Credit it to the jaded nature of my generation, if you will, for I am somewhat skeptical of organizational mission statements. The idea of the mission statement is that it is to be a pithy and memorable distillation of the purpose of an organization. When well phrased, they can provide direction, clarity, and energy.Sadly many … Continue reading What is Your Church’s Mission Statement?
Author: Russell Smith
A Time to Die (Meditation on Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, part 1)
Within the human heart there exists, though we try to deny it, a longing for permanence. The great poet John Keats wrestles with this longing in his most famous works: “Bright star, Would I Were Steadfast as Thou Art” and “Ode to a Grecian Urn” reveal his yearning to be free from this world of … Continue reading A Time to Die (Meditation on Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, part 1)
A Fresh Look at Prayer
Prayer is not optional. Neither is prayer a strategy. Prayer is so much more than the obligatory nod in God’s direction at the beginning of meals, meetings, and events. While God would have us bring our burdens to Him (Psalm 55:22), he would also have our prayers be more than about our burdens. While Jesus … Continue reading A Fresh Look at Prayer
Evangelism is NOT Multilevel Marketing!
Growing up in the Bible Belt, I would from time to time feel pressure from my well intentioned Christian friends. “You need to be more aggressive in evangelism.” “There are lost souls all about us” “Jesus calls all his disciples to evangelism, it’s a matter of obedience.” Freely, I admit that I resented such pressure. … Continue reading Evangelism is NOT Multilevel Marketing!
Take Control of Your Mind
Jenny went to see Dr. Daniel Amen, a prominent neuroscientist, with a troubling problem. She had been wanting to become pregnant for two years. Finally, she believed that she had become pregnant. Things progressed as they normally did, with all the attending physical signs of pregnancy. At eight months, she went in for her check … Continue reading Take Control of Your Mind
God’s Call In Retrospect (Genesis 50:15-21)
Providence is best viewed in the rear-view mirror. Case in point: Joseph. God had a clear calling for Joseph, but He revealed this calling through symbolic dreams, cryptic parables hinting that all of Joseph’s family would bow down before him. Joseph thought he had a bright promising future. And then his brothers betrayed him; Joseph … Continue reading God’s Call In Retrospect (Genesis 50:15-21)
“Daddy, what do you do all day?”
“Daddy, what do you do all day?” “I help people know Jesus.” “How do you do that?” “Well, sweetheart, you could say that I’m a storyteller. I tell stories about God. In sermons, articles, blog posts, the books that I write, even in the bedtime stories I tell you. Sometimes they’re stories about people who … Continue reading “Daddy, what do you do all day?”
Persistence and God’s Calling (reflection on Genesis 32:22-32)
Jacob was one persistent cuss.He was the second born twin who came out grabbing his brother’s heel. He snookered his brother out of a birthright. Then, for good measure, he swindled his dad, taking all the blessing for himself.Jacob persistently worked for seven years to win the hand of the lovely Rachel, only to discover … Continue reading Persistence and God’s Calling (reflection on Genesis 32:22-32)
Trust But Verify – A Research Project
Pastors have a bad reputation for telling tall tales. It's not because pastors intend to deceive. Rather, we are, by nature, storytellers. We are also constantly under pressure to have inspiring material for sermon illustrations. When we hear a good story that illustrates a point, we'll use it. Unfortunately some of these stores turn out to … Continue reading Trust But Verify – A Research Project
How is Peter Rollins Like Doug Wilson?
"Excuse me, Russell, did you just compare Peter Rollins with Doug Wilson?"Peter Rollins, the Irish post-Christian thinker who wrote The Idolatry of God as an earnest call to lay down our “addiction to certainty and satisfaction.”Doug Wilson, the Christian reconstructionist who regularly debated atheist Christopher Hitchens on the lecture circuit.These two are polar opposites. How … Continue reading How is Peter Rollins Like Doug Wilson?
Horizons of the Possible 