Editor’s Note: The following is adapted from Sent: Living the Missional Nature of the Church, by Ed Stetzer. Stetzer is a featured speaker at the 2010 Exponential Conference next week in Orlando, Florida. Exponential is the largest gathering of church planters on the planet. Some words become so much a part of our culture that they actually lose part of their original meaning. Take the word Kleenex, for example. The brand has become synonymous with just plain tissue, so much so that most people simply say, “I need a … [Read more...]
Taxes: Holding Onto the Good
As a certified public accountant, Briana Mullenax spends most of her days looking over other people’s financial records to help them keep their accounting straight. One thing Mullenax has discovered in a few years of number-crunching is this: Most of us give away too much of our hard-earned cash. “It’s really interesting to see people who make three times what most middle-class Americans make pay less on their taxes,” Mullenax says. “They are smart with their money and understand the tax laws… . … [Read more...]
Leader Tip Video--Evangelism with Young Adults
Threads’ young adult ministry specialist Jason Hayes answers the question, “What’s the most effective way to do evangelism with young adults?” … [Read more...]
Promo Video for Our New Study “Abide”
Check out the promo video for Abide: Practicing Kingdom Rhythms in a Consumer Culture, our newest short-term study. Abide releases April 1, but you can pre-order a copy now. … [Read more...]
When Worldviews Collide
America is both the most religious and most diverse country in the world. Around nine out of 10 Americans claim they practice at least one of several dozens of religions. Furthermore, the United States is the only developed nation in a recent Pew Research Center study where the majority of citizens reported that religion played a “very important” role in their lives. Understanding our religious landscape is important for evangelical Christians because we are called to live as missionaries in this culture of diversity. We … [Read more...]
God’s Kingdom Versus Suburbia
Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from the introduction to the newest short-term Bible study from Threads, Abide: Practicing Kingdom Rhythms in a Consumer Culture, by Jared C. Wilson. Abide is currently available for pre-order HERE. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me” (John 15:5). Some parts of the Bible sound awesome until I realize I don’t understand them. Once I realize I don’t understand them, … [Read more...]
Sho Baraka’s Testimony
Hip hop artist Sho Baraka shared his testimony with us as part of our Red Revolution study. Watch Baraka’s testimony to hear the roles music and his family played in his coming to Christ. … [Read more...]
Fight for Joy
I have pictures I took as a kid (OK, maybe even as a teenager) of battle scenarios. Using my extensive collection of G.I. Joe’s, I would set up elaborate battle scenes on top of the family pool table. Those scenes included ground wars of epic proportions, complete with the appropriate amount of carnage you’d expect in a fight of such intensity between the Joe’s and Cobra. In the early photographs, from my artistic “dork” period, the only thing that was missing was the aerial assault. And then it … [Read more...]
Mentoring: Intentionality vs. Formality
Jesus’ call to His disciples was, “Follow Me. Walk where I’m walking. Go where I’m going. And along the way, I’ve got some things to teach you.” Jesus didn’t necessarily seek out a fig tree, a field, or a farmer. He was walking by those things, and He used those moments that naturally occurred to teach spiritual truth. But He had to be walking with people in order to have that opportunity. When people from an older generation invite those younger than them into their lives, they have that … [Read more...]
Finding God in Your Small Circle
Where you are right now might really hurt. You might be wishing for a spouse or a child. You might be wishing you were done with school, or done paying off loans, or done caring for a child or relative. You might wish you weren’t locked into car payments, house payments, boat payments, or credit card debt. You might wish life were more exciting, more rewarding, and more glorious. I once visited a monastery and met a monk, who explained life in the monastery in this way: “God draws a circle around every one of us. It may be … [Read more...]
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