You begin intentionally if you begin. Here, from the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem [Pa.] are three good reasons to tithe. (Photo © thitimontoyai22 – Fotolia.com)
As We Become Richer, Do We Become Stingier?
As people become wealthier, they tend to think in more individualistic terms and they become less responsive to needs of community, say researchers studying the habits of people in different income groups. One theory? Poor people need to rely on others, and so they weave a tighter social fabric. Fascinating story you an read or listen to.
A New Benefit to Exercising!
On Tuesday I worked out at the gym, spending a little over an hour to stretch, complete an abdominal circuit, lift weights, and then do 30 minutes of hard cardio. Working out has been my twice-a-week routine for 13 years now. But this time was different. It was free! (Photo © Warren Goldswain – Fotolia)
