6 Ways Churches Should Be More Like Libraries

by Amy Simpson

Public libraries in urban areas have often become de facto homeless shelters—and many have risen to the occasion, offering services to those who seek refuge there. These libraries are not only addressing a poverty crisis, they’re also addressing a serious mental-health crisis. Like libraries, churches are common points of contact for people in need, including those with mental illness—homeless or not. So what can churches learn from these pioneering libraries?

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The Christian and Muslim Divide

by Imam Feisal and Gabe Lyons

In a study released by Barna Group last week, the majority of American Evangelicals said they have an unfavorable perception of Islam—with more than half of Evangelicals saying they believe Islam is essentially a violent religion. How can the world’s two largest religions co-exist and even cooperate in such a contentious time? In this Q interview, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of the Cordoba Initiative and Gabe Lyons discuss the future for faith relations in the West.

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Cooperating for the Common Good

by Jay Richards

When the Christian church unifies, it can be a powerful influence for positive cultural change. Unfortunately, Protestants and Catholics have often let theological differences keep them from partnering. Jay Richards, author of The New York Times bestseller, Indivisible: Restoring Faith, Family, and Freedom Before It’s Too Late, offers practical insights on how these historically disconnected groups can work together in the coming years on some of the most important social and economic issues facing Americans.

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The Role of Christian in a Postmodern Culture

by Dr. Anthony Bradley

Throughout history, Christians have held a variety of views on how to engage culture—from establishing governmental theocracy to functioning in segregated spaces. Anthony Bradley revisits the writings of Abraham Kuyper, 19th century Dutch theologian and Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Drawing on this rich canon, he attempts to formulate a helpful model for the role of Christians in postmodern culture.

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Pope Francis: A Symbol of Hope

by Phileena Heuertz

Why it matters that the Catholic Church chose an Argentinian Jesuit priest who would take the name of Francis. And why it's a cause for hope ...

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The Future of Discipleship

by Ed Stetzer

The very last words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew are summed up in The Great Commission, a call for the Church to make disciples. Yet the Church has approached this process in different ways throughout history. How are today’s Christians carrying out the Great Commission, and what are the unique challenges to disciple-making in the 21st Century? Ed Stetzer presents new research on this topic as he paints a portrait of the future of discipleship.

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Act Like a Business, Expect Customers

by Amy Simpson

Learning from the best practices of others is wise … to a point. But observing is not copying and what works well in the research field won't always be effective in a creative ad agency. What's best in the arts isn't necessarily what's best in medicine. And the best practices of a business are not going to be the best practices for a church. So why do we keep insisting that they must be?

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Can Christian's Approach to Marriage Really Work Anymore?

by Mark Regnerus

While Christians often bemoan the state of marriage in America and groan about shifting sexual norms, there are structural reasons—some that have nothing inherently to do with sex or marriage—that have accelerated such changes. It’s actually become socially more difficult—not just personally more challenging—to withhold sex before marriage. Recognizing the economics and market dynamics of modern romantic relationships can make all the difference. Hear how you can save marriage before it starts.

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For 2013: A New Way to Read the Bible

by Q Panel

It's almost time to make resolutions for 2013 and, for many Christians, "Read the Bible more" will be on that list. Nearly 90 percent of Americans view the Bible as sacred and inspired, but only 20 percent say they read it regularly. So how do we make Bible reading an important and regular part of life—especially modern life? This Q panel explores how Christians can revive the importance of scripture in our fast-paced, often-isolated digital age.

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Mental Illness: What is the Church's Role?

by Amy Simpson

In the wake of the horrifying Sandy Hook elementary school shootings, many are talking about mental illnesses. How can they be addressed? Why is our current system broken? Is there anything that can be done to treat them sooner—before a tragedy? These are all good questions ... and there's another good question: Where is the Church in all this? What role should the Church play in treating and supporting those with severe mental illness?

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Moving Beyond Legalism and Libertinism

by Frank Viola

It might be an age-old debate, but the conversation about legalism and grace is still going and it's still an important one.

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Women, Media and the Church of England: A Reaction to Last Week's Ruling

by Tracey Bianchi

Last Tuesday, after years of debate, the Church of England’s General Synod narrowly rejected a proposal that would have allowed women to serve as bishops. The media frenzy predictably ensued and the debate of women in church leadership continues. Here, a woman (and a pastor) reacts to the ruling.

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Beyond Fair Trade: Seeking a Holistic Christian Food Ethic

by Thomas Turner

Picture this: A woman pours herself some fair trade coffee before the church service begins. She then stirs in sugar (harvested by slaves), some cream (fraught with hormones) and grabs a packaged donut (filled with preservatives). A truly holistic Christian food ethic has to go beyond isolated issues like fair trade and embrace every aspect of how and what we eat.

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Our Unreached People Group

by Tyler Staton

Much of America’s severe poverty is found in its biggest and most affluent cities—and affect the youth as much (or more) than anyone else. These youth are accustomed to going hungry, they rarely attend school, and value protection above all else. The future offered these children is an unjust one ... unless someone is there to help.

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Gay Rights and Religious Liberties

by Skye Jethani

When I was a freshman in college, the GLBA–Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Alliance– organized an annual Gay Awareness week. What I remember most was “Jean Day.” The student leaders of the GLBA posted signs all over campus announcing that students could express their support for gay rights by wearing jeans on Thursday. Of course denim is a second skin for most college students, and it was obvious the GLBA was seeking to inflate their perception of support...

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Government is Not the Enemy

by Joel Hunter

The narratives that play out across our nation suggest that the Church and State have a tenuous and strained relationship. But others, like Joel Hunter, paint a more positive picture. He believes that the Church can have a healthy and vibrant role in our communities when we partner with government without being swept up in divisiveness and partisanship. In this talk, he explains how Christians can faithfully engage the public square by realizing that government is not the enemy.

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Abrahamic Faiths in Society

by Daniel Langberg

The community of Abrahamic faiths must focus less on easily-identifiable differences and more on the deeply-rooted purpose and shared principles that guide their lives and bind them together while here on earth. An emphasis on common elements need not detract from the distinctiveness of each religion, but, nevertheless, should form the foundation on which Christians, Jews, and Muslims seek to build better inter-faith relationships, stronger societies, and a more cohesive global community.

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Do You Need a Technology Fast?

by Nancy Sleeth

Something is wrong, terribly wrong, about our time. We feel it, like a splinter in our hearts. There’s no room for margin: we Twitter while we drive, talk while we text, and surf until we fall asleep—but even while in bed, we stay plugged in, available 24/7. People tell me they could not live without their cell phones or the Internet or e-mail—and they mean it...

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Empowering Women in a Missional Movement

by Jo Saxton

In the State of the Church 2011 study, Barna noted that in the US the past 20 years have seen a 20% decrease in women attending church, a 29% decrease in women attending Sunday school classes, 31% drop in female volunteers. It’s heartbreaking, because these statistics aren’t merely numbers; they’re our sisters.

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Evangelical Credibility and Religious Pluralism

by John W. Morehead

Evangelicals are having a serious credibility problem in regard to religious pluralism in the public square. Evangelicals are also ill prepared for America’s increasing religious pluralism. If Christians are to overcome this credibility problem, they will have to address the reality of life and faith in the midst of religious diversity.

