As an instructor at a seminary on the church mission subject, keeping current is part of the gig. So, forking out the big bucks ($39), I recently purchased and read Barna’s Reviving Evangelism report, to glean what I could from their research. Their chosen title promised to revive evangelism. Hmm, a nice goal. I wondered […]
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The Hardest Writing Assignment of My Life
It was over a year ago, in a conversation with a church-consulting colleague that I had one of those rare light bulb moments. An idea popped into my mind on a book angle—one I believe could tap into the imaginations of church leaders/Christians. Critiquing major ecclesial voices who are speaking for God’s kingdom, it will […]
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Dear Ministry Friends and Partners
2021 was a blessed ministry year. Below I have listed prayer requests for 2022, and recap some of what God did this past year. Can I first share some personal news—we just celebrated the wedding of our youngest son, Nathaniel, to Grace Gullen. What a sweet moment for our family!
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THE STORY BEHIND the BOOK
I backed into writing Soul Whisperer while in a doctorate program and working on staff at Sandals Church. Inspiration came from anguish—bumping into earnest believers disenchanted with the way “the Church” had pitched evangelism.
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Bridging the Post-Christian Chasm
In a new faith-ventured role with a youth outreach ministry called Tree House (based in Minnesota), a friend emailed me describing a multiplicity of burdens the youth are carrying and shared details of one troubled scenario, “There is one teen in particular who has come over a couple of times trying to challenge me with […]
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Hello! SWM Friends | Ministry Update, May 2021
Recently, I have found myself thinking deeply about the kind of seedbed that leads to mission break throughs. What stirred me afresh was studying Paul’s calling (one of my next book projects), in view of the pioneering nature of the first century soil. Consider that the nascent church in its embryonic form shared something fertile by the sheer virtue of its context. That is, nobody really knew how to do all of this.
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How Research on Young Adults Informs Evangelism
In a time when the church is missing members of the younger generations, it is important to look to generational research and listen to compelling voices regarding currents in the culture, with the aim of informing evangelism among these generations. This treatise provides an analysis of two missiological-relevant aspects of these generations: profile and receptivity. Based on this analysis, the author proposes correctives to increase the effectiveness of evangelistic efforts.
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Why the Church Must Heed the Call of Rogue One
When I first saw the Rogue One movie trailer enumerating the star’s unsavory recruitment qualifications, I imagined a few out-bound Christians defending before their programmatic pastors saying: “This is a movement, isn’t it? . . . I move.”
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Mission in the Age of COVID-19
What does it mean to be on mission in the context of “social distancing,” fear of getting sick, or furthering the virus’ spread? What about the numerical gathering guidelines? Is the church online the new church gathered? These are ongoing questions. Granted, no one has a crystal ball to know what will unfold. We do know God is sovereign, and in control of everything, and not surprised by anything. We can fully trust in this tremendous comforting truth!
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SWM Report: Looking Back and Forward
Looking back, 2019 was a tremendous year for our ministry. Let me just say, anything good that occurred came from God’s hand. Him, not me. I praise Jesus for his grace, and each of these open doors and answered prayers.
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