Cultural Commission

by Charles Colson

In our continued tribute to Chuck Colson and his influence on Q, we are sharing his Q Talk for the first time since Q New York. In this exclusive 18-minute presentation, he argues that everybody has a worldview. Everyone has a grand story that forms what one believes about oneself, life, the world, and reality. He then challenges us to embrace a worldview that addresses not only individuals, but also God’s redemption of entire systems and cultures.

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The Cross in Culture

by Jon Tyson

The cross is one of our most robust, timeless, cultural symbols. No matter how dark our culture may grow, it just won’t go away. Artists mock the cross, Christians boast in it, others ignore it. But after 2000 years, it continues to define our faith. Is it a sign of offense, grace, or a window into a whole new order of things? Jon Tyson, author of Rumors of God and Pastor of Trinity Grace Church NYC, helps us see the counter-cultural message of the cross in a new way.

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Reading and Being Led

by Adele Konyndyk

Adele Konyndyk has often heard the famous C.S. Lewis line: “We read to know we are not alone.” Here, she offers three authors that were instrumental in guiding her and helping her gain perspective during a rough time of transition: Jean Vanier, Ronald Rolheiser, and Henri Nouwen.

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Finding Redemption at Penn State

by Dan Nold

The news trucks have not left our streets since November, since the Penn State child sex abuse scandal broke open and revealed the junk in Happy Valley. For those outside of State College, PA, it’s been a sensational news story. For those in our community, it’s been a gut-wrenching season. The question now before me, a pastor, is the question of redemption. How do we partner with God to live as agents of redemption in our very broken city?

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The Appetite of North America

by Kyle Luck

The Bible depicts the early church as a flourishing community: a body of individuals devoted to Christ and committed to each other. Believers were of one heart and one mind, sharing everything that they had–even going as far as selling their land and houses in order to redistribute wealth to those who were in need. Imagine that. Imagine your world today: your house, your car, your laptop, and your cell phone shipped to a stranger, becoming homeless so someone else can be housed...

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A Serious Theology of Play

by David Naugle

Social critic H. L. Mencken once quipped that “puritans,” referring to serious-minded Christians, are “people who have a deep, foreboding fear that somebody, somewhere, might be having a good time.” Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once observed that Christians “have no joy.” He also said, should he ever come to believe in God, he would only believe in a “God who danced” (40). Sadly, he was never able to locate such a God...

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Spiritual Conversations: Understanding the Cultural Language

by Ron Martoia

Finding spiritual conversations in American culture is not hard, but conversations about the Christian God can be a different story. Consider the Gospel as a 4-part story and be introduced to a new language that can bring Christianity back into the spiritual conversations of our day.

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Top 11 Q Ideas of 2011

by Q Ideas

At Q, we believe that followers of Jesus have the responsibility to create culture and contribute to the common good of our society. In a mix of videos and essays, here is a brief look at the top culture-shaping ideas that Q has helped to cultivate and spread over the course of 2011.

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Announcing Q Sessions | Practices with Eugene Peterson

in New York City

by Q Ideas

It’s no secret that our lives are too busy. If we don’t become more efficient, produce more, get ahead and stay ahead then it seems our culture will leave us behind. But as our outer lives continue to expand and upgrade, our inner lives are lost and neglected. On February 28-29th, 2012, Q hosts its next limited event in New York City, Q SESSIONS | PRACTICES, featuring Eugene Peterson.

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The Return to Sexual Holiness

An Excerpt from The End of Sexual Identity

by Jenell Williams Paris

Sexual identity has become an idol in both the culture at large and in the Christian subculture. And yet concepts like "gay" or "straight" are relatively recent developments in human history. We let ourselves be defined by socially constructed notions of sexual identity and sexual orientation--even though these may not be the only or best ways to think about sexuality. Anthropologist Jenell Williams Paris offers a Christian framework for sexual holiness that accounts for complex postmodern realities.

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Contemplative Activism as a Model for Mission

by Phileena Heuertz

The signs of the time can be troubling. Poverty, exploitation, war, global warming and over-consumption plague our planet. It seems like domination and exploitation are commonplace almost everywhere we turn. Christians, too, are often implicated in the violence. How can we offer a different kind of presence in the world and really make a redemptive impact? Contemplative activism must root us in offering the good...

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Losing our Language

Reflections on Giving Thanks

by Ann Voskamp

If Thanksgiving is only for a day, we lose our selves–and our souls. New York Times bestselling author Ann Voskamp reflects on what we lose in the brevity of Thanksgiving celebrations.

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Embracing Suffering

Healing through Acknowledging Loss

by Silas West

Catherine Piwang is no stranger to suffering; she saw an entire generation, including nine of her siblings, go missing in Uganda because of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Catherine has since devoted her life to helping thousands find healing from the loss of this middle generation. On a recent visit to northern Uganda, which has been devastated by years of civil war, she found another lost middle generation...

