Rick Warren launches magazine
March 13, 2009
Amy Sullivan, TIME (HT: Bruce Tomaso, Religion Blog)
Magazine website: Purpose Driven Connection
Joel Osteen to hold major event at Yankee Stadium
March 12, 2009
Joanne Brokaw, Gospel Soundcheck
Suggestions from the Consumer-Driven Church: Redux
February 5, 2009
By Bill Kinnon
I’m a consumer.
Nothing wrong with that.
I like nice things.
Shiny things.
Techie things.
Tasty things.
Dark beers with a rich foam head.
Did I mention?
I’m a consumer.
So. You want me in your church. Here’s how to get me.
1. Parking. I need lots of space for my big SUV. And it better be close to the doors. Don’t want to do much walking. So if it isn’t - how about a shuttle.
2. Nice Building. This is important. I’m not interested in some strip mall church that looks like it’s struggling. Or an old traditional church - unless you’ve done millions in renos. I’m an upwardly model semi-professional. I want my surroundings to reflect my importance.
3. Proper HVAC. This isn’t important. It’s critical. I want to be cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. 68ºF to 72ºF - year round. Is that too much to ask.
4. Comfy chairs. And when I say chairs, I mean chairs. Preferably theater-style. With wide arm rests. Give me some space for my girth - and safe distance from the other arriving consumers.
Megachurch-goers explain why they love where they worship
January 19, 2009
Up with Rick
December 23, 2008
Two commendatory commentaries on the Rick Warren/Obama inauguration:
John Mark Reynolds writes ‘Rick Warren: A Public Educator Worthy of Honor’ at The Scriptorium:
“Rick Warren refuses to bow to the thoughtless assumptions of the American right or the American left. He flays the comfortable in both camps …”
And Justin Wise writes, “God bless Barack Obama for reaching out to Rick Warren. God bless Rick Warren for reaching out to Obama.”
Warren Piece
December 19, 2008
The blogosphere is abuzz with reactions to the announcement that Saddleback pastor/Purpose-Driven Life author/lightning rod Rick Warren will pray at Obama’s swearing-in:
“One thing is clear– controversial appointments and actions do indeed smoke out people’s real views and feelings, and often those feelings are subChristian at best, and positively carnal at worst.”
“I have issues with Warren theologically and ecclesiastically, but am in broad sympathy with much of his politics and so it was interesting to see him clobbered as too right wing for a change.”
“I will give our new president major credit if he still lets Rick Warren say the prayer.”
“I’d like to ask Mr. Warren how civil it is to cut up a pre-born baby with a knife and hurl out the parts with the trash?”
“Whatever you think of Warren, make no mistake: he’s a social conservative, my favorite kind.”
“I am not throwing Rick Warren to the wolves over this. He now finds himself in a whirlwind, and he will not be the last.”
Jordan Ballor also has a more in-depth wrap-up and discussion of the announcement, at the Acton Powerblog.
Beliefnet interview with Rick Warren
December 15, 2008
Everyone seems to have an opinion about Rick Warren (even yours truly, for better or worse). Here’s a segment of an extensive interview Warren did recently with Steven Waldman, at Beliefnet, in which he discusses having doubts as a Christian.
The full interview (divided into chunks) is here.
Tim Keller on the Missional Debate
December 9, 2008
View more excerpts at DJ Chuang’s youtube page.
(HT: Url Scaramanga)
“Dear Ed Young,”
November 26, 2008
This post by Michael Spencer had received 131 comments when I last checked. In it he addresses the “Seven Days of Sex” program Young’s Fellowship Church launched last week.
“Dear Ed Young,
It was the grin that really got to me …”
Who says you can’t have community in a big congregation?
November 25, 2008
Thabiti Anyabile challenges the notion that small groups are necessary for biblical community, at the 9Marks blog.
Worship/performance art
November 10, 2008
A recent presentation from the worship band at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, which will be releasing a DVD to accompany a new album called Closer to the Start:
(HT: Gospel Soundcheck)
Robert Schuller and son to part ways …
October 27, 2008
As detailed in a letter by Schuller Sr., posted on the Crystal Cathedral site:
“It is no secret to any of you that my son, Robert, and I have been struggling as we each have different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry as we move into the future. For this lack of shared vision and the jeopardy in which this is placing this entire ministry, it has become necessary for Robert and me to part ways in the Hour of Power television ministry to each pursue our own unique God-ordained visions.”
Later in the letter, Schuller claims to have been a mentor to Willow Creek pastor Bill Hybels and others, through his (Schuller’s) Institute for Successful Church Leadership.
(HT: Joanne Brokaw)
Hybels on pastoral accountability
October 15, 2008
Skye Jethani (Out of Ur) discusses Hybels’ address yesterday at the Willow Creak Reveal Conference:
“He asked the pastors, ‘What is good enough? Seats full enough, offerings big enough, people happy enough?’ He said too many of us are unwilling to go after radical change. We may tweak our style, but we don’t seriously reconsider our fundamental approach to ministry. Bill choked up when he described his unwillingness to upset the apple cart at times in order to keep the peace. ‘I’m not proud of that kind of leadership,’ he said.”
Reveal revealed
October 14, 2008
Extreme Theology’s Chris Rosebrough is live-blogging Willow Creek’s Reveal Conference, October 14-15:
“Today and tomorrow I am attending Willow Creek’s Reveal Conference. Unlike other bloggers in attendance I will be providing critical analysis of the information presented at this conference.”
Official conference website.
The good, the bad, and the megachurches
October 7, 2008
At the GetReligion blog, Terry Mattingly discusses the phenomenon described in Sarah Duin’s book, Quitting Church: Why the Faithful Are Fleeing and What to Do about It:
“You see, there is a paradox out there in megachurch land. It seems that they are in the best of times and, perhaps, in the worst of times. … Membership statistics are high, but in many cases they are stalled on a plateau. It’s a large plateau, but there is evidence that some of the natives are not happy.”
Meanwhile, JollyBlogger David Wayne (following Rick Duncan) highlights a recent study which finds that megachurches may not deserve the bad press they’ve received over the last decade after all:
“What Americans Really Believe [the study] reveals that megachurch members tend to be younger, practice evangelism more frequently, and are bigger on volunteerism than those in smaller churches. Oops. There go the stereotypes. And they aren’t abandoning the harder, counter-cultural doctrines of the Christian faith either.”