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Is the Bully Epidemic in our Churches?

by Karen Yates

I didn’t take today’s “bully epidemic” too seriously and I’m ashamed to admit it out loud. Yhe truth is, I dismissed some of it (not all of it) to over-reactive, over-litigious parents and hyper-sensitive children. Things changed, however, when one of my own children was forced to deal with unwanted, repeated bullying behavior. That's when I started realizing bullying was serious, and bullying behavior was happening in our Christian churches (and schools), among both children and adults.

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Biblical Literacy Begins with Reading

by Ben Irwin

3.9 billion. That’s how many copies of the Bible we’ve bought over the last 50 years, according to one estimate. But we all know there’s a difference between “bestselling” and “most read.” When J.K. Rowling sold 400 million copies of Harry Potter (#3 on the bestselling list), there’s a good chance most of those copies were actually read. Can we say the same for the nearly four billion Bibles in circulation?

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For Once, Some Environmental Good News?

by Peter Harris

The modern environmental movement in western countries is a bit like a performance I saw as a child of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, but in reverse. The environmental stage began empty with romantic ideas of wilderness and unspoiled nature. Then, a first movement of alarm started with haunting and impressive solos–depending on who you ask these days, they were maybe played by Gerard Manley Hopkins, Theodore Roosevelt or Rachel Carson..

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Our Inconsolable Secret

by Joseph Loconte

It seems that in human societies everywhere, lodged deep in our DNA, is a force that reaches anxiously for a world outside of our actual experience. Even a glance at the record of humanity’s struggles—the wars, revolutions, assassinations, constitutions, conspiracies—reveals our restless ambition for a society defined by justice and virtue...

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Praying for Pentecost

by Ronald Rolheiser

Every generation needs to experience Pentecost for itself. It needs God's spirit and it needs it in its own particular way. Indeed scripture assures us that the holy spirit is not a generic force but a person, a relationship, a spirit that has "particular manifestations" and gives itself to each of us uniquely so that the understanding and strength that we receive are geared to help us in our own particular struggles. If this is true, Where in life today do we most need the holy spirit to transform us? What are our peculiar spiritual disabilities?

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Overcoming the Merely Therapeutic

by Rev. Gregory Jensen

In Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers (2005), researchers Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton argue that for many young adults in America, the spiritual life is understood in moralistic terms. But where orthodox (and Orthodox) Christianity focus on the necessity of "repentance from sin, of keeping the Sabbath, of living as a servant of a sovereign divine, of steadfastly saying one's prayers …" -- many teenagers don’t see it that way...

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Napa Valley on Leadership

by Margaret Feinberg

Wine. It's a theme woven throughout Scripture. Indeed, vines and vineyards provide a backdrop to some of the Bible's most memorable stories. So, what happens when a curious author actually visits world famous vineyards and talks with expert vintners? A new vision for leadership emerges.

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Art in Theology

by Dan Siedell

“There exists the icon of the Trinity by St. Andrei Rublev; therefore God exists.” This statement by Fr. Pavel Florensky is not the apologetic strategy that Christians in the West are used to. To say that our tastes run toward the intellectual is an understatement. Florensky's argument sounds woolly, mystical, or patently irrational. This is so, not simply because we have inherited a very different tradition of apologetics, but because we also have inherited a very different tradition of art.

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Cultural Commission

by Charles Colson

In our continued tribute to Chuck Colson and his influence on Q, we are sharing his Q Talk for the first time since Q New York. In this exclusive 18-minute presentation, he argues that everybody has a worldview. Everyone has a grand story that forms what one believes about oneself, life, the world, and reality. He then challenges us to embrace a worldview that addresses not only individuals, but also God’s redemption of entire systems and cultures.

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How to Save the Bible

by Glenn Paauw

The Bible is a rich collection of songs and letters, stories and prophecies—all forged in the crucible where people’s lives meet God’s Spirit. At its core, Scripture is a great drama, highlighting God’s battle to win back his rebellious children, overcome evil, and restore life and wholeness to our world. The invitation to us is to find our place in its ongoing narrative. So why do most of us treat the Bible not as a world-transforming drama, but as a holy reference book?

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Live the Gospel, Restore the World

by Q Ideas

If you’ve ever wondered why Q is what it is, this might help. We believe that God wants shalom to permeate our world and that He chooses to show up through people. Imagine that: God being stuck with us to show the world His vision for how things should be. But some Christians are confused; unsure of their role in our world, unclear about how the Gospel relates to the “real” world. We see it differently.

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The Sanctity of Human Life

by David P. Gushee

Most Christians at least give lip service to the idea that human life is sacred. Indeed, after a generation of fighting over issues such as abortion, stem cells, and euthanasia, the sanctity of life has become a slogan wielded by many Christians as justification for their positions. Yet, the concept is much more complex in its origins and its implications than is commonly understood. And it won’t be sufficient for Christians to continue mouthing a slogan without thinking through what it means and how it really affects our worldview...

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The Restorer-Minded Church

by Rick McKinley

What would it look like for a church to not only release its people into the world to fulfill their mission but to come beside them to enable their dreams? In Portland, one of the most progressive and unchurched cities in America, Imago Dei has learned how to empower their people to do more than show up on Sunday mornings. They train them to become restorers. Learn from Pastor Rick McKinley the principles that have made his community a beacon of light in the midst of a fog of disbelief.

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Are Christians Too Sheltered?

by Margaret Feinberg and Q Ideas

Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world; but according to what David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons found in researching their book UnChristian, something has gone terribly wrong. Here, Gabe Lyons interviews author Margaret Feinberg on the perception that American Christians are too sheltered.

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Watch Eugene Peterson Q | Session Practices Videos Now

Practicing Sabbath and Immersed in Scripture

by Q Ideas

Click HERE to watch both of the free, one-hour live streams of Eugene Peterson and Gabe Lyons on Practicing Sabbath and Immersed in Scripture.

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Q Session Videos of Eugene Peterson Are Now Available

Q Sessions | Practices

by Q Ideas

Click HERE to watch both of the free, one-hour live streams of Eugene Peterson and Gabe Lyons on Practicing Sabbath and Immersed in Scripture .More than a hundred of us woke up before our normal alarms and skipped our normal routes to work. We came early and stayed for two days to hear the wisdom of his 80 gathered years, most of which were spent pursuing A Long Obedience In The Same Direction...

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Diversity in the Church

by Dave Gibbons

Dave Gibbons is the founding pastor of New Song Church, a mutli site, international church with campuses in inner city L.A., North Orange County, Irvine, Bangkok, among others. In an interview with Gabe Lyons, Dave shares his incredible perspective on real cultural, ethnic, and economic diversity in the church and what we miss in homogeneity.

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Discipling Urban Youth

by Tyler Staton

While smugly sitting through Bible college, I couldn’t have envisioned my first ministry job in New York City going the way it has. I was confident that my experience in youth group had been far too based on hype and "cool" events; now that I was a youth pastor I was going to somehow figure out high school ministry the “right way.”I was quickly humbled.

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Take It and Tweet It

by Matthew Nickoloff

It wasn’t quite St. Augustine’s famous “take it and read it” conversion moment in his "Confessions." But hearing Rev. Keith Anderson discuss social media and pastoral practice was a kind of repentance for me. Because now, I’m officially a believer in the gospel of “digital ministry.” I’ve long been a skeptic of the salvation promised by the story social media tells. Looking around...

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Christianity Is Not a Boys' Club (or is it?)

by Karen Yates

Recently, I was chatting with a girlfriend when she mentioned John Piper’s statement that “Christianity has a masculine feel.” We talked at length about the ramifications such a statement can have on a woman’s perception of the Church and those of us that call ourselves Christ-followers. Is Christianity a boys' club? And if I ask that question, does it make me a feminist?

