By Steve Taylor | Contextualizing theology is challenging, and discernment is needed to know the difference between biblical truths and cultural beliefs. Local and outsider perspectives can benefit these discussions. A three-step framework used by the Thai Christian Thinkers group offers helpful guidance on how to do this well.
By Abel Stewart | Worshiping outdoors offers rich possibilities to deepen faith, care for creation, and transform spaces into sacred places. It has a long history starting in biblical times and continues through modern movements like Forest Church. Intentionally participating in outdoor worship provides a way for any Christian community worldwide to rediscover God’s first sanctuary and its profound impact on our spiritual lives.
By Matt Connor and Rachelle Dell | God continues to work in the lives of the Waorani people of Ecuador. Recently, the community participated in a songwriting workshop to create new worship songs. Through translation challenges and cultural discoveries, we learned that authentic worship often means returning to traditional tunes while creating new meanings. Watch how God works when we let indigenous voices lead the way.
By George Dumitrascu | Over two billion people identify as Muslims worldwide. Due to globalization, they live across the world and are our neighbors and co-workers. This makes it even more important to understand their context. Approaching Muslims with the gospel from an individualist perspective is often unsuccessful. A shift in approach to a family-based incarnational ministry using a contextualized house-church model could improve missions outcomes.
By Jaewoo Kim | The arts of hospitality and shared meals offer a warm welcome to a global community into the church while sustaining the relationships of those already following Christ. Yet to do this well requires intentionality.
In The Great Dechurching, authors Jim Davis, Michael Graham, and Ryan Burge present a thorough examination of dechurching in the United States, investigating the departure of approximately 40 million adults from regular church attendance over the past 25 years.
Church planting among every people group is at the center of God’s mission. Ken Davis’ book, Foundations for Fruitful Church Planting, connects church planting with global mission.
By Geinene Carson | When my daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder around a decade ago, my life changed radically. An abrupt introduction to the demanding world of caregiving disrupted art making and ministry as I had previously known it. However, I eventually discovered that this environment I now found myself in was an unanticipated source of inspiration.
Our church-planting team attempted to help financially struggling new believers in our emerging church. Our results mirrored so many other stories when we first started a home construction company and later started a grocery co-op: Both times, we failed.
Jonathan Downie brings his experience as a professional interpreter and published researcher in interpretation studies to the service of multiethnic churches and communities.
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