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Postmodern Wells: Creating A Third Place

by Mark Batterson

The church is no longer the center of community life. Rather than admit defeat, Mark Batterson believes the church has an obligation to create new ways to engage our communities. Hear the story of one church that has created new places for their community to connect both with each other, and also with God.

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Crisis in the Horn of Africa

Famine, War, and Drought

by Chris LaTondresse

One of the worst humanitarian crises in more than six decades has struck more than 13.3 million people in the Horn of Africa. Some experts estimate that over 30,000 kids have died in the past four months alone. In fact, by the time you finish reading this post, another child will be dead. Lack of rainfall, soaring food prices and a violent extremist movement in Somalia have combined forces...

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Upending Einstein

by Caryn Rivadeneira

I don’t normally catch up on the world of physics before I start my day. And yet, the other morning this headline got my very first click: “Speed of light maybe not fastest after all." Perhaps it was because I had just been talking to my youngest son about why we see lightning before we hear thunder. Perhaps because I correctly sensed this was, actually, big news...

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Narcissism

Integrating Faith and Psychiatry

by Allan Josephson, M.D.

Narcissists' inflated view of themselves frequently masks a hidden sense of emptiness and inferiority. Allan Josephson, M.D., says that those who are in relationship with a narcissist “by definition become depleted or depressed, because life always has to reflect the grandeur, the beauty, the intelligence of the narcissist.” Here, Josephson explores what spiritual health looks like in a culture that celebrates narcissism.

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The Psychology of Trials

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

by Jimmy Lin

Within the bindings of a story, great literature explores what words alone fail to express. In The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment, among others, Fyodor Dostoevsky subtlety explores the depths of the struggles that he experienced in his own life through his complex and unforgettable characters. Here, Jimmy Lin discusses the connection between Dostoevsky's life, work and faith.

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The Good in Graffiti

by Stephen Hale

Graffiti is clearly vandalism, but is it more than that? Stephen Hale peels back the layers of the often beautiful yet disfiguring paint to reveal some of the movements behind graffiti and why Christians shouldn't necessarily be opposed to it.

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Spreading the Good News

Johannes Gutenberg

by Jimmy Lin

We are drowning in words; from news outlets, blog posts, and twitter feeds, to the signs that direct traffic and label our food. What would our world be like without the printed word? Jimmy Lin explores how Johannes Gutenberg used his ordinary profession to create the first printing press so he could spread the Gospel and how, in the process, Gutenberg fundamentally changed our world.

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The Servant Nature of God

by David Chronic

Between demands on our time and our inclination toward what is convenient, it can be difficult to find the margin to temper our privileged lives with humble service. David Chronic explores the complex relationship between wealth, the poor, and the type of service that Jesus calls us to.

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Ground Zero and the American Dream

by Makoto Fujimura

Makoto Fujimura lived with his wife and young children blocks from the World Trade Centers on September 11th, 2001. Here he explores how Ground Zero has re-framed the way we understand and pursue the American Dream.

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Ten Years from Normal

Lessons Learned from 9/11

by Jonathan Merritt

As we mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we remain unable to explain why God allowed this suffering. But, as we stare through the corridor of time, we can ask another question: What, if anything, have we learned? Jonathan Merritt grapples with suffering and shares a few of the lessons that he's observed in this decade of uncertainty.

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Empathy in an Age of Terrorism

by Johnnie Moore

It's natural to be angry, especially when acts of wrath took nearly 3,000 innocent lives. But followers of Jesus are called to move beyond their anger. We are called to the difficult task of loving our enemies. Johnnie Moore shares his thoughts on empathy in an age of terrorism.

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The Faith of a Teacher

by Hugh Atkinson

In classrooms overflowing with children, teaching requires more than reciting lessons and reading books. Teachers must show that faith, hope, and love still remain in a world full of hopelessness and despair. Hugh Atkinson reflects on the harsh realities and the hidden joys of teaching.

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Wisdom and Sabbath Rest

by Tim Keller

Rest, ironically, is an activity that must be prepared for and then pursued. The purpose of Sabbath, however, is not simply to rejuvenate yourself so you can produce more during the rest of the week. Nor, is Sabbath the simple pursuit of sleep and pleasure. Tim Keller explains what a biblical Sabbath looks like in our busy world.

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Inoculating a Generation

by Skye Jethani

Church practitioners have been sent scrambling by the growing awareness that an entire generation is leaving the church. Many have attempted to answer why they are leaving, but few are offering solutions to stop the hemorrhaging. Author Skye Jethani says the answer might be changing the way we’re relating to God. Instead of life over, under, or even for God, he says this generation should pursue life with God.

