This is a national holiday in the U.S., and one that has been celebrated for more than 120 years. That’s why we have an abbreviated issue of Smart Ministry this week. But we wanted to reflect briefly on the meaning of Labor Day. Traditionally, Labor Day is a day off in tribute to, and recognition [...]

The new 2011 edition of the New International Version (NIV) was released this week, and public feedback came from a surprising source. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) congratulated the translation committee for making the new version more gender-inclusive, but asked them to make the next version species-inclusive. “The group is asking translators [...]

I was invited by Yahoo! News to write a commentary, and I was delighted to do so. The terms of our arrangement were that the article would be exclusive to Yahoo! and their properties, but for those who are interested you can find it at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110323/pl_ac/8124072_handing_leadership_of_action_in_lybia_to_eu_force_good_for_us

A new poll from Christianity Today revealed that 74% of those who responded believe that convicted sex offenders who have been released from person should not be allowed to join a church. These are people who were convicted of a crime, but have served their punishment and been released. This isn’t talking about putting them [...]

When Ted Haggard returned to Colorado Springs he denied he was going to start a new church.  When he and his wife started "prayer meetings" and "Bible studies" that attracted more than 100 people, he denied he was starting a new church. When he registered St. James Church three weeks ago, we announced that he [...]

In a rare and admirable moment when respect overpowered politics, the Oklahoma state senate passed a resolution Tuesday honoring the life and legacy of pastor Billie Joe Daugherty, who died last year of lymphoma. The state house of representatives and senate passed concurrent bills containing language you don’t ordinarily find in congressional documents: Reverend Daugherty [...]

The issue of Smart Ministry that went out this week includes my conversation with John Bevere, the internationally known speaker, author, and TV host.  John is a Pentecostal, and the discussion surrounded the fact that he does not teach “name it and claim it.”  He talked about the importance of holiness as a prerequisite—something I’ve [...]

As you all know, this is the first time I’ve posted something like this and it’s probably the last. But this is a great deal… The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes” Fill out a simple form, take a quick [...]

Vision doesn’t change. Plans change constantly. Your vision is your overall goal. Your plans are your flexible means–changing to reflect new realities and new knowledge–to get you there. Suppose you have a vision to launch a new campus. You decide to do so in a movie theater. It would be a significant mistake to tell [...]

Two Harvard researchers recently released an article in Trends of Cognitive Science that have some interesting theological implications. The essence of the research is that a wide range of people all came to the same conclusions as to what was “right” when presented with a moral dilemma, regardless of their religious backgrounds (or lack thereof).