Articles for tag: Soren Kierkegaard

June 4, 2018

Lesson for June 10, 2018: Parables of God’s Just Kingdom (Matthew 13:24-33)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 5 (weeks 21–24; May 27—June 17, 2018) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott Parables are true-to-life comparisons that break forth into fictional analogies that seem upside down to us and often deceive us into truth by opening up the government of God. This is a homemade definition of parables, with the exception of the phrase “deceiving into truth,” which can be attributed to

September 2, 2015

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Leadership Preaching

Emotional Stinginess

By Jim Tune The joke was funny. My sermon was good. But two rows of people, mostly from the same family, were unmoved. They were, in their own minds, punishing me for an unpopular decision. The method of punishment? Withholding encouragement. Withholding praise. Withholding kindness. Arms folded across their chests, their eyes betrayed what they were thinking: You will receive no love from us this day. Praise has never been my motivation for preaching. You can”t please everyone anyway. But most preachers can relate to the “deliberate withholding” scene I just described. Thomas Aquinas once submitted that to withhold a

March 26, 2008

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Planting

Stability Through Paralysis: posted 3/26/2008

A longtime church planter reflects on how new methods once sparked excitement, how age can crave stability, and why older leaders may look grumpy even when they’re grateful for bold, faithful change.

January 14, 2007

Gary Zustiak

Mission & Evangelism

Evangelism in a Postmodern World

Gary Zustiak argues that evangelism in a postmodern world must be relational and intentional, not sales-like or coercive. Using metaphors like dance, midwife, and gardener, he calls the church to invite people into community.