Browsing Culture
The Delicious Invitation to Rest
“Sabbath is the day that I cease to see myself as a tool of production. And blissfully, I recover the scale and proportion of my life, even my own self,” writes Jen Pollock Mechel, in a guest blog on Christianitytoday.org. It’s a good read for all of us who think we’re too busy. (Photo by […]
The Economist accuses Pope Francis of ‘following Lenin’
First, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck labeled Pope Francis a Marxist. Now, The Economist is accusing him of following Vladimir Lenin. The respected financial magazine accused the pope of following the founder of Soviet communism in adopting an “ultra radical line†on capitalism. From Religion News Service. (Photo by Semilla Luz, used by Creative Commons license)
Are Fossil Fuels ‘Sinful’?
Repenting from what it called the “sin” of fossil fuel, Union Seminary divested itself of stocks in energy companies. “Climate change poses a catastrophic threat. As stewards of God’s creation, we simply must act to stop this sin,†commented Union president Serene Jones. From Religion News Service. (Photo by Grant Rambojan, used by Creative Commons […]
Book Review: ‘Gratitude’ by Peter Leithart
Peter Leithart’s new book, titled simply Gratitude: An Intellectual History, takes a sweeping look at gift-giving from ancient to modern times, with particular emphasis on how Christ changed — and continues to influence — the culture and customs surround gifts. Review from Christianitytoday.com. (Photo by Tiger Girl, used by Creative Commons license)
Boundaries Have Saved My Ministry—and They Can Save Yours
How many pastors have had to resign in disgrace? Too many. Knowing how to set — and keep! — good boundaries can go a long way toward keeping a ministry trouble- and accusation-free! From ChurchLeaders.com. (Photo by Sharron Blezard)
Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table
:Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table” is a seven-session curriculum for congregations that call us to integrate the commitments and practices of our faith into the way we eat. The study uses scripture, prayer and stories from the local and global community to explore five key aspects of our relationship with food. (Photo by JBloom, used by Creative Commons license.)
Where Are You on the ‘Buyerarchy of Needs’
OK, followers of Jesus the Christ, what’s your relationship with the material goods of the world? If you can work that out, you’re taking a huge step in stewardship. This handy graphic from the Story of Stuff Project can get you thinking.
Neighbor-love’s Moral Framework for Markets That Serve All
If the market has become our God, what does it mean to confess Christ? It means trusting what Luther called the first principle of Christian doctrine — the gracious love of God given in Christ, a saving love that cannot be shaken from us or diminished by any force in heaven or earth. And it means heeding Luther’s second principle, the call to embody God’s love in our lives by loving neighbor as self. (Photo by Pandah, used by Creative Commons License)
Stewardship 101
This handy four-page PDF outlines the basic concepts involved in stewardship that confront Christians and congregations in North America, including hyper consumerism, idolatry, discipleship and commitment. Good for anyone trying to steer a godly course in our culture.
Secrets of a Giving Church
The Christian Reformed Church is a tiny denomination with just a quarter million members, but their members give in an outsized way — more than twice the national average among Protestant churches. They are doing something right, ChristianityToday reports. (Photo by iqoncept, via bigstockphoto.com)
