Kindle Goes to Church

In this new phase of my ministry and life, I am able to spend a bit more time listening to someone else preach sermons on Sunday. On those special occasions when I am in town, my wife and I sit in the pew and listen to the message of our pastor, Mike Glenn, at Brentwood Baptist Church. When Mike began to read the biblical text for his sermon recently, I did not turn the page to the scriptural passage. Well, I didn't turn the page in a paper Bible. But I did push a button and the electronic version appeared magically on the screen in my hands.

Facing Adversity

Executive Pastor Dr. Huzt H. Hertzberg preaches on trials and difficulties. This passage portrays how Jesus and Peter each dealt with a very difficult situation, with powerful application for us.

The Path of Celtic Prayer

Another of our Contributing Editors, Calvin Miller, has written The Path of Celtic Prayer (InterVarsity Press). Miller seeks to offer "some aspects of Celtic spiritual practices as a springboard that might enable your prayer life to reach new heights." Miller includes six principles of prayer that he has found meaningful in his own life. Pastors and church leaders will find encouragement and insight in this book.

Americans Embrace Alternatives to Conventional Church

2008 promises to be a year of significant change for Americans. The presidential election already has introduced significant transitions into the political process and conversation. The sagging economy is altering many people's financial behavior and lifestyles. New technology is transforming perceptions of the world and how we connect with people. And a new study from The Barna Group suggests that a major shift in people's spirituality is now well under way.

Too Much Information

With today's constant media barrage of bad news, people feel bad enough already and don't want anything that makes them feel worse, says anthropologist-turned-brand-strategist Cheryl Swanson. With all the info coming at us 24/7, "We are processing information at 400 times the rate of our Renaissance ancestors." This is a new human task that we haven't had time to adapt to yet - physically or mentally. That's why we're getting tech-related health problems, like carpal tunnel, and maybe even mental and neurological problems like attention-deficit disorder. Naturally our attention is fraying - we are whipsawed by stimuli!

The Smart Shepherd

Place: New York City. Time: 9 o'clock on a Sunday morning. It's fair to say that many, if not most, of the inhabitants of Manhattan-mostly single, professional, well educated and young-are sleeping it off somewhere. Half of America has roused itself by now and is heading off to church, but in the city that never sleeps, the Sabbath is a time for slumber.

Sacrificial Love

After the U.S.S. Pueblo was captured in 1968 by the North Koreans, the 82 surviving crew members were thrown into brutal captivity. In one particular instance 13 of the men were required to sit in a rigid manner around a table for hours at a time.