Tag Archives: IFTTT

Churches were divided. Leadership was concentrated in the denominations. Believers eschewed cultural influence. Liberal modernism was on the move. Then God made Billy Graham. The first time Ruth Bell saw her future husband, he was dashing down the dormitory steps two at a time. Now there's a young man who knows where he's going! sheContinue reading “How a Humble Evangelist Changed Christianity As We Know It”

While some other evangelicals stumbled in national news, Graham’s Modesto Manifesto kept him from falling. On countless occasions during his career, usually at a press conference preceding a major crusade, Billy Graham declared that he sensed religious revival was breaking out and about to sweep over the land. In 1948, he happened to be right.Continue reading “Lead Us Not Into Scandal”

When we follow Jesus, we do what the Chicago River did in 1900: we change direction. My husband and I live in downtown Chicago. Since I work at Wheaton College, people often ask, “Why don’t you live in the suburbs? Isn’t it a hassle to commute every day?” And from those who live in anotherContinue reading “Changing Direction – Reflections on the Chicago River at St. Patrick’s Day”

Many Russians, be they Orthodox or Evangelical, will understandably view their homeland with affection, loyalty, and patriotism. After brief instructions from the Lutheran Archbishop Dietrich Brauer, we processed up the center aisle of the St. Peter-and-St. Paul Lutheran Cathedral in Moscow, launching the 500th Anniversary observance of the Protestant Reformation. Robed in gowns and hatsContinue reading “Faith in Russia: What Does It Mean?”

Rather than wait for outside demands, faith-based organizations should proactively pursue representation as part of their mission. Once Oscar winner Frances McDormand ended her acceptance speech with the two words “inclusion rider,” so many people Googled the phrase that inclusion became the most-searched word of the night on Merriam-Webster’s site. In the entertainment industry, aContinue reading “Ministries Can Do Better Than Inclusion-Rider Diversity”

Christians can learn from Egyptian debate over terrorism and true Islam. For Egyptian Christians, 2017 was the deadliest modern year on record. At least 87 were killed by terrorists. But despite being labeled by ISIS as its “favorite prey,” Copts were only 12 percent of such fatalities last year. Far more Muslims died in extremistContinue reading “Is ISIS Really Muslim?”

Being a representative of Christ in a lost world requires change. Leading a church into revitalization is a daunting task. It takes much prayer, grace, and strength. Churches that need revitalization have often drifted into a place of complacency. The change they need often comes about because of a cathartic moment. Desperation is quite theContinue reading “Five Things that Keep Churches from Change”

I used to think resting from work was selfish, until I considered the example of Jesus. Nearly 10 years ago, as a college pastor at the University of Oregon, I toiled nearly 80 hours a week doing the “work of the Lord.” No boundaries. No rhythms. No intention. No rest. Every crisis was my crisis.Continue reading “Keeping the Sabbath Saved My Marriage, My Ministry, and Probably My Life”

A simple definition based in doctrine, history, or sociology won’t do. But a vibrant stream really does exist. Evangelicalism is one of the largest and most dynamic forms of Christianity in the modern world, but there is an amorphous quality to many words that end with the suffix “-ism,” and “evangelicalism” is no exception. “Evangelicalism”Continue reading “What Is Evangelicalism?”

Society’s moral resolve hinges on the interdependence of the sick and the well. Just a few months ago, Britain announced the appointment of a Minister of Loneliness. The post reflects a rising epidemic that’s unique to 21st-century Western society: Many of us are hyperconnected online but simultaneously disconnected from substantive community. We have dozens ofContinue reading “Joni Eareckson Tada: Why Suicide Is Everybody’s Business”