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What would you say to a group of Christian leaders in America about the need for an oral approach to disciple-making? Here are my notes from two presentations last week in Orlando, Fla. The International Orality Network’s North American Region director, Rick Brekelbaum, invited me to lead training sessions at Lifebridge Church and the other … Continue reading
At a pastor’s conference recently, I was assigned Orality in Preaching. What I didn’t know is that I would be following a preaching professor. Okay, he was the keynote and I led a breakout, but I still had 15 eager pastors attending my session. The interesting thing to me was that the preaching professor didn’t … Continue reading
Imagine yourself seated at a wonderful restaurant. The kind with tablecloths. Behind you is a door leading outside, but you put that out of sight while the food keeps coming and coming. It is wonderful, healthy, and just what you need! Oh, you wish others could enjoy it, too. Meanwhile, outside the door right behind … Continue reading
A farmhand convinced the rancher to eat lunch right after breakfast so they’d have more time in the back 40 digging in fence posts. And then he convinced him to eat supper, too. But after dinner, the farmhand went to bed. The rancher found his bunk. “What do you mean going to bed after three … Continue reading
Have you noticed the abundance of anti-stinking going on in our world? From underarms to kitty litter, we are barraged with odors to avoid. Then we are hit with the latest manly colognes, sexy perfumes, and plug-in air fresheners. At least one major auto-maker gives scientists big bucks just to manufacture new car smells. What … Continue reading
George Lucas’ Star Wars, Episode VII movie (Disney) has set record sales. You probably saw the movie. The Snowden men all gathered over Christmas and saw it. And it certainly got me wondering if science fiction does more than entertain. A research project published in Science refuted thinking that literary fiction was a waste of … Continue reading
Experiences bring more joy than things you own. Family vacations, mission trips, Christian concerts, and, yes, lively discussion in a Bible study over time become more precious than things you own. My wife and I tackled a major downsizing this past month. We conducted an estate sale and jettisoned sofas, a bedroom suit, at least four entire shelves of … Continue reading
The email said, “Mark, we’d like you to address this topic: ‘Are We Training Our Pastors Wrong?’” Now, there’s a good way to alienate yourself from godly men you have served alongside for several decades! At least I was able to add, “Or How Can We Train Pastors More Effectively?” (The link goes to the … Continue reading
The pastor across the table from me saw no need for equipping evangelism team members in his church. He was only concerned that they get out among the lost. “We just let our people learn about missions while they’re doing missions. They grow spiritually when they do missionary work. I don’t mind them meeting to … Continue reading
A science fiction story once described an astronaut-type volunteer who was able to step into an alternate universe. As a reminder of home, his wife at the last moment handed him their baby’s rattle. In this world, the sound it made was cute and harmless. However, when the rattle was shaken in that other world, … Continue reading
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