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Humility: The Starting Point

by John Koon

Sitting in a meeting in our hotel’s conference room outside of Kathmandu, Nepal, I found myself distracted and disengaged. A wave of anxiety, the afterbirth of the release of that odious phrase “dominant culture,” had crept up and smothered me. These two words, uttered just moments before, were reverberating like an obstinate pinball through the alleyways of my mind. And though the air continued to buzz with discussion and thought on the role of North Americans in the mission of Word Made Flesh, I remained silent, held prisoner by my worry...

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Local Church Transforms City

Andy Crouch interviews Chris Seay

by Chris Seay

Chris Seay is among the most creative and surprising pastors in America. His church, Ecclesia, is in Houston's Montrose District, but it is really much more than a church. It's a multifaceted and creative community that is part of the fabric of their neighborhood. Here, Andy Crouch interviews Chris about what happens when a Church is more than a Sunday commitment.

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What Do We Mean by "Prophetic"?

by Chris Heuertz and Sarah Kim

Go to most Western Christian bookstores, and you will encounter countless titles claiming to have a prophetic message or a handle on explaining prophecy. Competing extremes claim that the prophetic is qualified by the supernatural and miraculous, or that the prophetic is very grave and ominous with a harsh message and merciless tone.There is a crisis in our contemporary understanding of the prophetic...

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Top 11 Q Ideas of 2011

by Q Ideas

At Q, we believe that followers of Jesus have the responsibility to create culture and contribute to the common good of our society. In a mix of videos and essays, here is a brief look at the top culture-shaping ideas that Q has helped to cultivate and spread over the course of 2011.

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Top Ten Culture Shaping Moments of 2011

by Q Ideas

Is culture really getting any better? Where’s the proof that all the dialogue and collaboration Q is committed to is having any impact? We’ve heard it all and we get it. Many think the work of “cultural renewal” is elusive, and understandably so. It’s not easy to show concretely how culture is changing over time. But in the following Top 10 List, we attempt to put on display that in mainstream culture, a movement is afoot.

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The Reality of Christ's Birthplace, Then and Now

by Andrew Haas

Sleepy. Bethlehem was and is a drowsy town to this day, but not by choice. Jesus’ birthplace has been forced into a “deep and dreamless sleep,” the kind that descends upon a man or woman with a dwindling future, little livelihood and vacant hope. That’s not to say there is not an abundance of life. The streets of Bethlehem are an LED-lit extravaganza during this advent season. Muslims and Christians alike...

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Nuclear Duck and Cover

Being Prepared for the Worst

by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson

Earlier this year, the Two Futures Project launched the Know Shelter initiative. They've spent four years engaging Christians to advance policies that will help prevent nuclear weapons from wreaking their awful havoc and the mass killing of innocents. But with Know Shelter, they're adding preparedness to the mix, to help churches equip their cities with the two critical steps that can save lives in the event of nuclear terrorism.

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PBS 'Prohibition' and the Complexity of Sin

by Bethany Keeley-Jonker

The new Ken Burns series “Prohibition” aired recently on PBS. I had done some reading on the history of the 1920s but before my research, I thought that prohibition was a total failure. It didn’t prevent people from drinking and it fed organized crime. But what I did not know is that Prohibition, along with the temperance movement that led to its institution, did change the culture of alcohol...

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The Rise of Exiles

by David Kinnaman

How do you train up a child in the way he should go when his cultural paths are constantly shifting? After spending 5 years researching the generation just coming of age, David Kinnaman has discovered three patterns of how young people are relating to faith as they make their own way in the world. One group in particular—the exiles—demands our special attention because they will define the faith for years to come.

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Our Nomadic Existence: How Electronic Culture Shapes Community

by Shane Hipps

New technologies are transforming our world every day. In our search to find genuine community, we've become wandering nomads. How did we get here and what should we do about it? In this original Q Essay, Shane Hipps, pastor and author of Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith, makes the case for understanding and using technology instead of avoiding it.

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Prodigals, Nomads, and Exiles

by David Kinnaman

No previous generation has experienced such dramatic, compounded cultural change. As a result, millions are cutting their connection to church and their faith during their young adult years. Kinnaman describes the three types of spiritual journeys that young people take, how their anti-institutional mindset is different than that of young adults in the past and how organizations and churches could respond effectively to today’s prodigals, nomads and exiles.

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Unique Challenges Facing Urban Church Planters

by J. Allen Thompson

Cities offer innumerable opportunities for evangelism and church planting. With these opportunities, however, also come challenges that otherwise might be overlooked. Allen Thompson awakens our awareness of urban realities that affect ministry, offers solutions to both the church-planting coach and the planter, and provides grist for the mill of church-planter conversations.

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Animal Welfare and The Church

by Christine Gutleben

As followers of Jesus, we are called to love and serve the poor and needy among us. But, what if the poor and needy are animals? Do Christians care about animal welfare? Christine Gutleben, Senior Director of the Faith Outreach program at The Human Society of the United States, presents overwhelming evidence that Christians do care about animals.

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Local Manifestations

A Review of Life Together and Deep Church: A Third Way Between Emerging and Traditional

by Byron Borger

When it comes to the topic of Community, there are simply too many books to read. How do you choose? Byron Borger reviews two books on community that present multi-dimensional approaches to understanding the essence of Christian community: Bonhoeffer's Life Together and Jim Belcher's Deep Church: A Third Way Between Emerging and Traditional.

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The Gospel and Sex

by Tim Keller

If we can demonstrate healthy sexuality as a Church, what unlimited redemption is possible for our starving, sex-crazed culture? Tim Keller outlines a compelling and orthodox sexual ethic, and the proper role of singleness and marriage within the Church.

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The Lasting Legacy of Lesslie Newbigin

A Missionary Encounter with Western Culture

by Michael Goheen

Lesslie Newbigin spent 40 years as a missionary in India. Upon his return to England, he spent 25 years as a missionary to the Western church. Michael Goheen reminds us of Newbigin's message and suggests that the life of the Western church may depend on our ability to act upon Newbigin's legacy.

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The Bible In a Technological Age

by Bobby Gruenewald

This year marks the 400th birthday of the most widely distributed and most widely read translation of the Bible ever. Begun in 1604, the King James version was completed, approved and sent to the royal printer in 1611. Such a hallmark in history undoubtedly warrants attention. How has the Bible changed throughout history? How will it go forward in a technological age that’s moving beyond the printed word? Gruenewald, Innovation Leader for the YouVersion online Bible, explores the possible futures for our sacred text.

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Community in the Time of Culture Wars

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

Disagreements continue to fracture the Church's relationships. How do we balance diverse opinions without breaking with biblical orthodoxy and without causing disunity? Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma suggests that we humbly "pursue the love that is the beginning and end of all things" and live out our allegiance to Christ as the head of the Church.

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The Legacy of John Stott

On Listening to the Word and the World at the Very Same Time

by Steven Garber

The late Reverend Dr. John Stott will be remembered as one of the most influential religious leaders of the 20th century. From evangelical think tanks to third world activists to the world's leading newspapers, there have been many who celebrated his intellectual prowess, his tender kindness, and his insistence that faith must be both theologically orthodox and socially engaged for the common good. Steven Garber reflects on a few of his personal memories and the legacy this great man has left.

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Think Bigger

by Fred Sanders

We are dependent on receiving information in a form that can keep pace with our marathon lifestyles; but, this sound bite obsession creates problems when we approach Scripture that way. Fred Sanders, theologian, explains why this limits our reading of the Bible and narrows our understanding of the Trinity.