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Yoga as Christian Spiritual Formation?

by Phileena Heuertz

A recent survey of global, Evangelical Protestant leaders revealed that 92% of the 2,196 surveyed believe that "engaging in yoga as a spiritual practice...[is] not compatible with evangelicalism." After growing up in this tradition, Phileena Heurtz has come to practice yoga as an essential part of her Christian spirituality. She explains why yoga isn't antithetical to Christianity and how it enriches her faith.

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The Problem Of Good

by Scott Kauffmann

Why can artists, filmmakers and musicians who seem personally unredeemable create paintings, films, music and books that are so unmistakably transcendent? Why are so many unbelievers more honest, more sacrificial, more joyful, more committed to other people than many believers are? Scott Kauffmann, Executive Director of Labs for Redeemer City to City, explores God’s second greatest gift: common grace.

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Becoming Weaker

by Chris Heuertz

How do we celebrate vulnerabilities? How do we receive limitations as gifts? Watch this Q exclusive video of Jean Vanier, founder and visionary of L’Arche, who inspires us all to live faithful lives in the ordinary and undramatic vocations of love.

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End Veneer

by Jason Locy and Tim Willard

We all feel it, sense it and see it. Everything in popular culture - from entertainment to advertisements - pushes us to be something we aren’t. This creates an unspoken tension for followers of Jesus who are called to presence, honesty and authenticity. How can Christians promote depth and character in a society that thrives on hype? Jason Locy and Tim Willard, coauthors of Veneer: Living Deeply in a Surface Society, challenge us to strive for a more meaningful existence.

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Community in the Time of Culture Wars

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

Disagreements continue to fracture the Church's relationships. How do we balance diverse opinions without breaking with biblical orthodoxy and without causing disunity? Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma suggests that we humbly "pursue the love that is the beginning and end of all things" and live out our allegiance to Christ as the head of the Church.

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Pseudo Salvation: When Science Can't Save Us

by Matthew T. Dickerson

Our advances in science and technology have overcome many of the challenges that our forebears were unable to meet. Our lives are paved with unthinkable convenience, and we expect our engineers to continue providing solutions for the world's problems. Matthew T. Dickerson, however, says that we must be careful where we place our hopes of redemption.

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What Do We Mean by "Evangelism"?

by David Chronic

We often avoid using the word "evangelism." Could this be because we have re-defined evangelism to suit our own convenient lifestyles? David Chronic explores the limits of our traditional conceptions and finds them fragmented.

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Thirsting for God in Daily Work

by Ann Voskamp

Compared to most of the world, life in the West is luxurious. Yet, this fact doesn't make living with humility any easier for us. Ann Voskamp, a New York Times best-selling author, wonders at the difficulty and mystery of drinking the cup of salvation amid our mundane tasks and experiences.

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Identifying the Idols of the City

by Leonardo de Chirico

The aesthetics and intrigue of a city’s skyline personify that city. These dazzling towers of concrete and steel, however, aren’t the only skylines we should see in our cities. Leornardo de Chirico, a church planter in Rome, urges us to identify the idols found in our city’s “theological skyline”.

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Do You Bring Meaning to your Work?

by Mark Russell

Most Americans spend 2,400 hours each year at work, but only 70-80 hours each year at religious events. How do you make your endless hours at work a constant act of worship? Mark Russell explores the nature of finding meaning in the everyday journey of going to work.

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Think Bigger

by Fred Sanders

We are dependent on receiving information in a form that can keep pace with our marathon lifestyles; but, this sound bite obsession creates problems when we approach Scripture that way. Fred Sanders, theologian, explains why this limits our reading of the Bible and narrows our understanding of the Trinity.

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What Do We Mean by 'The Church?'

by David Chronic

We talk a lot about the Church, but we rarely define what we mean. David Chronic, Word Made Flesh's Romanian Field Director, takes an in-depth look at what Scripture says about the church, how the church engages the world, and how Christians of different denominations engage one another.

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Is America the New Greece?

by Skye Jethani

The Greek austerity riots make many in the United States uneasy; is this the new American horizon? Economic analysis seems to show that the two economies are far too different for the turmoil to be replicated in the United States. Skye Jethani exposes a deeper and more dangerous congruity between the two nations: flagrant political immaturity.

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Enjoying America for What It Is

by Gideon Strauss

As a Christian, is it appropriate to celebrate Independence Day? Gideon Strauss, a South African Canadian applying for permanent residency, shares his unique insights about loving America rightly and reordering the holiday calendar.

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The Human Body and the Limits of Technology

by Matthew Lee Anderson

We've become adept at measuring every nook and cranny of life, from the number of steps we take while jogging to the pitching speed of a baseball player. But a new movement seeks to take this a step further, by mapped human emotions and behaviors. Is the human body merely a machine to be monitored? Author Matthew Lee Anderson says a Biblical understanding of the body suggests it's far more.

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Hello, May I Interest You in a Dissenting View of "The Book of Mormon?"

