Speaking Up for Women
By Thomas Lambrecht - Now that the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan, many are concerned about the future for women and girls in that country. The Taliban has a history of oppressing women and depriving them of human rights, as well as administering harsh...
Why We Need a Denomination
By Thomas Lambrecht - Denominations are not in vogue right now in American culture. For the past 20 years, the non-denominational church movement has grown across the country until its congregations make up a significant portion of the Body of Christ in the U.S. and...
Experiencing the Supernatural
In John 14, Jesus talks to his disciples about the Father working through him, including doing miracles, and in verse 12 he tells them: “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.” Do you think that Jesus meant that even United Methodists who have faith in Jesus today would do what he had been doing? At Aldersgate Renewal Ministries (ARM) we do.
The Imperative of Church Politics
Without question, politics is often a nasty and mean spirited business. Everyone decries the tone and tenor of our local, state, and national politics. “Negative ads,” distortions of opponents’ records, political favors for large cash donations, and the political gerrymandering that strongly tips the scales in favor of incumbents makes for a dispirited, weary, and cynical electorate. Not surprisingly, good church people want none of this in their midst. But in its justifiable aversion to all the more unsavory aspects of politics the church overlooks its necessity and so mistakenly believes it can somehow have a polity without politics. This is naïve at best and disingenuous at worst.
Straight Talk
Operation Narnia to help needy children Operation Christmas Child is partnering with the upcoming film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, set for release on December 10. Through this partnership, Narnia fans will be encouraged to participate in...
United Methodist revival in Zimbabwe
By Priscilla Muzerengwa (UMNS) — They come by the thousands, many leaving their homes for nearly a week to gather on an open patch of ground. There, they will raise their hands above their heads, waving and clapping, singing songs of praise and dancing before the Lord. Many will stay up all night in praise and prayer, climbing nearby mountains for private conversations with God during breaks. And the faithful, such as Emily Makunike, will be revived.
The altar of everything
By Liza Kittle–“The altar of everything” reverberated through my thinking as I attended the Women’s Division board meeting in April 2010. The initial gathering was held at the Tillman Chapel, located on the ground floor of the Church Center for the United Nations, a 12-story building owned and operated by the Division and positioned directly across the street from the United Nations.
Deciding what to teach (and what not to)
By Duffy Robbins–The marquee sign out in front of the Unitarian Church made me smile. It read, “Bible Study tonight. Bring scissors.” I envisioned a group of earnest Unitarians sitting around a comfortable room discussing which passages of the Bible should be cut out of the holy text so that God’s words might be a little easier to digest.