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What Do We Mean by 'The Church?'

by David Chronic

We talk a lot about the Church, but we rarely define what we mean. David Chronic, Word Made Flesh's Romanian Field Director, takes an in-depth look at what Scripture says about the church, how the church engages the world, and how Christians of different denominations engage one another.

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Will The Poor Always Be With Us?

by Scott Todd

We have all heard our parents say, “You can do it if you put your mind to it.” But is ending extreme poverty something we can achieve? Scott Todd of Compassion International says that the question shouldn’t be a "Can we?" but a "When can we?"

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Consumerism and the Church: An Interview with Carl Trueman

by Q Ideas

Consumerism has become an acceptable earmark of American society. Americans disproportionately consume meat, energy, paper and other goods. As the Christian church struggles to survive in such a moment, one has to wonder how consumerism has affected the body of Christ. Dr. Carl Trueman, a British theologian and professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, offers his thoughts.

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Loving the Large Church (and Worrying About It)

by Jason Byassee

Megachurches continue to spring up all across America, even as writers like Wendell Berry and Eugene Peterson warn against their spiritual disadvantages. Author Jason Byassee says we need to hear these critics carping in our ears, while at the same time remember that large churches don't have to follow the norm. They can be communities of prayer, worship, study and service on par with smaller congregations.

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The Veneer of Church

by Andrew Palau

To say the 21st century Christian Church struggles with veneer is to state the obvious. But evangelist Andrew Palau says some of these facades aren't as obvious as others. In this essay, Palau explores what he believes comprises the "veneer of church" and shares his ideas for a better way forward.

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Old Practices for the Human Condition

by Phileena Heuertz

The human condition clings to the broad path of power, esteem, and security; but, the Bible calls us down the narrow way that leads to abundant life. Do our current spiritual practices guide us down the right path? Phileena Heuertz, co-director of Word Made Flesh, says that the secret to more abundant life with God is found in contemplative prayer. This very old practice is an internal posture of surrender and is exactly what the human condition calls for.

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Looks Like We've Been Left Behind ... Again

Lessons from the Camping rapture scare

by Gabe Lyons and Jonathan Merritt

Most Americans dread Monday mornings, but it’s safe to say that no one is languishing more this morning than Harold Camping. The 89-year-old Christian radio broadcaster told the San Francisco Chronicle yesterday that he had “a really tough weekend.” Camping created a media firestorm with his prediction Jesus would return and the world would end last Saturday. Gabe Lyons and Jonathan Merritt consider what, if anything, we can learn from this.

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Why I Invited Imam Feisal to be Interviewed at Q

by Gabe Lyons

Tensions continue to rise between Christians and Muslims in America. There is no indication that these raging debates are going away anytime soon. So at Q this week, Gabe Lyons will interview Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of the “Ground Zero Mosque." Some who don’t like or agree with the Imam’s positions have questioned this decision. Here's why we're taking it on.

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The Idolatry of Our Personal Opinions

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

Are we experiencing a “tendency to coddle our personal opinions?” Kristin Vander Giessen-Reitsma explores the idea of personal opinions in light of the postmodern belief system.

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What Skyscrapers Tell Us...About Us

by Jonathan Merritt

Skyscrapers have always been storytellers. Draw up next to a historic building and you’ll hear tales of the time in which they were constructed. You’ll learn about architecture and innovation. But today’s skyscrapers speak about more than a bygone era. They tell us about a people, about ourselves.

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Still Uneasy After All These Years

The Legacy of Carl Henry

by Russell Moore

It's a little book by a dead man from the last generation, and it just might be the road-map for the future of American Christianity. Carl F.H. Henry's 1947 book "The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism's" importance might not seem obvious in a digital whirling world of contemporary Christians, but the issues Henry raised over sixty years ago are more relevant than ever. Russell Moore explores the legacy of the late theologian Carl F.H. Henry.

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Becoming Friends or Remaining Fools

The Problem of Modern Racisim

by JR Kerr

“I do not imagine that the white and black race will ever live in any country upon any equal footing. But I believe the difficulty to be still greater in the United States then anywhere else." De Tocqueville offered these comments in his famous treatise regarding the current and future promise of the United States when he visited America early on in her history. Race, it seems, has been a central part of our story as a nation from the very beginning. JR Kerr shares his personal reflection on modern racism.

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The Five Ministry Fronts in the City

by Tim Keller

The grace and kingdom emphases of the gospel compel us to be city-centric, and no one ministers to the city better than Tim Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian in New York. But what makes this community so successful in a place where others have failed? Tim Keller shares five ministry fronts that have contributed to Redeemer's successes.

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The Lost Art of Conversation

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

In an age of increasing diversity and stronger calls for tolerance, we are further from knowing the stories of the people with whom our paths cross only once in a lifetime or daily. Instead, we converse more often only with those with whom we share particular interests, becoming pot bound as our roots circle in on themselves. Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma says recovering the lost art of conversation has the power to create surprising connections, challenge our assumptions and heal loneliness.

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Waiting for Good

Change Takes Time, But Do We Have the Patience?

by Erik Lokkesmoe

Change often takes time, but endurance is an uncommon trait today. In our clamorous and rootless society, bravado is potent and expectations are high; great things are expected to happen quickly. How can we nurture a patient, persistent cultural vision in such a world? Erik Lokkesmoe believes two vintners may hold the answer.

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What Does Being Countercultural Look Like?

by Gabe Lyons

The term "counterculture" was popularized in the West during the 1960s when it was used to label the movement to oppose the Vietnam war in the United States and England. But the next Christians are also countercultural, though they look nothing like the peace-loving protesters of the mid-twentieth century. How are Christian leaders being countercultural, and why do their lifestyles give us hope for the future of our faith?

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The Next Christians

by Gabe Lyons

Synthesizing a never–before–heard analysis of the dynamics underway, Gabe Lyons carefully articulates what he has learned from years of interviews, research and focus group conversations about the next iteration of cultural engagement. He shares a few of the marks of a new generation of Christians that are turning the unChristian perception problem on its head.

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A Writer for Restless Hearts: Discerning C.S. Lewis' Legacy

by Bruce Edwards

Now well past his 100th birthday, C.S. Lewis is still baptizing writers’ imaginations, inoculating seminarians against foolish heterodoxies, and punctuating pulpiteers’ otherwise bland sermons with metaphorically rich quotations from his works. What is the mark of this much beloved Christian writer and thinker on contemporary audiences? C.S. Lewis scholar and author Bruce Edwards considers his lasting legacy.

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Can "Church" Happen Online?

by Jonathan Merritt

In recent years, "internet churches" have been growing in popularity. But can Christ followers gather via the internet in a way that would build the type of community intended for a New Testament church? Is it appropriate to call an internet community a "church?" Jonathan Merritt explores.

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Surprising Christmas Perspectives from Lewis and Bonhoeffer

by Q Ideas

C.S. Lewis (1898 - 1963) and Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906 - 1945) are two of the most influential Christian thinkers of the last quarter millennium. But what did they think about Christmas? The truth may surprise you.

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How to Win the War on Christmas: Stop Fighting It

by Jonathan Merritt

A web site launched by the conservative mega-church, First Baptist Dallas, is the latest defensive in the ongoing "War on Christmas." But is waging war an effective way for Christians to engage culture this time of year? Jonathan Merritt says a closer look reveals that the "War on Christmas" is both hypocritical and counterproductive.