Mockingbird editor discusses the Tony-winning musical

by David Zahl

The Book of Mormon cleaned up at the Tony Awards, including taking home several coveted medallions including the award for Best Musical. It's been hailed as a daring production, full of laughs with a remarkable score. But writer David Zahl says the show ultimately disappoints. He believes the way it carelessly attacks religion will preach only to the choir.

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Immigration and the Gospel

by Russell Moore

The immigration debate continues to rage within American borders, but as Russell Moore argues, the Christian response to immigrant communities in the United States cannot be “You kids get off of my lawn” in Spanish. While Christians might disagree on the political specifics of achieving a just and compassionate immigration policy, he says our rhetoric must be informed by more than politics. It must be filtered through the lenses of both the Christian gospel and the Christian mission.

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Three Ways with Families

by Tim Keller

Recently, some scholars and cultural observers have decried the so-called "decline of the family." In parts of Asia and Europe, for example, the birth-rate has fallen below replacement levels. Many blame secular society's penchant for individualism and call for a return to the so-called "traditional" view of the family. But pastor Tim Keller says the gospel-based community practices a view of family that is contrary to both secular and traditional societies.

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Malick's Microcosm: A Review of "Tree of Life"

by Alissa Wilkinson

Many critics who have struggled to describe Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life have called it a prayer. But perhaps it is more than that. Writer Alissa Wilkinson suggests a better word to describe this film than prayer might be lament. And not just a lament for a lost loved one, but for that lost Paradise - both the first Eden, as well as the one buried deep within our memories.

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The Gospel and Humor

by Tim Keller

Christians believe the gospel should inform all we do, but have you ever considered how it might shape your sense of humor? Pastor Tim Keller says self-righteousness leads to mocking others or humorlessness. The gospel, however, creates a gentle sense of irony.

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A Post-bin Laden Reflection on Violence

by Chris Heuertz

This past weekend Osama bin Laden was assassinated, shot in the head, in what no doubt was an awful, bloody mess. But as Chris Heuertz started sifting through the Tweets and Facebook status updates from his friends, many of them self-proclaimed Christians, he wasn’t sure what to make of the celebration. He wonders where to find the peacemakers whom Jesus called "blessed."

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Veneer: Living Deeply in a Surface Society

by Q Ideas

Since our inception, Q has been committed to producing content that changes the way Christians think and interact with culture. Today, we're excited to announce the third trade book in this tradition. Veneer: Living Deeply in a Surface Society challenges readers to root their identity in God, rediscover the beauty of human contact and rest comfortably in our flawed reality.

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Vocation Needs No Justification

The Story of a Story

by Steven Garber

If the good things in our world are truly gifts from God, then everything changes. Seeing the world in this way makes vocations of all sorts equally important to the work of God in the world, as each one contributes to the common good and the flourishing of life. Steve Garber of The Washington Institute reminds us that one's vocation--whatever it might be--is a conduit of God's grace to a wounded world.

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The Prodigal's Father Shouldn't Have Run

Putting the Famous Parable in Context

by Matthew Williams

Most of us have missed a critical aspect of one of Jesus' most famous parables. Author and professor Matthew Williams says the secret to discovery is reading the familiar story from an ancient Middle Eastern perspective. When we read this parable in context, he says, we uncover an important truth about the Christian gospel.

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Scot McKnight on Living the One.Life

by Q Ideas and Scot McKnight

Like so many today, theologian Scot McKnight says the version of Christianity he was taught in his youth is fixated on personal piety while ignoring our calling to broadly shape culture. He argues that Jesus called believers to establish a world of justice, compassion, and peace. While these ideas aren't new, Scot's articulation of them are fresh and disarming. QIdeas sat down with him to ask about what he calls the One.Life.

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A Hidden Mural, A Reminder of God's Resources

by Margaret Feinberg

Rhodri and Angie Powell of Milverton, Somerest (UK) discovered a priceless 500-year-old mural of King Henry VIII while working on a DIY remodel of their living room. Author Margaret Feinberg explores how their story of discovery is a metaphor for God's resources in our own lives.

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Haiti One Year Later: The Quake and Haitian Spirituality

by Gerald Murray

It's been one year since a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, stealing hundreds of thousands of lives. Much of the media attention has focused on human suffering, the almost imperceptible recovery, and the international politics of the world’s response to the tragedy. But are we overlooking the spiritual dimension of these events? Anthropologist Gerald Murray investigates how Haitian theology has influenced the response to this tragedy.

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Is the Orphan My Neighbor?

Why justice for the fatherless is worth the risk

by Russell Moore

Orphans are unpredictable. Often we don’t know where they’ve come from, what kind of genetic maladies and urges lie dormant somewhere in those genes. For these reasons, fear has become an obstacle to addressing orphans. A leading theologian and adoption advocate says we must fill in the gap left by a contemporary Western consumer culture that extends even to the fatherless.

