"At times, the evangelical church has been indistinguishable from Western, white American culture."
Tag: missional church
Quote of Note #183: Giving Myself Away for Christ
"But the truth is that there is enough time and enough wealth to go around. The people in the churches every Sunday outnumber the people who are on the streets and the number of people who are on welfare. If the church took up the responsibility of caring for the poor, of living internationally, of … Continue reading Quote of Note #183: Giving Myself Away for Christ
Pastor Note #132: Anger and Following Jesus
In my youth, which took place in those dark days before the existence of computers and apps on mobile devices, it was very difficult to say definitively how often, if at all, a given phrase appears in the Bible. These days, of course, it is a matter of a few moments of thumb typing, and … Continue reading Pastor Note #132: Anger and Following Jesus
Pastor Note #113: The Real Danger Facing the Witness of the Church
The Real Danger Facing the Witness of the Church[A Retiring Pastor’s Message to his Flock] These are dangerous times for Christ’s Church. As I prepare to retire as your pastor, I want to leave you with some resources for facing them. I care about you individually, and I care about you as a church. … Continue reading Pastor Note #113: The Real Danger Facing the Witness of the Church
Quote of Note #102: Living by Faith and Not by Sight
"This kind of living ["living by faith rather than by sight"] invites opposition. It will come first in the form of those who insist on living within the budget, thereby restricting the ability of God to reach the community. The easiest answer to a leap of faith is 'No!' The church that I now pastor … Continue reading Quote of Note #102: Living by Faith and Not by Sight
Quote of Note #78: Training for a New Kingdom
"Yes, I believe that the kingdoms of this world, American, Venezuelan, and Chinese, will become the kingdom of our God and Christ, and I believe this new kingdom is already among us. That is why I'm a pastor, to introduce people to the real world and train them to live in it. I learned early … Continue reading Quote of Note #78: Training for a New Kingdom
Quote of Note #77: Being a Distinctive People
"The glory of the gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is make to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first. That is how revival comes. That must also be true of us as individuals. It … Continue reading Quote of Note #77: Being a Distinctive People
Pastor Note #86: Consumers or Disciples?
In the past few years, I’ve had some interesting conversations with folks who are involved with volunteer fire departments in various communities around where I live. All of those local departments are struggling. Funding is a challenge, to be sure. But the really difficult problem is getting enough volunteers to fill their ranks. People are … Continue reading Pastor Note #86: Consumers or Disciples?
Quote of Note #76: A Contrast Community
"If we hope to experience transformation, we need to develop a culture in the congregation that encourages people to live in the world for the sake of the world, without being of the world. Gerhard Lohfink, in Jesus and Community, makes a strong case that it has always been God's intention to work through a … Continue reading Quote of Note #76: A Contrast Community
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 