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Marriage: Broken, In Need of Restoration

by Mark Regnerus

A new study by Pew Research Center states that the percentage of married Americans is declining, the share that's cohabiting is up, and nearly four in ten say marriage is becoming "obsolete." Clearly, this is a sign of the brokenness, but what do we make of it? Sociologist Mark Regnerus sheds light on this study and gives two reasons why marriage is becoming less common.

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How Christian Consumers Ruin Pastors and Cheat the Mission of God

by Ed Stetzer

Millions of Americans live in the shadow of churches that have become consumer Christian centers, but pastors are ruined and the mission of God is cheated when consumers enjoy goods and services from their local church. How so? Ed Stetzer, President of LifeWay Research, says it is partly due to "pastoral codependency."

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A Third Way in the "Christian Nation" Debate

by Gabe Lyons

A new study showing that most Tea Partiers say America is a "Christian nation" has reignited an age-old argument about our nation's roots. Recently, however, a third way has emerged among a surprising demographic: younger Christians. Gabe Lyons discusses how a new generation is threading the needle on this divisive debate.

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A Telling Confession Off I-10 Eastbound

by Gabe Lyons

In a fit of honesty or perhaps confession, a Christian church in Texas admitted last week that they’ve been anything but Christian. Christ Covenant Church in Beaumont purchased a prominent billboard on which they posted the following message: “What a bunch of jerks!” More than mere messaging, Gaby Lyons says it's representative of a new mindset emerging that might change the negative perceptions many have about our faith.

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Science and Religion: Why Our Beliefs Matter

by Rusty Pritchard

Is American religion on the defensive due to science's advances? Should Christians fear the study of the natural world? One Christian thinker argues we should actually be more afraid that how we're framing the issue gives anti-religionists the ammunition they need to “debunk” our apologetics.

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Gabe Lyons and the Next Christians

Ed Stetzer Interviews Q Founder on New Book

by Ed Stetzer

Q Founder Gabe Lyons releases his new book The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America (Doubleday), which powerfully examines the future of the Christian faith in America. Last week, author and missiologist Ed Stetzer sat down with Gabe to interview him about the book and some its intriguing assertions.

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Will "Radical" Christianity Have Any Effect on the American Church?

by Jonathan Merritt

Over-sized mansions, super-sized French fries, and sport utility vehicles. These are the marks of contemporary America, and we’re proud of them. After all, these are the tangible products of the “American dream,” a concept that promotes ingenuity and hard work as the means to financial abundance. But a new generation of American faithful is questioning whether such things are inconsistent with the Christian Gospel. Will this “radical” Christianity have any real effect on the American Church?

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Are Some Places "Sacred Spaces?"

by Kary Oberbrunner

Ancient mystics held a unique belief that the Divine inhabited certain geographic regions in a more significant manner than others. This phenomenon has been called holy ground, thin places, or sacred spaces. But is God present everywhere at the same time in the same manner or does he wait to reveal himself in special ways in certain spaces?

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The Mark of a Schaefferite

The Lasting Legacy of Francis Schaeffer

by Barry Hankins

Christian scholars cherish his thinking, culture warriors laud his political engagement, and Newsweek called him "The Guru of Fundamentalism." The late Francis Schaeffer is often quoted and much revered among Christians, but some contest his nature of his contribution. Who was this man and why has he left such an impression on us? Schaeffer scholar Barry Hankins explores his life and legacy.

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The Muslim-Christian Debate: What We're Missing

by Gabe Lyons

Recent events have once again pitted the Muslim and Christian communities against each other. Should we grant freedom to those who hold to Judeo-Christian beliefs and force all others out or should we be looking for common ground with our Muslim neighbors? Q founder Gabe Lyons thinks we're missing something.

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Brian McLaren: "Conversations on Being a Heretic"

by Gabe Lyons

Ever since Brian McLaren released his bestselling book, A Generous Orthodoxy, he has become a lightning rod of controversy. While some Christians have warmed up to and even defended McLaren’s theological evolution as paving the way for the future of the Church, the voices shouting "heresy" are undeniably loud. We decided to give Brian a chance to speak for himself and respond to the naysayers.

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Church: Marketing a Non-Commercial Message?

by Brett McCracken

The church today has a weakness for numbers. But what happens to our faith when we turn it into a "product" to sell? What does it mean to package Christianity in a methodical manner so as to make it salient to as wide an audience as possible? What does Christianity lose when it becomes just one piece of a consumer transaction? According to Brett McCracken, these are questions that the brand managers of “cool Christianity” would do well to consider.

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Anne Rice Quits Christianity, Identifies with Growing Sentiment

by Q Ideas

The vampire novelist declared last week that she "quit being a Christian" because she can't support what being Christian has come to represent. Is Rice alone in her feelings? Or is she expressing an increasingly common sentiment—even among the faithful—that Christianity as we now see it expressed has strayed from its historic roots?

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Is True Friendship Dying Away?

by Q Ideas

Aristotle once observed that close friends “share salt together.” More than seasoning their food at a common table, the Greek philosopher believed that true friends share life with each other. Are we experiencing the kind of friendship Aristotle describes today? A USA Today article and recent research indicates that true friendship may be dying away.

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A Comprehensive Approach to the Orphan Crisis

by Johnny Carr

Many Christians are capturing a vision for orphan care and adoption. But according to a leading adoption advocate, we don't always get it right. The answer is not building more orphanages or relying only on inter-country adoption. We need a comprehensive strategy for getting the 163 million orphans and vulnerable children into loving homes.

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What role should the Bible have in society?

by Q Ideas

How should we interpret the Bible as God's word for our culture today?

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Incarnational Ministry

by Q Ideas

What made Jesus so amazing was not just that he was an eloquent, adroit speaker who had mastered the law. It was his willingness to take those skills into the darkest, most broken places and put them to work among the helpless, hungry, and hurting.Q spotlights an organization that is following the same pattern.

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Are We Facing a Faster Future?

by Q Ideas

More than a decade ago, journalist James Gleick delivered a lecture at Duke University's Sanford Institute of Public Policy mocking Western society’s obsession with saving time. Things have changed since Gleick delivered his address, but few would argue that most our life-pace has continued to rise. But is this future set in stone? Some now question whether this is the best social framework.

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The New Face of American Evangelicalism

by Q Ideas

One would be hard pressed to find a sociologist or Western historian who would deny that Christians in America—specifically, so-called “evangelicals”—have not been a force with which to be reckoned in the last 30 years. It seems, however, that as the faces of that movement are changing, their agendas might be as well. Dan Harris, senior correspondent for ABC World News, recently sat down with some rising Christian leaders at this year’s Q Conference in Chicago to talk about where the Christian movement is headed.

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Advancing the Common Good

by Jon Tyson

A lot of people today talk about the "common good"--a term coined by Aristotle, popularized by Thomas Aquinas, and defined as “the most good for all people.” But what does this ancient idea look like in contemporary culture? Pastor and author Jon Tyson paints a picture of how this concept can shine in a pluralistic, postmodern society.

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Bonhoeffer

by Eric Metaxas

As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent and attempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small number of dissidents and saboteurs worked to dismantle the Third Reich from the inside. One of these was Dietrich Bonhoeffer—a pastor and author. After writing the first biography on him in over forty years, Eric Metaxas ensures we remember a man determined to do the will of God radically, courageously and joyfully - even to the point of death.

