One of our greatest passions at American Bible Society is seeing Americans transformed through Bible engagement. Will you join with us today in praying for Bible engagement to grow and for God to transform people through his Word? Here are a few details to help you pray… Read More

I’ve had trouble getting this article finished because I’ve been incredibly busy. With a church of 700, and as its only pastor to adults, I don’t have a lot of extra time. You know what I’m talking about. The life of a pastor is full of stuff to do—good stuff,… Read More

No bathrobes. That had to be a basic principle of church drama, my pastor and I agreed. We had both seen too many bad Christian plays, preachy pageants, and silly skits. As we planned the dramatic offerings of our newly planted church, we wanted none of that. This was about… Read More

Reverence. Awe. Reflection. While traveling, I’ve been privileged to visit some of the world’s most renowned churches, among them Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. In each, I have been overcome with a reverence that’s different from what I feel… Read More

Given the culture’s preoccupation with staying connected electronically to our various worlds, it is no wonder that fatigue has become a real issue in our lives. Sabbath rest has been an increasingly elusive opportunity as the work flow has intruded into our homes. We go through email at all hours,… Read More

My friend Bruce Main taught me the word praxis. I’m sure I had run across it in some theology text, but Bruce was actually using the word in a sentence, like it meant something. We were meeting at a South Jersey diner a few years ago. Bruce was giving an… Read More

Recently I was looking for stories of how Scripture changes lives, and I thought of this softball teammate of mine. Dragged to church by a girlfriend, he was full of objections, but the pastor challenged him to read the Bible for himself—and suggested an app for that. The results… Read More

Churches have five seasons of the year: September Advent/Christmas January Lent/Easter Summer Yes, that’s a simplification, and it wanders from the liturgical calendar that governs many churches, but when it comes to planning new things for your congregation—new campaigns, emphases, programs, even preaching themes—these five seasons… Read More

“Hi. My name is Stephen. I’m an introvert. It’s been three days since I’ve spoken to anyone, and that makes me happy. Please go away now.” Is this how you think of introverts? If so, you’re wrong. Well, wrong-ish. I am an introvert. I was… Read More

The apostle Paul faced a big challenge. He was in Athens, the city in which Socrates and Plato had philosophized nearly 500 years earlier. Now this Christian missionary had come to town with a different doctrine, and he was summoned to explain himself before the council of philosophers. Read More