Police in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China again summoned a homeschooling father for questioning, this time on suspicion of “illegal holding of materials promoting terrorism and extremism”. The July 7 detention is the latest in a series of troubles with Chinese authorities for Zhao Weikai, a 35-year-old Christian from Taiyuan Xuncheng Reformed Church whose refusal toContinue reading “China Now Targets Christian Children”
Category Archives: Church
Living In the End Times
With so many perplexing current events in the nation and around the world in the last few years, some could think the end times is near. In a 2020 study by Lifeway Research, a majority of pastors agreed that certain current events were signs of Jesus’s return. Around 8 in 10 pointed to a riseContinue reading “Living In the End Times”
Developing Female Leadership in the Church
My ministry journey has been unconventional. It hasn’t moved in a straight path, nor at the pace I expected. But whenever someone asks me to share how God got me to where I am today, the one answer I repeatedly give is leadership development. Throughout my career, various leaders have helped change the trajectory ofContinue reading “Developing Female Leadership in the Church”
Are You Broken Yet?
On the 11th of November 1793, a Danish cargo ship, the Kron Princessa Maria docked in Calcutta. Amongst its passengers was a 32-year-old cobbler-cum-Baptist pastor from the East Midlands by the name of William Carey. Few could have foreseen the immense contribution this man would make to the spiritual life of the land he wouldContinue reading “Are You Broken Yet?”
Is Your Elder Respectable?
But why would it be necessary for the elders, the pastors, in the church to be respectable? First, Christ not only calls for pastors to be “respectable” (1 Timothy 3:2) but for all Christians to live “godly and dignified in every way” (2:2). And one way Christ shows he’s serious about his followers as aContinue reading “Is Your Elder Respectable?”
The Church in a Post-Modern World
Francis Schaeffer has an extremely high view of the church and great expectations as any Christian should. He details some solemn responsibilities that the church of Jesus Christ must consider. We Must Adhere to the New Testament Boundaries for the Local Church Schaeffer’s primary assertion is that Scripture mandates eight specific norms for the NewContinue reading “The Church in a Post-Modern World”
A Zero Sum Game
If there’s one overarching conclusion that comes from studying survey data of American religion over the last several decades, it is that fewer people identify with an established religious tradition every year. The ranks of religiously unaffiliated, also called the nones, have grown from just about 5 percent in the early 1970s to at leastContinue reading “A Zero Sum Game”
The Cynical Pastor
I spent the last week with my family at the beach on vacation. We really enjoyed ourselves. I wished we had another week! While there, I hoped to detox from the constant pressures of the ministry, unplug from screens and social media, and just be present with my wife and kids. After a few daysContinue reading “The Cynical Pastor”
One Methodist’s Take on the Changes Coming to the Methodist Church
After the Methodist Church’s decision to back gay marriage and affirm cohabitation, evangelicals are weighing up their future in the denomination. The Rev Dr David Hull, Chair of Methodist Evangelicals Together, spoke about the change of position on marriage and what options are available to evangelicals in that body. The Methodist Church seems to haveContinue reading “One Methodist’s Take on the Changes Coming to the Methodist Church”
The Flake Formula
As summer heats up, it seems like we are on the verge of “normalcy.” Emerging from the pandemic, churches are reopening their Bible study groups again. Lifeway Research recently reported that 91% of churchgoers are planning on returning to their pre-pandemic attendance levels. This is great news for the church, especially since some people haveContinue reading “The Flake Formula”
