May 1, 2024
Let God Speak: Restoring the Practice of the Public Reading of Scripture
When God’s people let God speak, lives are changed. . . .
Articles for tag: Randy Frazee
September 1, 2023
The Art Gallery & the Mural: Aligning Our Lives with God’s Upper Story
By Randy Frazee Have you ever struggled to understand how the various stories in the Bible connect to one another? Or wondered how those stories relate to the story of your life today? What if the testimonies in the Bible, the lives of everyone who ever lived, and your own “story still in progress” are all connected—all part of one big divine epic? Two Paintings Two of the most famous works of art in the world help us understand how the long, sweeping story of the Bible—seemingly a narrative only about God and ancient people with strange names—connects with your
September 1, 2022
The Struggle with Identity
By Jerry Harris Identity is a major topic in American culture today. What do I identify as? Who do I identify with? There are hot debates about race, gender, sexual orientation, victimization, and how we see ourselves and the world around us. The words we use or the words we are discouraged from using are all tied up in identity. The American Medical Association just recommended that we not put gender on our birth certificates. An AMA report said, “Imposing such a categorization system risks stifling self-expression and self-identification and contributes to marginalization and minoritization.” Some doctors are recommending replacing
September 22, 2020
5 Big Shifts: What Will the Church Look Like Post-COVID-19?
By Randy Frazee Before I share my perspective on what the church will look like after the coronavirus, let me offer a couple of disclaimers. First, I missed the “Pastoring through Pandemics” class in seminary. Who would have thought we would ever need that? Second, I do not claim to be a prophet. (As a matter of fact, I lead a non-“prophet” organization.) And besides, if I were a prophet, I would have bought more toilet paper! The coronavirus has created the single greatest disruptive inflection point for American society in our lifetime. It has called us to a critical
May 17, 2020
‘We’ve Found Our Tribe’
By Melissa Wuske An identity crisis is occurring among many denominational churches today. As they wrestle to define themselves amid the competing voices of denominations and modern culture, the Restoration Movement offers leaders and their churches the freedom, in Christ, to craft an identity that fits who they are as a local body while placing Christ firmly at the center. Shifting Identity Is Nothing New Churches leaving their denominations to become independent Christian churches is not a new phenomenon. “Most of the churches that became [part of] the Stone-Campbell Movement were something else first,” said Tim Cole, executive director of
February 15, 2014
Puzzle Solved!
By Monty Cooper Bridges Christian Church tapped the talents of many members for its through-the-Bible study. I am not the type of guy who enjoys “endless hours of fun” putting together 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles. I really don”t have the patience. It is hard for me to see how all of the pieces on the table fit together. If we are honest, this is how many people feel about the Bible. The Bible is like a large jigsaw puzzle, a bunch of stories with bits and pieces of history that just don”t seem to fit. We miss the fact that it
February 14, 2014
“˜Let Us Tell You Our Story’
By Shelley Leith Christian church leaders share what happened when they committed to this plan for showing readers how the Bible fits together. What is the most biblically illiterate city in America? For one of the largest churches in the country, Christ”s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona, the answer was a wake-up call. Executive pastor Ashley Wooldridge explains: “Here at CCV, we have a very keen and sobering understanding that we live in a completely biblically illiterate age. This especially came home to us when a recent Barna study ranked Phoenix as almost the most biblically illiterate city
February 13, 2014
Southeast Christian Church Tells ‘The Story’
By Brent Adams When one of the largest megachurches in America wanted to celebrate its 50th anniversary, leaders decided there was no better way than to point people to the message of the Bible. In summer 2011, the elders and staff at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, started planning for the church”s 50th anniversary celebration, to be held the following year. They wanted to come up with something that would deflect attention away from the rapidly growing congregation and focus, instead, on the God who has blessed the church since its humble beginnings in the basement of a tiny
February 6, 2014
Deep Impact: The Cultural Challenge of Biblical Illiteracy
By James Riley Estep Jr. You”ll find it in almost every hotel room, usually in the top drawer next to the bed. While most studies indicate a majority of Americans hold the Bible in high regard, those same studies indicate Americans are increasingly ignorant of what”s in the Bible. A lack of biblical literacy is a challenge for the American culture and also the American church. It poses a crucial test for the Christian community”s identity, distinctives, and ministry in the 21st century. Increasing Unfamiliarity with the Bible George Gallup and Jim Castelli have concluded, “Americans revere the Bible
October 16, 2005
Who Would Hide Me?
What does true biblical community look like? Mike Cope reflects on spiritual friendship, Larry Crabb’s vision of the church as a safe place, and practical steps toward deeper, Christ-centered connection.
