According to World Magazine journalist Gene Edward Veith, “Sometimes recognizing a problem requires finding the right words to name it. Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton have coined a phrase that describes perfectly the dominant American religion: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.”
Notes from the Road
I have just returned from a week in North Carolina with Curtis Pixler and the Union Baptist Church. We had a great revival! About Tuesday night it seemed that God began to break hearts and call people to repentance. Publicly and privately people were confessing their sin and distance from God. It was a beautiful thing to see. One man who was called upon to pray over the offering began to confess sins and ask God, his family and his Church to forgive him. What a humbling thing that was to hear.
Signs, signs, everywhere are signs
Tim Spurgeon designed us (Capshaw) this great looking billboard that will soon be posted on HWY 72 at the end of Dupree-Worthy road. The sign is not only in keeping with our brand, but it also communicates our vision for ministry – to be a place where you can grow to your maximum potential in Christ. It should go up in less than a week just in time for the back to school/back to church rush. Let’s pray that we will not be guilt of false advertisement, but that we truly will be a Church that challenges people to press on toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
What is Tennessee Valley Culture?
The Tennessee Valley is the only place I know of where you are just as likely to hear someone passionately discussing their love for quilting and canning as you are to hear someone passionately debating various options for National missile defense.
Is Jesus Relevant?
Several years ago I heard Jerry Vines say that, “the job of the Pastor was not to answer the questions that people are asking, but to answer the questions that they should be asking.” Today I received a survey of Pastors that chronicled the issues that the people in their congregation were dealing with. Top three on the list were as follows…