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Collaborating in Community

by Charles Lee

So much hype around the idea of collaboration, but what is it really? How do we work alongside others and advance their projects even if it doesn’t advance our own? The opportunity for cultural goods and ideas to move forward, based purely on an ability to create collaborative environments, is tremendous. If Andy Crouch’s maxim—that culture is created in groups of two or three, and made better by twelve—is true, it’s helpful to know how all that works—practically—for the everyday leader or entrepreneur.

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Conversations on Being a Heretic

by Scot McKnight and Brian McLaren

It’s no secret. Some Christian leaders have been adamant, and others speculative, that Brian McLaren’s views are heretical. In this Q conversation, Scot McKnight will explore what all the outrage is about, asking Brian to clarify his views on matters consequential to theology and the church. Brian will have ample opportunity to respond to questions he’s never before answered as the two model civility in a discussion with serious implications.

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Relief and Redevelopment

by Roger Sandberg

With natural disasters looming as a constant yet unforeseeable threat in our own land and to our global neighbors, how can we best participate in long-term recovery? In this presentation, Roger Sandberg, Vice President of Medair International, will help us chart out the difference between rescue, relief and redevelopment efforts and give us a scope for where the American church can contribute to these efforts in the most sustainable ways.

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Responding to Our Fatherhood Crisis

by Roland Warren

The federal government spends $100 billion dollars every year on programs such as child support enforcement and anti-poverty efforts directed at supporting father-absent homes. What happened to fatherhood in America? Over 25 million children live apart from their biological fathers—contributing to poor maternal and infant health, incarceration, crime, teen pregnancy, child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse and lack of education. How can Christians address this crisis?

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Overcoming the Faith and Science Divide

by Alister McGrath

When a faithful scientist carefully confronts the new atheists about their embarrassing ignorance of Christian theology, is the attitude of the church toward modern science a help or a hindrance? Alister McGrath, a former atheist and scientist, now a prominent theologian, shares his inside perspective on the benefits of Christians and science getting along.

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Observing the Sabbath

by Matthew Sleeth

Are Christians really supposed to keep the Sabbath, or is that just an Old Testament idea with no meaning in our world today? If we did, what would be the effect on our families, our health, our consumption and our world? Matthew Sleeth helps us imagine what role the Sabbath might play in a restored life in the twenty-first century.

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Recovering the Ancient Practices

by Phyllis Tickle

In the busyness of life today, many Christians lose sight of the disciplines, or practices, that keep them grounded. Participating in culture as salt and light demands an anchor point found only in the disciplined life. A few of these practices carry serious countercultural weight in a consumer-driven society.

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What Role Should the Bible Have in Society?

by Tim Keller and Alister McGrath and Brian McLaren

Interpreting the Bible has become a divisive issue for some and little more than sport for others. Some want to talk about the “authority” of Scripture. They’re asking questions like, “How is the Bible authoritative in our lives today?” Others are wondering if the word “inerrancy” is making a comeback. Is it? Or is the term only useful for theological debates, to separate those who are “in” and those who are “out”? How then should we interpret the Bible as God’s word for our culture today?

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Engaging Islam

by Buddy Hoffman

Currently, roughly one in four humans is a Muslim and the religion of Islam is growing faster than any other world religion today. Its new worldwide dominance combined with predictions of future growth (largely based on birth rates alone) show Islam overtaking Christianity by 2035 in its total number of adherents. What is it about Islam that is so attractive to the spiritual seeker? Is there allowance within Islam to be a true follower of Jesus? And is it possible to share the Good News of Jesus to our Muslim friends through the Koran itself?

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The Church and the City

by Charles Jenkins and JR Kerr

The church should be a positive force for advancing the common good for all people in their city. In Chicago, this kind of work has been happening for over two centuries. From Dwight L. Moody's first efforts to care for the welfare of the port sailors and saloon keepers to today's work by leaders throughout this city of Chicago to restore and renew their society, Chicago is a model city for the conversations taking place at Q. Charles Jenkins is one leader who sits at the nexus of church, government and social action taking place throughout their city.

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The End of Christian America

by David Aikman

Newsweek’s April 2009 cover story pronounced “The End of Christian America.” Could it be true? Is it possible that the Judeo-Christian America many Christians have grown accustomed to is gone forever? If so, what is the fallout for the church and the average American Christian? Is there any way that the increase of pluralism in the public square could be a good thing for the faith? Historian and biographer David Aikman applies his historic lens to the new normal of American culture and offers a glimpse into what the future may hold for Christianity.

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Green Like God

by Q Ideas and Jonathan Merritt

“God is green. The idea seems bizarre, almost trivial. Yet, I'm as sure of that statement as I am that two plus two is four and the mixing of red and yellow makes orange.”

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Revisting Christ and Culture with D.A. Carson

by Jonathan Dodson

A review of D.A. Carson's recent reexamination of Richard Niebuhr's seminal work.

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The Violence of Bees | An Easter Reflection

by Tim Willard

I ran too fast. So, I decided to make it fun and throw myself down the hill—a perfect head first grass-stain. I slid right by her. She kept running and threw herself on me, “Yeah!” her two-year old lungs bellowed. The mountains sang.

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What Healthy and Unhealthy Trends Exist in the American Church Today?

by Q Panel

As the context of our culture changes, so does the way the church chooses to interact, serve and connect with people. Bringing together experts and practitioners, we asked a panel which trends are healthy and which ones aren't. Find out what they said.

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Embracing Grace

by Q Ideas

What can we, the church, learn from the Haggard's experience about the importance of relationships, demonstrating grace, giving people a second chance and making the church a welcome place for those who are hurting?

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Ethos of Discipleship

by Alan Hirsch

Fundamentally, obedience to Jesus is the heart and soul of Christian discipleship. In order for Christians to properly disciple, they must interpret the current culture and adapt the teachings of Jesus to the surrounding context. Listen as Alan Hirsch shares his heart for the American Church and what being a missional disciple requires.

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Concerning the Church: Death to Innovation

by JR Kerr

What if the life of the church is not actually going to come from better or newer thinking on what it means to be the people of God? What if the life of the church begins to re-root itself in a deep commitment to the essentials of the Gospel in a way that is honest and relentless?

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Concerning the Church: Church Branding Overwhelms the Cross

by JR Kerr

Recently, I was traveling into a city I am in quite often. After making my way through a crowded airport to get onto my final connecting flight, I quickly realized the only seats available were window seats. Now as a rule, I am not a "window person". The thought of being locked into a 12-inch space for a number of hours is not the least bit appealing to me. But in this case I was glad to take my seat, in hopes that the flight would be quick and there would be no need to get up.As I was gazing out of the window upon our entry into the city, I began looking at the landscape and was literally struck sideways by what I saw next.

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Concerning the Church: Newton’s First Law of Motion

by JR Kerr

I was sitting in church and it hit me.Is this really it? Are we being the church God had in mind? Is this what God had in mind when he stood with his disciples in the final moments of his life on earth and told them to go into all parts of the world and declare his authority over all creation? Is this what he envisioned when declaring that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church of Jesus Christ?

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Starbucks! Apple! Church!

by Jason Locy and Tim Willard

The church has figured out what the folks at Starbucks, Diesel, Apple and countless other companies have known for a long time. Marketing works! By using the same techniques as other successful companies, the church can draw thousands into its doors each Sunday by doing one basic thing: marketing.

