by Robby McAlpine | Apr 25, 2017 | Church Life, Discipleship, Leadership, Practical Theology
“Do you know why retired pastors always sit at the back of the church?” he asked, with a knowing wink. I smile back, shaking my head. “I have absolutely no idea. Why?” His grin broadened even more, and he leaned back in his chair with a hearty laugh. “Because we can!”...
by Robby McAlpine | Apr 7, 2017 | Discipleship, Ethics, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
Before reading any further, take a moment to soak in the statement captured in the image above. In some ways, that picture+insight could simply exist as a blog post on its own, without any need for elaboration. But writers just can’t resist. My own trajectory as a...
by Luke Geraty | Mar 20, 2017 | Church Life, Discipleship, Practical Theology
I’ve long been intrigued by the elusive subject of Christian discipleship. As a “child of the church,” having spent the entirety of my life in and around churchianity, I’m well versed in numerous definitions of what it means to be a disciple...
by Luke Geraty | Mar 14, 2017 | Church Life, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Cultural Engagement, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelism, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Preaching
Over the years I’ve been approached by a few people who wanted to either use the gifts they believed they had or be trained and equipped to minister through speaking (e.g., preaching, teaching, training, etc.). In simple terms, they wanted opportunities to speak...
by Luke Geraty | Jan 4, 2017 | Church Life, Discipleship, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
Reading through the Gospels and taking Jesus’ words seriously, not to mention reading through both the Old and New Testaments, leads me to the conclusion that it’s perfectly “normal” for followers of Jesus to face persecution and to suffer. I...
by Robby McAlpine | Dec 31, 2016 | Church Life, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Engagement, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Ethics, Leadership, Missional, Practical Theology, Revival, Small Groups
“I’ve decided to stay out of those discussions, until I can be sure that we can have a non-hysterical conversation about it.” A “non-hysterical conversation”… The moment my friend casually uttered that phrase, I was immediately...
by Robby McAlpine | Dec 22, 2016 | Discipleship, Evangelism, Practical Theology, Preaching, Revival, Social Justice
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord…” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with...
by Robby McAlpine | Dec 7, 2016 | Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Practical Theology
Every now and then, I hear (or read) something that mocks the idea of Jesus as a “personal Savior”. The rationale is usually along the lines of: “What? You think you own Jesus, or something? Like, He’s your personal Savior — what a...
by Robby McAlpine | Nov 24, 2016 | Conflict Resolution, Cultural Engagement, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Leadership, Practical Theology, Revival
If it hasn’t been obvious before, it’s obvious now — as in: ‘how could you possibly miss it?’ — that evangelicals need to do some serious soul-searching, humble themselves, and REPENT. And no, actually, this isn’t just a cheap...
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 27, 2016 | Church Life, Church Planting, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Cultural Engagement, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Family, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Money, Practical Theology, Prayer, Preaching, Small Groups
I came across these podcasts and, quite frankly, they were pretty eye opening for me (they’re kind of all related). So I wanted to share them here and see if we could get some good discussion going in the comments below. And, here they are: This one talks about...
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 11, 2016 | Church Life, Devotionals, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Small Groups
2 John 12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. (ESV) John is such a person of the heart. He prefers to be there face to face, so that he can...
by Michael Sterns | Sep 5, 2016 | Bonhoeffer, Discipleship, Practical Theology
“Let [the one] who cannot be alone beware of community… Let [the one] who is not in community beware of being alone… Each by itself has profound perils and pitfalls. One who wants fellowship without solitude plunges into the void of words and...
by Michael Sterns | Jul 9, 2016 | Discipleship, Practical Theology
“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” ― Abraham Kuyper God is sovereign. That’s something we’re all taught in Sunday School. Or maybe we’ve heard it...
by Brad Blocksom | May 23, 2016 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Healing, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
Hebrews 5:2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. (ESV) As humans we are filled with weakness, tempted, sinful. Jesus experienced this same weakness and temptation – “yet without sin” (4:15). By...
by Kenny Burchard | Feb 19, 2016 | Discipleship, Practical Theology
Two daughters are fully restored by Jesus (Mark 5:21-43) — So much of what happens in Mark 4 & 5 involves Jesus teaching beside the sea of Galilee (Mk. 4:1-34), crossing the sea and calming a storm (Mk. 4:35-41), delivering a demoniac once he reaches the...
by Brad Blocksom | Feb 9, 2016 | Cross-Cultural Ministry, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Leadership, Missional, Practical Theology
So you may recall that I have written in the past here on the Missional Model vs. the Attractional model for Church. I’ve also written here that the commonly used metrics of Butts in Seats & “Decisions” for Christ are poor measures of an...
by Robby McAlpine | Jan 19, 2016 | Cultural Engagement, Discipleship, Ethics, Evangelism, Messy Church, Practical Theology
There was this guy in the Old Testament who gets a lot of bad press. And when you read his story, you gotta admit: he deserves it. If anything, he serves mainly as an example of how not to do life. His name was Lot. He was Abraham’s opportunistic nephew, who has...
by Brad Blocksom | Jan 13, 2016 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Ethics, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Preaching
2 Cor. 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful and underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (ESV) Wow, this...
by Able Baker | Jan 4, 2016 | Discipleship
I remember growing up listening to sermons on Revelation 3:15-16: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” The preacher...
by Robby McAlpine | Dec 30, 2015 | Disciple Making, Discipleship, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology
And now for something completely different. Many times over the years, I’ve been amazed at how people belittle theology and theologians. At times, they are treated with the kind of contempt usually reserved for Dastardly Pastors. Theology occurs when ANYONE...
