Christian Thought

On Sunday morning, September 16, 2001, people crowded our church, as most other churches, like we only see at a holiday like Christmas or Easter. This non-holiday, precipitated by the unholy events of September 11, was a scurrying to God. The mood was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. People were subdued and sober. They spoke […]

[A sermon shared with Elmbrook Church the Sunday after 9/11/2001, based on what Psalm 25 says about treachery.] FACING TREACHERY A message given at Elmbrook Church, September 16, 2001 Mel Lawrenz, Senior Pastor We have been through a harrowing week. It is good that we are here to worship today. Every evening since Tuesday hundreds

[I have given copies of this to many leaders, and have had leadership groups listen to the audio in groups. This is a seminal address. Every Christian leader should read this!] John Stott’s Final Public Address ‘The model – becoming more like Christ.’ Sermon delivered at the Keswick Convention July 17th 2007. I remember very

I thought that the dust may be settling in the controversy stirred up by Rob Bell’s book, Love Wins, but with this as a cover story of TIME Magazine—“What If There’s No Hell: A Popular Pastor’s Best-Selling Book Has Stirred Fierce Debate About Sin, Salvation, and Judgment”–it is apparent the dust storm may just be

If you’re in the Milwaukee area, join us this Thursday night for PURSUIT, a one- night presentation on the meaning of the death and resurrection of Christ. Do you know someone who believes that Christ died but just doesn’t understand how it impacts life today? Have you ever wondered what Christ’s resurrection means for Christians

A new study based on demographics and mathematics claims that in nine countries organized religion of any sort “will be driven toward extinction” in the years to come. The countries named are Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland and Switzerland. What do you think about this article? And what does this

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with BibleGateway.com, the most widely used Christian resource on the Internet, visited by millions of unique visitors per month. BibleGateway will carry our daily devotional for the season leading up to Easter called Knowing Him. Begins this Sunday, April 3. Sign up here.

When I went through the mail today I found and opened a box and was surprised and delighted to find six copies of my book I Want to Believe: Finding Your Way in an Age of Many Faiths in a brand new German translation. I didn’t even know a German publisher had picked up on

Let’s just be straightforward about it: Rob Bell’s newly released book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived is controversial, provocative, and potentially divisive. Controversial? Of course, the topic is! Provocative? Of course, he states that he means to challenge widely-held assumptions. Divisive? Only if we

The spirit and substance of the Lausanne movement, which focusses on spreading the good news of Jesus in the world, is encapsulated in two historic documents, The Lausanne Covenant, and the Manila Manifesto. Now a third communication has been completed and released in final form today. “The Cape Town Commitment: A Confession of Faith and

Christianity Today to Billy Graham: What are the most important issues facing evangelicals today? “I’m grateful for the evangelical resurgence we’ve seen across the world in the last half-century or so. It truly has been God’s doing. It wasn’t like this when I first started out, and I’m amazed at what has happened—new evangelical seminaries