evangelism

January 10, 2017

Saltiness and social justice

Does the theological conservatism of a church help or hinder its chances for growth? And what, if any, impact might that have on its social and political witness? In a new research study, sociologist David Haskell and historian Kevin Flatt explore the first of these questions. Continue Reading...

September 13, 2016

‘He needs us’: The missing ingredient in Western missions

More and more, Western churches are opening their eyes to the risks and temptations inherent in so-called “short-term missions,” whether manifested in our basic vocabulary, paternalistic attitudes, or reactionary service. As films like Poverty, Inc. Continue Reading...

June 09, 2016

Exiles in the American Lion’s Den

We have routinely pointed to Jeremiah 29 as an introductory primer for life in exile, prodding us toward faithful cultural witness and away from the typical temptations of fortification, domination, and accommodation. Continue Reading...

June 08, 2016

Why Christians Should Reject the Vocabulary of ‘Short-Term Missions’

Christians have routinely accepted a range of false dichotomies when it comes to so-called “full-time ministry,” confining such work to the vocation of pastor or evangelist or missionary. The implications are clear: Those who enter or leave such vocations are thought to be “entering the work world” or “leaving the ministry,” whether it be for business or education or government. Continue Reading...

July 15, 2015

Life in Exile: Why Christians Have Never Been ‘At Home’ in America

In the various discussions surrounding the Acton Institute’s film series, For the Life of the World: Letters to the Exiles, a common response has been to call into question the basic notion of Christians existing in a state of “exile.” Continue Reading...

March 26, 2013

Work Is More Than a Means to Evangelism

As already discussed, Matthew Lee Anderson’s recent Christianity Today cover story on “radical Christianity” has been making waves. This week at The High Calling, Marcus Goodyear offers a healthy critique of one of Anderson’s key subjects, David Platt, aligning quite closely with Anderson’s analysis about the ultimate challenges such movements face when it comes to long-term cultural cultivation. Continue Reading...

January 11, 2013

David Platt, Wealth, and the Work of the Gospel

Over at Thought Life, Owen Strachan uses David Platt’s book, Radical Together, as a launching pad for asking, “Are you and I making and using money as if there is no such thing as the work of the gospel?” Continue Reading...

December 06, 2012

Integrating Evangelism and Social Action Across Culture

In the recent issue of Reject Apathy, an off-shoot publication of RELEVANT Magazine, Tim Hoiland explores what he believes to be a tension between “serving justice” and “saving souls”: This [young] generation’s passion for justice is, without doubt, something to celebrate. Continue Reading...

August 15, 2012

The Vocation of the Politician

This morning the online publication Ethika Politika, the journal of the Center for Morality in Public Life, published my response to a previous article by Thomas Storck on natural law and political engagement. Continue Reading...

February 03, 2011

After Cape Town: Still Learning to Talk About Business and Ministry

Stephen Grabill and I follow up on the Lausanne Congress in this week’s Acton Commentary: After Cape Town: Still Learning to Talk About Business and Ministry By Brett Elder and Stephen Grabill The Cape Town Commitment — a document that flows out of the Third Lausanne Congress on Global Evangelization held in Cape Town, South Africa, this past October — has generated a great deal of discussion since its release last week. Continue Reading...

1 2 3 Next >