Here Is the Church, There is the Steeple, Open the Door and See All the People

John H. Armstrong February 15th, 2010

As a small child there was a quaint little saying that was common. We folded out hands and said, "Here is the church." We then put our two index fingers together and said, "There is the steeple." Then we turned our hands over and wiggled our fingers and said, "Open the door and see all the people." I know, it's dumb, really dumb. But I do remember it. There was one thing we felt really good about, back in the 1950s and 60s. The church was full of people. Some t … (Read More)

Comments (0) | Trackback

What Has Happened to Evangelicalism in America?

John H. Armstrong January 5th, 2010

The famous historian of theology, H. Richard Niebuhr, once called theological liberalism a religion devoted to "a God without wrath [who] brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross" [The Kingdom of God in America, (The Wesleyan University Press, orig. 1937; 1988), p. 193].

I can’t think of a statement that better sums up much of the problem inside the church in our time. Where once liberal theology ravaged the older c … (Read More)

Comments (1) | Trackback

Jumping through Fires - David Nasser on SBE

Erik Guzman December 18th, 2009

Jumping through fires, or Chaharshanbe Suri, is a 3,000 year-old tradition of celebrating the Persian New Year. By jumping through the fire, always while holding someone's hand, all bad things from the previous year are burned away and replaced with new beginnings.

(If you're on the front page of the site click "Read More" to see player options.)

David Nasser is an Iranian exile and former Muslim, and he has jumped through his share of fires. Join David on Steve Brown Etc … (Read More)

Comments (1) | Trackback

It really is going to be okay!

Steve Brown December 14th, 2009

I'm writing this from the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in the mountains of North Carolina. I'm at this wonderful conference center teaching two seminars-one for pastors/leaders and the other for "normal" people.

They house the speakers in log cabins (there are three or four of them) up on a mountain overlooking the natural cove while the people who come to the conferences stay at two fairly large and nice hotels. The log cabins are closed except to authorized pers … (Read More)

Comments (5) | Trackback

The Dude Abides - Cathleen Falsani on SBE (Re-Air)

Erik Guzman December 11th, 2009

Due to circumstances beyond our control, stations across the country will be re-airing our most recent program with Cathleen Falsani this weekend.

Cathleen is one of our favorite guests. She joined us on SBE to talk about her new book, The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers.

Join us for a funny and profound discussion about the themes and truths found in No Country for Old Men, Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, and the new Coen brothers' film, A Serious Man.

Cathleen is th … (Read More)

Comments (0) | Trackback

Are We Worthless?

Michael Spencer October 12th, 2009

Neal, a Christian twenty-something struggling with his faith, says “I know I’m worthless and all that, and that Jesus died for me anyway.”

Skip the rest of the conversation. Go back to that word “worthless.” “I know I’m worthless…”

Stifle your desire to start an apologetics lecture or otherwise instruct Neal in how to be a great Christian.

Think with me: where did he get the idea that he is “worthless?”

Wait, is someone saying “Well….isn’t that sort of what we … (Read More)

Comments (2) | Trackback