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Brian McLaren: "Conversations on Being a Heretic"

by Gabe Lyons

Ever since Brian McLaren released his bestselling book, A Generous Orthodoxy, he has become a lightning rod of controversy. While some Christians have warmed up to and even defended McLaren’s theological evolution as paving the way for the future of the Church, the voices shouting "heresy" are undeniably loud. We decided to give Brian a chance to speak for himself and respond to the naysayers.

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Advancing the Common Good

by Jon Tyson

A lot of people today talk about the "common good"--a term coined by Aristotle, popularized by Thomas Aquinas, and defined as “the most good for all people.” But what does this ancient idea look like in contemporary culture? Pastor and author Jon Tyson paints a picture of how this concept can shine in a pluralistic, postmodern society.

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The Humanity of the Robot

by Rosalind Picard

Why would one attempt to build robots with emotional abilities? Should humans feel threatened by technology that looks like us and functions in ways some claim only humans should? MIT robotics professor Rosalind PIcard shares some of the latest developments in robotics while considering what it means to be human.

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The Story of Justice

by Gregg Helvey

When Gregg Helvey graduated from the film school at the University of Southern California, he had no idea that he'd win an Oscar. Yet his film Kavi snatched up two nominations and one golden statue thanks to his commitment to telling "important stories." Having come on the heels of Slumdog Millionaire’s success, Kavi has ensured the injustice of Indian culture remains in the fore for those concerned with human rights.

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Conversations on Being a Heretic

by Scot McKnight and Brian McLaren

It’s no secret. Some Christian leaders have been adamant, and others speculative, that Brian McLaren’s views are heretical. In this Q conversation, Scot McKnight will explore what all the outrage is about, asking Brian to clarify his views on matters consequential to theology and the church. Brian will have ample opportunity to respond to questions he’s never before answered as the two model civility in a discussion with serious implications.

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Relief and Redevelopment

by Roger Sandberg

With natural disasters looming as a constant yet unforeseeable threat in our own land and to our global neighbors, how can we best participate in long-term recovery? In this presentation, Roger Sandberg, Vice President of Medair International, will help us chart out the difference between rescue, relief and redevelopment efforts and give us a scope for where the American church can contribute to these efforts in the most sustainable ways.

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Responding to Our Fatherhood Crisis

by Roland Warren

The federal government spends $100 billion dollars every year on programs such as child support enforcement and anti-poverty efforts directed at supporting father-absent homes. What happened to fatherhood in America? Over 25 million children live apart from their biological fathers—contributing to poor maternal and infant health, incarceration, crime, teen pregnancy, child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse and lack of education. How can Christians address this crisis?

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Engaging Islam

by Buddy Hoffman

Currently, roughly one in four humans is a Muslim and the religion of Islam is growing faster than any other world religion today. Its new worldwide dominance combined with predictions of future growth (largely based on birth rates alone) show Islam overtaking Christianity by 2035 in its total number of adherents. What is it about Islam that is so attractive to the spiritual seeker? Is there allowance within Islam to be a true follower of Jesus? And is it possible to share the Good News of Jesus to our Muslim friends through the Koran itself?

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Did Jesus Preach the Gospel?

by Scot McKnight

The most influential piece of literature in the twentieth century was the gospel tract. Why? Because it reduced the gospel to sound bytes and because it has framed how many Christians now understand the gospel message. What might surprise us is that the central idea of Jesus’ teaching—the coming kingdom of God—does not appear in any of the gospel tracts. Why is that? Have we only relied on Paul’s version of the gospel? Is it possible, many are asking, to combine the gospel of Paul with the gospel of Jesus? Which leads to this question: What is the gospel? And to this one: Did Jesus himself preach the gospel or not?

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Being Provoked to Engage

by Jo Saxton

For decades, it’s been described as “holy” and “disciplined” for Christians to remove themselves from anything corrupt, evil or broken about society. But Christians are left wondering how to navigate the terrain of being salt and light in a twenty-first century world. How are followers of Christ called to respond to sin and corruption found all around them? Do we run towards it or preserve our purity and holiness in the midst of a fallen world?

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Revisting Christ and Culture with D.A. Carson

by Jonathan Dodson

A review of D.A. Carson's recent reexamination of Richard Niebuhr's seminal work.

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"How I Found God"

by Q Ideas

What does it take for a devout atheist to turn back to God? Can a 15th century painting portraying Jesus condemning people to hell really serve as a catalyst? And what happens when this atheist-turned-believer is Peter Hitchens, brother of the famous hater of religion, Christopher Hitchens?

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Finding Reconciliation After Genocide

by Laura Waters Hinson

What can we learn from the forgiveness happening in Rwanda? How can the church get involved in advancing reconciliation? Filmmaker, Laura Waters Hinson converses on her film, As We Forgive, developing the craft of storytelling, and the latest projects she’s been working on.

