A New Kind of Big
A New Kind of Big (Baker) by Chip Sweney tells the story of how Atlanta's Perimeter Church created a partnership with other area churches (now almost 150 churches) as a way to transform their community.
Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes
Preachers who have spent time in Ecclesiastes recognize its particular relevance to many of the themes so prevalent in today's secular culture. In Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes (Wm. B. Eerdmans), Sidney Greidanus continues his wonderful series of books helping us to craft meaningful Christ-centered expositions from Old Testament texts.
Illustration: Prayer, Faith
A pastor had a little kitten stuck up in a tree, and the kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove until the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten. As he moved just a little too far, the rope broke. The tree snapped upright and the kitten instantly sailed through the air and out of sight.
Illustration: Easter
Don Aycock tells the story of Menelik II, who was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 until 1913: "News of a successful new means of dispatching criminals reached him. The news was about a device known as an electric chair. The Emperor eagerly ordered one for his country. Unfortunately, no one bothered to warn him that it never would work because Ethiopia at that time had no electricity."
Spectacle or Spectacular?
James Emery White is Senior Pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte (and one of our featured speakers at May's National Conference on Preaching). In his Church and Culture blog, he recently wondered, "whether we are increasingly succumbing to the idea that we have to use sensationalism to penetrate a post-Christian culture and draw crowds; the shock series title, the car giveaway, the celebrity interview. Is it media attention we're ultimately after? Is that what grows a church?"
If God, Why Evil? A New Way to Think About the Question
One of the most common questions pastors face from inquirers: If God is good and all-powerful, why does evil exist? Christian apologist Norman Geisler takes on that question in his new book If God, Why Evil? A New Way to Think About the Question (Bethany House).
Is God a Moral Monster?
On a related theme, Paul Copan addresses those critics who accuse the God of the Old Testament of being a "bully, a murderer, and a cosmic child abuser." In his book Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God (Baker Books)...
Don’t Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day
A new generation of evangelical pastors takes on key theological issues in the book Don't Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (Crossway), edited by Kevin DeYoung.
Illustration: Moms, Graduation
The high school valedictorian was required to give a speech. He began by reading from his prepared text. "I want to talk about my mother and the wonderful influence she has had on my life," he told the audience.