Articles for tag: Mike Shannon

November 19, 2015

Michael C. Mack

How to Respond to the Trend of ‘Churchless Christians’

By Michael C. Mack According to a Barna Group survey, the majority (62 percent) of churchless Americans consider themselves Christians. “Most of the churchless in America””contrary to what one might believe””do not disdain Christianity nor desire to belittle it or tear it down,” says the report. This graph provides a more detailed breakdown: How can churches make sense of these surprising findings, and more importantly, what can churches do in response to them? “I think a dissatisfaction with the institutional church is significantly responsible for the result,” says Mike Shannon, professor at Cincinnati (Ohio) Christian University. In The Rise of

September 22, 2014

Christian Standard

Knowing When to Leave

By Mike Shannon One of our greatest problems in life is trying to make godly and wise decisions. We are so desperate to do the right thing that we often lapse into an almost superstitious view of trying to discern the will of God.  I don”t know about you, but I have often had to make decisions when I was not certain what God wanted me to do. Sometimes I thought I was certain, but later had to reconsider. Nowhere is this tension felt more acutely than when we are trying to decide whether or not to stay at a

September 7, 2014

Christian Standard

The Blessing of Memory

By Mike Shannon One of the things we fear most is the loss of our memory. We get frustrated over even small memory lapses. It is such a devastating problem that much time, money, and effort go into solving the serious medical issues that contribute to loss of memory. But what if it is not a medical problem? What if we deliberately forget or we forget out of benign neglect? It is vital to Christians to always remember the meaning of the cross. How can we ever forget what Jesus did for us there? The early church was concerned about

August 1, 2014

Christian Standard

The Blessing of Memory

By Mike Shannon One of the things we fear most is the loss of our memory. We get frustrated over even small memory lapses. It is such a devastating problem that much time, money, and effort go into solving the serious medical issues that contribute to loss of memory. But what if it is not a medical problem? What if we deliberately forget or we forget out of benign neglect? It is vital to Christians to always remember the meaning of the cross. How can we ever forget what Jesus did for us there? The early church was concerned about

June 3, 2012

Christian Standard

How Long Should a Sermon Be?

By Mark A. Taylor The question came to me when I discovered Peggy Noonan”s On Speaking Well at a $5 book table. The very first piece of advice from the most famous of President Ronald Reagan”s spreechwriters? “No speech should last more than 20 minutes.” I remember all the sermons I”ve heard””and delivered””that have been way longer than that. And I wonder if Noonan”s advice should apply to sermons too. Her rationale:   Reagan . . . knew twenty minutes is more than enough time to say the biggest, most important thing in the world. The Gettysburg Address went three

February 24, 2010

Christian Standard

Share the Joy of Simple Christianity

By Mark A. Taylor It”s one of the greatest joys I have in life. Nothing compares to the experience of baptizing people who have become so enamored by the person and work of Jesus Christ that they choose to receive him as their Savior and leader. Their enthusiasm is genuine. Their joy is infectious. Their faith is simple. And their lives and souls are transformed forever.     That paragraph, written by Gene Appel, begins one of six articles in a new 12-page downloadable resource from Standard Publishing. It”s called Simply Christians, and it offers a winsome and persuasive apologetic

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