Ideas

Perhaps that’s why, throughout the history of Christianity, one of the greatest tools for teaching theology has been music. After all, one of the earliest Christian hymns is the great Christological passage of Philippians 2.

Pathak sought a solution to reestablish the church’s identity as a truly local neighbor, of and for its community. He asked himself, What would it look like for us to build what amounts to a network of churches so we could share some resources, yet still operate like local churches?

What I learned hosting a contemporary Christmas service that made me decide to go old school

We’re trying to think outside the walls. How can we engage missionally? How can we bring church to where people are, and not be thinking constantly about how we’re going to get them here?

“We wanted to do something for them that would encourage them to relax and take a moment for themselves,” says Cornwell. “Moms, in general, wear so many hats, but single moms have to wear every hat.”

After seeing the toll the pandemic had taken on medical workers, he wished his own church could replicate the outreach, but they didn’t have the resources to take it on alone.

Many Christian school teenagers have a deep spiritual cynicism baked into their hardened hearts. Far too many of these teens graduate and then publicly evacuate their faith, either through outright denunciation or post–high school hedonism.

We’re very intentional about being welcoming and friendly. I tell people on Sunday mornings at the end of the services, “If you’re our guest, I’d like to meet you.” And so I go to the hospitality room and meet people every week.