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Epic Friendships

by JR Kerr

What does true friendship look like and why should we have it in the church?

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Post-Christendom Mission

by Q Ideas

What should the church look like in a post-modern, post-Christian, and post-American world?

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Friendship Evangelism

A Betrayal of Friendship

by Chris Heuertz

Become friends with people, share the gospel with them, and pray that they respond. It beats shouting through a bullhorn or handing out tracts. Is it possible, though, that it's still a betrayal of what Jesus taught us?

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Embracing Grace

by Q Ideas

What can we, the church, learn from the Haggard's experience about the importance of relationships, demonstrating grace, giving people a second chance and making the church a welcome place for those who are hurting?

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Best in the World or for the World?

by Craig Johnson

I'm always amazed by people who are the best at what they do. These are people that dedicate their life to an instrument, a sport, an invention, acting, politics, etc. I'm talking about true and raw talent. Unbridled excellence. They have reached the Gladwell "10,000-hour" mark and have mastered their craft.

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Conversion and Contextualization

Re-examining our Expectations of Gospel Change

by Jonathan Dodson

According to Andrew Walls, the word "conversion" has been used in two main ways throughout Christian history .^[^1] The first meaning of conversion denotes "an external act of religious change." This act reflects a movement towards Christian faith, individually or collectively. The other meaning of conversion refers to "critical internal religious change" within the Christian community. This meaning of conversion gets at what we might call “gospel change.”

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A New Kind of Neighbor

by Jeff Shinabarger

When we moved into our new neighborhood it was less than 48-hours before a man rang the doorbell to our home. I have since learned to recognize the particular way he rings the doorbell; much longer than the average person. I have also since learned to understand a little more about my new neighbor.

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That Which is Visible, Must Be Hidden

by Tim Willard

"How," asks Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "… do the disciples differ from the heathen? What does it really mean to be a Christian?" He answers this with the word perissos—extraordinary. Used in Matthew 5:47, the word calls for the Christian to go beyond what is expected in the culture. It is a term of differentiation, a term for uncommon living.

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Collaboration: More Than a Nice Option

by Charles Lee

There’s no doubt that individuals, organizations, and companies around the world are collaborating more than ever. With the growth of accessibility to technology, transportation, and networks, it has become increasingly commonplace to see people move as a collective tribe.

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Who is my Neighbor?

by Gideon Tsang

Well past midnight one Sunday night, my wife, Karen, and I were beginning to wind down. Earlier that week, police helicopters had been canvasing our neighborhood in search of a runaway criminal, so when we heard our iron gate open and footsteps walk up to our front porch, we glanced at each other suspiciously.

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Eat This

by Glenn Paauw

Eugene Peterson has written persuasively about our need to devour the Bible and take it deeply into our lives as nourishing and essential spiritual food. This insight is shared with his usual wit and wisdom in his 2006 title Eat This Book. Yet I have to ask: how likely is this to happen when the meal itself is typically served up in the form of small bits and pieces - crumbs, as it were?

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The Power of the Ought

by Ambassador Kampelman

An understanding of the Christian story demands that we approach our world in terms of how things ought to be. In order to fulfill his WWII draft obligation, Max Kampelman volunteered for the infamous Minnesota Starvation Experiment where for one year he was subjected to extreme starvation. He served as Ambassador and head of the United States Delegation to the Negotiations with the Soviet Union on Nuclear and Space Arms in Geneva. President Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom and in 2008, he received the Democracy Service Medal.

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Post-Christendom Mission

by Alan Hirsch

The church as we know it is changing. We live in a post-modern, post-Christian and post-American world, where the church is no longer placed at the center of society. Our influence is waning and our basis for ecclesiology will drive the way we interact in this new reality. It begs the question, what should the church look like and how does the mission of the church adapt within this context?

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Being Countercultural

by Gabe Lyons

For many years, the discussion of "relevance" has overwhelmed the church. Certainly, the church's ability to connect truth with the lives of people is critical, but has the pursuit of relevance distorted an understanding of our truest calling in society? It begs the question of whether Christians are called to be relevant or a counterculture? Historically, the power of the church has been in our ability to live in the tension of existing "in, but not of."

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Justice in the Suburbs

by Heather Larson

Financial poverty exists everywhere, even in the suburbs. However, to see poverty in the suburbs, you have to look for it. Churches can be unfairly criticized for ignoring the poor in their own back yard. However, Heather Larson is the Associate Director of the Global Connections Ministry at Willow Creek Community Church. Through her long commitment to being an advocate for the poor, and recent shifts in the church's priorities - Heather has found herself as the leader of a movement that garners the power of the mega-church to transform the lives of those around them.

