Edited by Dr Steven Croft, the Archbishops' Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh Expressions, Mission-shaped Questions explores some of the key issues facing churches as they seek to develop new ways of 'being and doing church' for the twenty-first century, in a society that is becoming increasingly mobile, less socially cohesive, and has a weaker understanding of the Christian faith than older generations.
Read moreEdited by Dr Steven Croft, the Archbishops' Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh Expressions, Mission-shaped Questions explores some of the key issues facing churches as they seek to develop new ways of 'being and doing church' for the twenty-first century, in a society that is becoming increasingly mobile, less socially cohesive, and has a weaker understanding of the Christian faith than older generations.
Read moreAfter nearly a decade of trying to find common ground with TEC, the Global South archbishops and some others had given up hope of achieving anything by that route, and had determined to set up a Conference which would be positive, visionary and encouraging, going back to the earliest roots of Christianity, not shackled by half belief, playing at church and skepticism.
Read moreWhile teaching economics at the University of Houston, she was arrested for armed robbery, March 22, 1969, and sent to prison with a 35 year sentence. A radical leftist, she worked for civil rights for black people and opposed the war in Viet Nam. The robbery was to fund an anti-war newspaper.
Read moreDuring the Cathedral's weekly Sunday Forum: Critical Issues in the Light of Faith, Lloyd asked Warren how mainlines should tackle the problem.
"100 years ago the phrase 'social gospel' first came out," Warren responded. "Some people took that to mean only if we reform the social government and society and not personal faith in Christ Jesus - that is, if we make the world a better place - we don't need personal redemption."
Read more"We left everything behind when we left our former churches," says Jim Blumer, a parishioner and spokesperson for St. Barnabas Anglican Church, part of the conservative breakaway group Anglican Coalition in Canada.
Blumer's wife, Louise, made the cloth hangings that adorn the walls of the hall at the local Ukrainian Orthodox Church, where St. Barnabas rents space to worship.
Read moreA decade ago, three out of ten adults claimed to be charismatic or Pentecostal Christians. Today, 36% of Americans accept that designation. That corresponds to approximately 80 million adults. (For the Barna survey, this included people who said they were a charismatic or Pentecostal Christian, that they had been "filled with the Holy Spirit" and who said they believe that "the charismatic gifts, such as tongues and healing, are still valid and active today.")
Read moreGarrison asked about the role of doctrine in emergent experiments and the relationship between newer forms of church and traditional churches. She guides discussions on a variety of topics, asking questions such as:
How do you respond to conventional wisdom that the mainline churches are dying? (of Phyllis Tickle and Martha Grace Reese)
Why do you define "alternative worship" as postcharismatic and postevangelical? (of Jonny Baker)
Read moreBoth groups need a dramatic turnaround quickly. The latest methodological gimmicks, mega church programs, position papers or even a new denominational name on the door are inadequate for the task ahead. Termite infested houses don't recover from a new coat of whitewash... but they sometimes can be salvaged by a new foundation and steel reinforcements that are impervious to the rot.
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