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Conscious Consumption

by Skye Jethani

No one these days has to be told that Americans live in a consumeristic culture. However, in the pursuit of relevance it seems that some churches offer a redeeming message held up in lights, marketing strategies, and countless of dollars spent. Consumerism is an unconscious disease that every American needs to be made aware of. For many Christians, worship has become entertainment, the church has become a shopping mall, and God has become a consumable product. What does consumerism mean for our faith and how can we overcome our consumeristic nature?

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Brass Knuckles, Grace and the Global Church

Going to the Ends of the Earth to Learn from the Body of Christ

by Gideon Tsang

The following is based on a true story. The names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals.

The taste of blood was fresh in his mouth. His tongue probed his teeth like a dental hygienist checking for cavities.

Are all my teeth intact?

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The Quiet Fight

by Shari Thomas

The news came through my email, as much of my news does these days. The tragic death of a woman. An intentional overdose, her husband reported. His heart is shattered.

And mine is deeply troubled.

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Prodigal God: Finding Your Place at God's Table

by Q Ideas

"The Prodigal God is for both curious outsiders and established insiders of the faith as it is meant to lay out the essentials of the Christian message, the gospel. If the teaching of Jesus is likened to a lake, this famous parable would be one of the clearest spots where we can see all the way to the bottom."

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Fight Club

by Jonathan Dodson

In my busyness to defend or advance the faith, I have often struggled with losing my faith.

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Who is my Neighbor?

by Gideon Tsang

Well past midnight one Sunday night, my wife, Karen, and I were beginning to wind down. Earlier that week, police helicopters had been canvasing our neighborhood in search of a runaway criminal, so when we heard our iron gate open and footsteps walk up to our front porch, we glanced at each other suspiciously.

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The Single-Minded Christian

by JR Kerr

There are all sorts of shifts taking place in society at present. It seems we are increasingly global, green and urban. We are also increasingly single and this is lasting later and later into life. Now, I am sure this is not surprising to you, but for me it confronted me with some poignant questions.

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Work of the People

by Gideon Tsang

There are many things I loathe. Preaching with my fly exposed. Conversations with spinach in my teeth. Reality TV. The "meet and greet" during church services."Thanks for attending our church and please take a moment to greet your neighbor!"There are several reasons why those words make me want to respond like a vampire ostrich. An overwhelming desire to dig a hole and stick my head into the ground consumes me. Unfortunately, I never have the foresight to bring with me a jackhammer to pre-dig my hole.

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Post-Christendom Mission

by Alan Hirsch

The church as we know it is changing. We live in a post-modern, post-Christian and post-American world, where the church is no longer placed at the center of society. Our influence is waning and our basis for ecclesiology will drive the way we interact in this new reality. It begs the question, what should the church look like and how does the mission of the church adapt within this context?

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Power, Privilege and Risk

by Andy Crouch

The West represents the wealthiest and most educated people in the world. As beneficiaries of this environment, how are we as Christians to think about such power? Do we have a special responsibility to take a countercultural view on the privileges that come with this power? Thought-leader Andy Crouch addresses these issues and provides a different perspective on power, one that does not demonize it, but helps us understand its proper use.

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The Irony of Church Marketing

by Chris Seay

Each day we are bombarded with thousands of advertisements. The language of the culture is one steeped in consumerist ideology. The church is called to be counter to this world, so what is our response in this milieu? Do we mimic the language of culture in order to save it, or are we to offer something different? Chris Seay is Pastor of Ecclesia Houston where he leads a unique congregation that is living out the gospel faithfully in an urban environment. Their winsome approach to church has offered something the community has found compelling.

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The Future of Worship

by David Crowder

Contemporary, traditional, blended, liturgical, charismatic, convergent, praise & worship. There are no shortages of worship styles in the church today, often becoming a passionate point of contention. After looking into the lens of its history, UBC Waco worship leader, David Crowder, provides a glimpse into what the future of worship may conceivably look like.

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Brown America

by George P. Bush

The dynamics of race in America is changing dramatically. Over the next few decades, our nation will shift from being majority anglo, to a minority driven society - where the majority of citizens have brown skin. As the grandson of a Mexican migrant worker, George P. Bush will provide a personal perspective on how these shifts create challenges and opportunities for everyone, depending on how we choose to see it. He is credited with getting a historic number of people in the Latino community to vote for his uncle in the 2000 Presidential election and continues to work on the issue of "education" in Texas.

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Uncovering Our Hidden Misogyny

by Kirsten Powers and Shari Thomas

The problem of misogyny is not one relegated only to foreign countries, but can be found in America as well. In fact, some of the signs are so common-place that it has become almost unrecognizable; side comments in meetings when a woman offers an idea, the overuse of the female body in advertising, the objectification of women in film, music and art are all symptoms of a much greater disease.

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Subverting Empire

by Rick McKinley

Over the course of viewing the Q Austin talks, you will be exposed to a variety of new thoughts. The topics are far-reaching and, at times, difficult to comprehend their significance in the daily life of the church. All of this can be a bit overwhelming, but finding practical ways to work this out at the local level can be a real gift. Rick McKinley has first-hand experience with integrating a culture-shaping philosophy into the life of his church. As we closed this year's Q - Rick helped us point the way forward as one of us – a pastor, learner and leader of the next generation, who is shaping Portland culture while changing the way its citizens view the church.

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People of a Second Chance

by Ted and Gayle Haggard

Ted Haggard seemed to have it all: everyone loved Pastor Ted. However, underneath the smile was a broken and hurting man. Eventually, his secrets were uncovered and the world was exposed to his brokenness. For almost three years, Ted and Gayle have been on the journey back to restoration. What can we, the church, learn from the Haggard's experience about the importance of relationships, demonstrating grace, giving people a second chance and making the church a welcome place for those who are hurting?

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Why We Can't Change the World

by Andy Crouch

We're encouraged when we see others casting huge visions and undertaking significant initiatives; we're inspired to go out and do something that will change the world. But what if we've gotten it wrong when it comes to how the world is changed? Consider some thoughts that are guaranteed to challenge your assumptions.

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Science and Faith at Odds?

by Alister McGrath

Do the natural sciences pose a challenge to the Christian faith? This is a hot question at the moment, given the high profile by works such as Richard Dawkins’ God Delusion. Real scientists do not believe in God! This sound byte will be very familiar to Dawkins’ readers.Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this report are by the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

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Unity in Diversity

by Dave Gibbons

What is the benefit of having a multi-site church in a society that seeks to control the empires it creates? How does a multi-site church effectively partner with other churches? Listen to this discussion as Dave Gibbons answers questions on the importance of diversity and how to lead multi-site churches.

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Renewing Cities Through Missional Tribes

by Jon Tyson

Developing genuine community is especially challenging in our fast-paced, individualistic culture--particularly in an urban context. In this short, Jon Tyson explores the way people relate in the city and how we should begin looking at social networks differently.

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Missional Communities

by Jon Tyson

Missional communities require vocational responsibility, theological conviction, financial awareness, and a sense of empowerment. Learn as urban church-planter Jon Tyson dialogues about the church's role within the city and the world.

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Third Mission to the West

by Os Guinness

Massive changes have taken place in our world, that threaten our faith, both from the inside and outside. Os Guinness outlines the most pressing cultural issues and offers helpful insights concerning the severe consequences we may see within the Church today.

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An Interfaith Dialogue

by Eboo Patel

Nearly one fourth of Americans affiliate with non-Christian religions. Followers of Jesus must think about how they engage and cooperate within our pluralistic communities. In this Q talk, professing Muslim Eboo Patel offers challenging thoughts for the Christian community. He poses that people from different faiths can find common ground in our mutual motivations for loving others even though they are grounded in different belief systems.