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Pluralistic Evangelism

by John Burke

The church is a place where you can ask questions, seek answers, and grow in your relationship with Christ. It is not a place for perfect people. As a pastor or congregation, how are you to treat those who are struggling with public sins or questions about God? What does a church who lovingly accepts those who are lost look like? How can we create an environment of grace so that those who are hurting can find a place within our pews? Pastor John Burke, along with his congregation, understands that no matter what your past (or present) looks like, you are welcome in the church.

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Culture of Consumers

by Micah White

The fabric of our existence is sewn with the items that we purchase and the technologies we adopt. Like fish in water, we hardly recognize how the mental and physical environment we live in is shaping the way we think and operate within our world. How do we recognize the toxins in our world that fight against being truly human? Writer and activist Micah White states that we must begin to "celebrate a new aesthetic that cherishes subsistence over surplus, local over national and play over work." The myth of consumerism is that 'more is better'. "But to this lie, we will with great strength respond that only by consuming less can we live more."

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People of a Second Chance

by Ted and Gayle Haggard

Ted Haggard seemed to have it all: everyone loved Pastor Ted. However, underneath the smile was a broken and hurting man. Eventually, his secrets were uncovered and the world was exposed to his brokenness. For almost three years, Ted and Gayle have been on the journey back to restoration. What can we, the church, learn from the Haggard's experience about the importance of relationships, demonstrating grace, giving people a second chance and making the church a welcome place for those who are hurting?

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The Little Things: A Meditation On The Art Of Encouragement

by David Taylor

Artists recognize, capture, and create beauty in our world of brokenness. They frame poignant scenes, score moving music, and stir our imaginations with their works. Indeed, the use of their talents is essential, especially for those of us who do not feel so artistically inclined. Our world would be so unbeautiful without artists. But we often fail to recognize this truth, and thus we rarely appreciate and stimulate the work of artists.

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Veneer

Living Deeply in a Surface Society

by Jason Locy and Tim Willard

Something is plaguing us as individuals, as a culture, and as the body of Christ. A consumeristic mentality has taken root that, if left unexcavated, threatens the very nature of meaning and purpose and beauty in life. In this short, Locy and Willard sound the alarm on our disease. Like sober doctors or visionary prophets, they diagnose a thick coat of veneer that covers all that we are and everything we do. Their message will provoke us, but we are wise to let it penetrate our thinking and transform our perspective.

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An Interfaith Dialogue

by Eboo Patel

Nearly one fourth of Americans affiliate with non-Christian religions. Followers of Jesus must think about how they engage and cooperate within our pluralistic communities. In this Q talk, professing Muslim Eboo Patel offers challenging thoughts for the Christian community. He poses that people from different faiths can find common ground in our mutual motivations for loving others even though they are grounded in different belief systems.

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New Neighbor

by Leroy Barber

How do you relate to the people who live in your community with vastly different backgrounds? By creating spaces where conversations like this are possible in a society that is becoming more diverse, Leroy Barber converses about the Biblical mandate to love our neighbors.

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Christianity In A Pluralistic Society

by Q Panel

How can Christians become better at sharing their faith with others, not only in word, but also in deed? During this panel discussion, we’ll explore the ways that three individuals are creating environments where truth, love, and grace can be discussed and modeled with humility and honesty.

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Reframing The Gospel

by Tim Keel

Tim Keel is convinced that many of us have come to believe in a gospel that is limited. And then we go out and pitch our limited gospel to others in ways that devalue the holistic nature of the message itself. Keel challenges us to return to the Bible, and specifically to the Old Testament, to get a better picture of the stories that Jesus used to frame God’s gospel message.

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God’s Banquet Table

by Ruth Padilla Deborst

In Jesus’ world, there were clear borders between insiders and outsiders. Into this atmosphere, Jesus raised a challenging issue: does God’s love know any borders? As the church continues to wrestle with this issue today, we must become a community that welcomes unexpected guests at God’s banquet table.

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The End Of Suffering

by Chris Heuertz

Be challenged as Chris Heuertz describes the sources of poverty in our world and how believers can embrace their role to become the beginning to the end of suffering.

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From Purchases To Practices

by Andy Crouch

Many things have changed in America over the last 100 years. Unfortunately, this has resulted in devastating consequences, especially for those of us who follow Christ and seek to be creators and cultivators of culture.

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The Relevance Of Our Irrelevance (And Vice Versa)

by Chris Haw

We all believe that the church should be relevant. But what if our concept of "relevance" is grossly mistaken? We need to look no further than the examples of Israel and Jesus to see that in becoming irrelevant, we will become the movement of God’s people that he intended us to be all along.

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Every Monday Matters

by Matt Emerzian

Monday is everyone's least favorite day of the week. What would happen if people began their week with purpose by doing projects in their communities? Every Monday Matters promotes the fact that people have the power. People matter. No matter how big or small the actions, they matter. And not only do people have the power to make change, they have a social responsibility to do so. Not out of guilt, but out of an appreciation for every living thing in the world. Together, we will make a difference in the world and raise the collective consciousness, thereby creating a legacy worth participating in…one Monday at a time.

