.22 caliber bullets ripping into the bodies of nineteen people in Tuscon, Arizona, was just the beginning of the wounds felt in America in the last few days. A disconnected young man, a handgun, and a scrambled mind is all it took for one minute of horror to erupt in the sheer ordinariness of a […]
Is Civility Possible? Read More »
Over a period of decades millions of people have tuned into the granddaddy of television-evangelism church services: the Crystal Cathedral of Dr. Robert H. Schuller. But from the start it has not been without controversy. Schuller’s unapologetic philosophy of ministry was to address the emotional brokenness in people and make them feel better about themselves.
Bankrupt Cathedral, Bankrupt Theology? Read More »
On Saturday I was helping a friend move across town, and it brought to my mind a period in my life a long time ago when I was in a small group that seemed to have someone moving about once a month. It’s a big job, with a significant time commitment. So a couple of
Getting People Moving Read More »
Over the years I’ve talked to many leaders about their experiences in the area of communication. I’ve asked, “What has worked for you?” Or, “What’s your solution to the issue of communication?” More often than not, leaders say that they are unsatisfied with their efforts or their results in communication. They often describe poor communication
Why are we unsatisfied with our communication? Read More »
You approach an intersection where a disheveled homeless man with a wild mop of hair approaches your open window with a scrubby hand-scrawled sign on cardboard that says “I have a God-given gift…” Yeah, right. The sign says: “I have a God-given gift of a great voice.” So a TV reporter from Columbus, Ohio, rolls
YOU have a God-given gift?!? Read More »
[New to The Brook Network? You may benefit by having new postings delivered via email, RSS feed, or Twitter.] In many doorways of the Roman Empire there was a depiction of a god with two faces pointing in opposite directions. Janus was the god of transitions. He looked ahead and he looked behind–to the past
[New to The Brook Network? You may benefit by having new postings delivered via email, RSS feed, or Twitter] Want to do regular Bible reading in 2011? Some of my favorite Bible reading plans are put out by the Navigators, and can be downloaded free. Here are three Bible reading plans. I suppose it’s a cultural thing, but,
New Year’s Resolutions and Bible Reading Plans Read More »
[New to The Brook Network? You may benefit by having new postings delivered via email, RSS feed, or Twitter] Thinking about making some New Year’s resolutions? The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards began as a list of 21 when he was a young man. Edwards, considered by many the greatest theologian in American history and a
The 70 Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards Read More »
Thanks to all of you who have stopped by the website of The Brook Network since we opened up just a few months ago. You are from all 50 states and 82 different countries. And here are the top posts you visited or invited others to visit in 2010… #5 Muhammad and Jesus #4 If They Ain’t
1. Always use the word “change” as a positive term. 2. Talk about change frequently, so it is not seen as a threat. 3. Teach the biblical concept of change (growth, new life, radical commitment, leading of the Spirit). 4. Celebrate change whenever it accomplishes something good in the church. 5. See worship as a
25 Ways to Develop a Culture of Change in a Church Read More »
James Patrick has a very helpful article on the very unfortunate topic of working with a narcissistic leader. “The key to understanding narcissists,” Patrick says, “is recognizing that they are primarily ‘self-referential.’ That is, they interpret the world only as it pertains to them.” Ego is a common-enough Achille’s heel of leaders, but true narcissism
Signs of Narcissism in Leaders Read More »
A THOUGHT FOR THIS CHRISTMAS WEEK… “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders… and of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it
To Us a Child is Born Read More »
Millions of us have watched one or more of the viral videos of people in public places being surprised by a covert choir starting the Hallelujah Chorus or some other major production (called “flash mobs”). The places have been shopping malls, train stations, outdoor squares. What is really great is watching the surprise on people’s
Food Courts and Bethlehem Skies Read More »
[New to The Brook Network? You may benefit by having new postings delivered via email, RSS feed, or Twitter.] I’d like to tell you about something new for 2011 that I’m very enthused about. We’re setting up The Brook Network for a year-long study of a topic that has not been pursued adequately: spiritual leadership.
Let’s start something new in 2011… Read More »
Bible translators are still hard at work producing new English versions, as will be illustrated next year when an update of the New International Version appears (NIV 2011). There are many reasons why fresh translations and updates are helpful, one of them being changes in the English language. The way we use words is always
Bible Translation and Gender Language Read More »