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Trees Of Hong Kong

by Louie Giglio

The church is like a living organism, existing in a symbiotic relationship with culture at large. But unless we’re careful, our mission will be driven more by our desire to keep up with culture than our conviction to be grounded in One who transcends culture.

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Re-Urbanization Of The Church

by Jon Tyson

One aspect of our current culture is a rampant individualism that has affected the way we view salvation and mission. Jon Tyson believes that all of culture is renewable and that God wants to use not just individuals, but the community of faith to make a difference.

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The Thread: When Church Happens Online

by Cathleen Falsani

Genuine community is elusive, but just when we least expect it, community can emerge in the most surprising ways. Cathleen Falsani discovered this truth when, of all places, she found the community and church she had been longing for online.

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Christianity In A Pluralistic Society

by Q Panel

How can Christians become better at sharing their faith with others, not only in word, but also in deed? During this panel discussion, we’ll explore the ways that three individuals are creating environments where truth, love, and grace can be discussed and modeled with humility and honesty.

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Multi-Ethnic Mission

by Mark Deymaz

As the United States continues to become more ethinically diverse how can the church be a centerpiece for all people in a local community? Understanding that the multi-ethnic church is Biblically mandated in the New Testament will provide new ways to pioneer a bridge between the church and diverse communities.

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Sustainable Business

by Eric Reynolds

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Put simply, the golden rule seeks the good of other people. But this requires a selfless willingness to sacrifice one’s own gain, a disposition hard to find among individuals and even harder to find in the business world. Eric Reynolds, a world-class entrepreneur, has the answer.

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Ancient Practices

by Brian McLaren

What can history tell us about ancient spiritual practices and why they are important to us as human beings? How do these practices effect the way we view discipleship in the 21st century? Discovering and implementing these practices can change the way we live and breathe life as Christians.

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Electronic Culture and Spirituality

by Shane Hipps

It can be said that the methods change but the message stays the same. However, this statement is not true. When the methods change the message is inevitably altered. The digital age has ushered countless ways to present a message. Become aware of how technology has impacted a variety of different mediums - especially the church.

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Project Love: Restoring A Bridge With the Gay Community

by Andrew Marin

Discover new paths toward educating and equipping both the religious and gay communities with a better understanding of one another, based on one man’s story and his extraordinary response.

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Unchristian: Change the Perception

by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons

The research shows that Christians are best known for what they are against. They are perceived as being judgmental, antihomosexual, and too political. And young people are quick to point out they believe that Christianity is no longer as Jesus intended. It is unChristian. David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, along with more than two dozen leading voices within Christianity, unpack the major criticisms leveled against Christians.

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Christianity In 1000 Years

by Kevin Kelly

How would you engage differently if you had a long-term view of the church’s existence in society? If Jesus doesn’t return tomorrow, then what is the scenario for the next 1,000 years of Christianity? Kevin Kelly's plausible scenarios are guaranteed to expand, challenge, and boggle your mind.

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Judgmental

by Mike Foster

Christians talk about hating sin and loving sinners, but the way they go about things, they might as well call it what it is. They hate the sin and the sinner. In the book, unChristian, 8 out of 10 people see Christians as judgmental.

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Too Political

by Mark Batterson

National elections conquer biased media platforms and radio shows. The United States becomes consumed by the political agendas of a few charismatic voices during these election periods. Christians are known to be one issue voters who promote right-wing politics. However, in the book, unChristian, 7 out of 10 people see Christians being too political. How can Christians be characterized by respecting people, thinking biblically, and finding solutions to complex issues?

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Glocalization: Engaging A Flat World

by Dr. Bob Roberts Jr.

In the past 150 years, decades of growth and development have culminated along specific lines of knowledge. The world is getting smaller. Take a journey through the eyes of a pastor simultaneously shaping culture in Texas and Vietnam to get a glimpse of the future.

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Anti-Homosexual

by Shane Claiborne

Many people in the gay community don't seem to have issues with Jesus but rather with those claiming to represent him today. It's very much an "us-versus-them" mentality, as if a war has been declared. In the book, unChristian, 9 out of 10 people see Christians being anti-homosexual. How can Christians change this perception by showing compassion and love to all people, regardless of their lifestyle?

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Too Sheltered

by Margaret Feinberg

Christians enjoy being in their own community. The more they seclude themselves, the less they can function in the real world. So many Christians are caught in the Christian "bubble." In the book, unChristian, 7 out of 10 people see Christians being too sheltered.

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Cosmopolitan Intelligence

by Michael Lindsay

Get a glimpse into the lives of our nation's top CEOs, presidents, athletes, writers, educators and pastors. Learn how the power to convene shapes our society and how faith unifies an otherwise diverse group, through Lindsay's report.

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Serious Times

by James Emery White

It is essential to understand our unique place in time. White charts the path for doing just that through: analyzing history to this point, examining our current cultural context, developing our souls, deepening our minds, answering God’s vocational call on our lives and aligning with the church.

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Hypocritical

by Jud Wilhite

It's been said, "Do as I say, not as I do." Many people see Christians doing things they believe they shouldn't. It is true that everyone is a hypocrite is some sort of fashion. However, we as Christians need to seek honesty in how we relate to people and the struggles we face. In the book, unChristian, 8 out of 10 people see Christians being hypocritical.

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Picture Justice: Embracing Our Global Neighborhood

by Bethany Hoang

When the church finally understands and embraces a theology of justice, we can actively engage in matters of global concern that are also close to the heart of God.

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Unchristian

by David Kinnaman

Christianity has an image problem. Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like "hypocritical," "insensitive," and "judgmental," young Americans share an impression of Christians that's nothing short of, unChristian. Groundbreaking research into the perceptions of sixteen- to twenty-nine-year-olds reveals that Christians have taken several giant steps backward.

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Ecclesial Conviction

by Chris Seay

What does it mean for a local church to be woven into the community it lives in? Ecclesia Houston is a unique church that is an essential part of the city. With a fair trade coffee shop, organic food co-op, and bookstore people are always able to gather and commune with one another. It is a place where people can create and contribute to advancing the Kingdom of God.

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The Next One Thousand Years Of Christianity

by Kevin Kelly

Given the accelerating rate of change at work in our culture today it seems reasonable and responsible to expect tremendous shift in the Christian church in the next 1000 years. Yet who in the church is preparing for this great shift? Where in the church is the needed long-term perspective? If Jesus doesn’t return tomorrow, then what is the scenario for the next 1,000 years of Christianity? Kevin Kelly’s plausible scenarios are guaranteed to expand, challenge, and even boggle your mind.

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Church And Culture

by Andy Stanley

Imagine a world devoid of grace, unconditional love and peace. Andy combines life lessons from Jesus with experiences from a recent trip to Italy to challenge our ideas about the church’s influence on culture.

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Creation Care

by Matthew Sleeth

What are some of the practical ways that Christians can participate in environmental stewardship? What does this mean for Christians and the church? Christians must care about environmental stewardship because it is commissioned to humanity by God. Living with a conscious that understands what is threatening to the environment must cause us to live differently.

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The Green Church

by Tri Robinson

Tithing trash is one way Tri Robinson has redefined what stewardship means in his church. This ecologist turned pastor provides a biblical perspective on the creation mandate and raises questions about how environmental conservation will transform community and the church.

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The Church is comprised of confessing believers, connected through local communities and a commitment to Jesus Christ. No other channel convenes leaders from all other channels of cultural influence on a consistent basis.