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Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

by Dan Merchant

Why is the Gospel of love dividing America? Dan Merchant talks about his new movie, Lord Save Us From Your Followers, which is due out in theaters September 2009.

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Project Love: Restoring A Bridge With the Gay Community

by Andrew Marin

Discover new paths toward educating and equipping both the religious and gay communities with a better understanding of one another, based on one man’s story and his extraordinary response.

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Living The Gospel In Culture

by Michael Metzger

In recent years, Christian societal engagement has been negatively influenced by a truncated view of the gospel. In this interview by Gabe Lyons, Mike Metzger discusses the importance of recapturing a historic view of the gospel, the difference between being provoked or offended by culture, and how your worldview expands when you work together in community.

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Glocalization: Engaging A Flat World

by Dr. Bob Roberts Jr.

In the past 150 years, decades of growth and development have culminated along specific lines of knowledge. The world is getting smaller. Take a journey through the eyes of a pastor simultaneously shaping culture in Texas and Vietnam to get a glimpse of the future.

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Imagination

by Rick McKinley

What does it look like for the Kingdom of God to be expressed through the gifts, passions, creativity and callings of the people in the church? Creating a platform for cultural creatives to work together can create a movement that will transform your city and the world.

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Cultural Elites | The Next Unreached People Group

by Eric Metaxas

Take a moment to reflect on and learn from the community approach of William Wilberforce and the Clapham Circle. Their story not only inspires us to work for change, but gives us a model of how to leverage cultural influence to bring solutions to the greatest needs of society.

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Get Saved!

by Rick McKinley

Christians are too concerned with converting people. They seem more concerned with keeping a toll on the people who they "get saved" rather then create genuine relationships with them. In the book, unChristian, 7 out of 10 people see Christians being insensitive to others and concerned only with converting people.

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Unchristian

by David Kinnaman

Groundbreaking research into the perceptions of 16 to 29-year-old non-Christians reveals that Christians have taken several giant steps backward in one of their most important assignments. Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. Young Americans share an impression of Christians that’s nothing short of unChristian.

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Picture Justice: Embracing Our Global Neighborhood

by Bethany Hoang

When the church finally understands and embraces a theology of justice, we can actively engage in matters of global concern that are also close to the heart of God.

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Not For Sale

by David Batstone

Slavery is illegal everywhere, yet there are 27 million slaves in the world today. Through the Not For Sale Campaign, thousands of inspired modern day abolitionists are joining together in open source activism to save humanity from this horrific way of life.

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Embracing Shalom

by Ron Martoia

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and completeness. It is easy to forget Those who bring Shalom to others are ushering God's original design to humanity. Listen as Dr. Ron Martoia explores the missional component of Shalom and how the Gospel and Shalom go hand in hand.

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My Friend Of Another Religion Doesn't Want To Become A Christian: Now What?

by Brian McLaren

What is my duty to my neighbor who is not a follower of Christ? Christ calls us to love our neighbor, not to condemn, persecute, or ignore him. Learn ten basic commandments that help put the one great commandment into practice.

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Radical Integrity

by Mike Foster

The Gospel is not about building another organization or ministry. It is about helping people come closer and closer to Jesus. Doing work like this requires both radical integrity. It is vitally important to our faith that we personally engage God and prepare our hearts in doing His good work on the earth.

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Influencing Culture

by Gabe Lyons

A unique opportunity for the church to once again shape future culture exists today. Explore a compelling vision for how the church can once again be a force for good in creating, sustaining and celebrating good culture.

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Social Mobility and Power

by Michael Lindsay

How do societal leaders exercise their faith within their circle of influence? The fact is that faith does compel the decisions that Evangelical leaders make. Michael Lindsay discusses his research that is compiled in the book, Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite. There is a great opportunity for Christians to practice their faith in the working world. Power is exercised through networks or what is known by in the church as, community. By creating, convening, and having a cosmopolitan power is where there are real hopeful signs for how Christians engage culture.

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An Apologetic for Justice

by Gary Haugen

Authentic Christianity demands the church to work against any genre of injustice. Christians must trust that God will bring joy and power when they are willing to look at the pain of the world. God's heart is on the side of those who are oppressed and we cannot ignore our commission to redeem the world.

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Common Grace

by Charles Colson

The term "common grace" has fallen at a disuse in modern times. However, the Reformers understood it be God's grace spilled out in life for the benefit of non-believers, as well as, believers. Saving grace is the grace that transforms us. Common grace is what the just and unjust alike experience when God's people work to restore things back to God's original design. Learn as Charles Colson dialogues about the call that all Christians have to cultural renewal.

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The Gospel is the centerpiece of God’s four-part story: creation, fall, redemption and restoration. This narrative represents the "first thing" of our faith and informs the way in which a Christian lives in the world.