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Category Archives: Index
Changes in Church Demographics: Conflict
Conflict Even though conflicts within American religion over ordaining homosexuals have received a lot of attention in recent years, and seem to be tearing some denominations apart, the overall level of conflict within congregations is about what it was in … Continue reading
Surprised by Hope: Justin Martyr and the Didascalia Apostolorum
Back in the summer, I wrote a series of posts around N. T. Wright’s book Surprised by Hope, regarding the nature the end of time. Wright argues — quite convincingly — that the Bible teaches a bodily resurrection in a … Continue reading
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Language of Culture (and the Parable of the Minas)
Sepphoris was a wealthy city about 3 miles from Nazareth, under construction at the time Jesus was working as a carpenter. Nazareth may have had 300 people, while Sepphoris may have had 20,000 or 30,000 residents. Herod the Great’s will … Continue reading
Important Archaeological News
This month’s issue of the Biblical Archaeology Review has an important article on Khirbet Qeifaya. The archaeologist overseeing the dig has concluded that the city is from the time of David, and this conclusion is supported by carbon dating and … Continue reading
Changes in Church Demographics: Racial Mixing and Worship Styles
Racial mixing The most visible impact of this immigration on American congregations since 1998, however, seems to be that it has made predominantly white congregations somewhat more ethnically diverse rather than dramatically increasing the number of congregations predominantly composed of … Continue reading
Changes in Church Demographics: Social Services and Politics
Social services Now, here’s an interesting observation — And even after the Bush administration’s “faith-based initiative,” there is no increase since 1998 in the extent of congregational involvement in social services, in the percent of congregations receiving public funds in … Continue reading
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Facing Our Failure: A Comment on Gil Yoder’s Post
Over at his blog, Let Us Reason, Gil Yoder has begun a review of Todd Leaver’s book, challenging its arguments. Gil has changed his blog software (looks good!), but I can’t get the comment feature to work. It just won’t … Continue reading
Facing Our Failure: The Fellowship Dilemma in Conservative Churches of Christ, Part 2
Deaver’s book is a big deal. In fact, it’s so important that I’d imagine very few conservative writers will dare take it on. My prediction, cynical though this may be, is that the progressive blogs and forums will appreciate the … Continue reading
Facing Our Failure: The Fellowship Dilemma in Conservative Churches of Christ, Part 1
A book review I just wrote. Todd Deaver. Facing Our Failure: The Fellowship Dilemma in Conservative Churches of Christ, Oliver Springs, Tennessee: self-published, 2008. No ISBN; 135 pages; $9.95 plus $2.95 shipping and handling; [email protected] or (865) 435-9471. Forward by Dr. Randy Willingham. This … Continue reading
National Congregations Study: Church Size and Clergy Age, Part 2 (the Church of Christ preacher shortage)
The Christian Chronicle and the preacher shortage The Christian Chronicle just ran an editorial on the shortage of Church of Christ ministers. But here in the U.S., our assessment of the pulpit deficit tends to be grim. Across the nation, churches seek to fill … Continue reading
