The Latest
The myth of a Christian culture continues to set the mind of the Western church at ease. This myth assumes…
Global Vision Our cities and towns are now teeming with different languages, cultures, and remote people groups. Why should we…
When we use the word “missional,” we are affirming that the Church by its very nature is sent into our…
Bill Bright (1921–2003) founded Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) on the UCLA campus in 1951 with the primary goal of…
Many new churches, especially those in urban areas are intentionally multi-ethnic. It is simply the nature of cities. All kinds…
In many places when I hear the word “contextualization” I’m left with the impression that people believe it should happen…
The Latest Podcast Episode
Whether it’s called multiplying, parenting, sending, sponsoring, or partnering–churches that plant churches and even networks of churches are becoming the…
Missionary Identity The reality is, Christians are interlopers. We are strangers and foreigners. As Christians, I believe we should always…
Many church leaders do cultural studies and wrestle with the sociology of place. On a different track, others try to get their heads around the social imaginaries that make up the personality of our cities (sometimes referred to as a horizon or a space). We need to help…
Roughly one century ago, Christians in the United States walked through a battle about orthodoxy known as the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy. Eventually, out of the Fundamentalist side of the debates over cardinal doctrines, arose the streams of evangelicalism we find today in the United States. As I look at…
As we move into the new year, it’s helpful to pause and look back on 2017, specifically all that happened in pop culture. In reflecting on the major moments, both good and bad, we can consider what has actually taken place and how these things have challenged and changed…
As a sociologist of religion in Canada, I regularly consult with church groups across the country seeking to bridge sociological, theological, and practical discussions for Christian ministry in the 21st century. We have found four trends in the Canadian religious landscape that are worth paying attention. Let us…
We’re in one of the best times in history to start globally-minded churches in North America—churches that are rooted in North American cities, but effectively minister to and minister through global citizens. This isn’t just for cities like New York or Chicago. Immigration and the rise of the information-based economy are turning…
Let me suggest some other ones in our day that I think are very useful for us. I mentioned idolatry. I believe that when you look at the Bible as a monotheistic text – that there is one God over all of life – idols are intrusions into…