The independent source for news, features and commentary about the United Methodist Church
As a pastor himself, Richard draws abiding wisdom and warning from his years of dealing with others, himself and God. He provides first aid to folks who are recovering from religion, and he offers it with an openness one doesn’t often see in church leadership.
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By Mark Norman, Special Contributor… Rich Church, Poor Church: Keys to Effective Financial Ministry J. Clif Christopher Abingdon Press, 2012 Paperback, 120 pages We are living in a shift. With cultural changes in the United States and our global financial situation in turmoil, it is important that the work of the church expands to talk about every aspect of discipleship, including church finances. In Rich Church, Poor Church, the Rev. J. Clif Christopher addresses a transforming understanding of stewardship. Some may say that the economic condition of the church and [...]
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Despite his distinguished career as a writer and United Methodist leader, the Rev. James C. Howell recognizes the awkwardness of writing a memoir. The genre, he notes in his introduction, easily slides into self-obsession and personal analysis
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I have never met the author, but after reading Torn I feel as though I know him, and can’t help but like him. He’s funny, for starters. How he manages to keep a sense of humor in the midst of such difficult and painful struggles is pretty amazing. He also obviously has a strong desire to live his life as a faithful Christian and to take the Bible very seriously
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By Bishop Larry Goodpaster, Special Contributor… Editor’s note: Bishop Goodpaster shares brief reflections on the books he read in the second half of 2012. The Faith of Leap by Michael [...]
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My life would be much less full without the love of my dogs. They pull me out of my introverted self and often serve as a catalyst for me to talk to perfect strangers. Animals can break down the barriers that we put up between ourselves.
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And God Spoke to Abraham: Preaching from the Old Testament Fleming Rutledge Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2011 Paperback, 421 pages Fleming Rutledge is the most interesting preacher today working [...]
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By Greg Garrett, Special Contributor… The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus Adam C. English Baylor University Press, 2012 Hardcover, 246 pages Not many holy people get the bumper sticker treatment. There was St. Francis in the ’60s, oft-presented as a hippie tree-hugger who loved everything and everybody. There was Mother Teresa, improbably quoted and poster-ized. But above all, there is St. Nicholas, a creature of modern pop culture as much as Christian history, known worldwide for decades through the advertising of the CocaCola corporation. As with the case of [...]
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By Wes Magruder, Special Contributor… Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World Brian McLaren Jericho Books, 2012 Hardcover, 288 pages [...]
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By Marcia Dunbar, Special Contributor… When the One You Love Is Gone Rebekah L. Miles Abingdon Press, 2012 112 pages, paperback One of the most difficult times in a person’s life is the death of a loved one. Dealing with death is a struggle that is different for each person, and there is no right way to grieve. An online search for “grief” yields millions of books on the topic, and with good reason. When the One You Love Is Gone brings a needed offering in this genre: a view [...]
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