by Brad Blocksom | Sep 15, 2015 | Church Life, Church Planting, Devotionals, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Prayer, Small Groups, World Misions
Acts 20:11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. (ESV) It was Sunday. Paul had already preached past midnight. They continued to talk and share a meal together (perhaps two...
by Brad Blocksom | Aug 25, 2015 | Church Life, Devotionals, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology
John 17:22-23 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world will know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (ESV)...
by Michael Sterns | Jul 24, 2015 | Church Life, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Engagement, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Family, Forgiveness, Healing, Immigration, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Preaching, Social Justice, The Vineyard Movement
Last week, I wrote on Rich Nathan’s discussion on biblical leadership which he gave at the International Vineyard Conference held in Columbus, Ohio. Now, I will try to highlight another speaker. During the morning session at the conference on Thursday July 9,...
by Brad Blocksom | Jun 17, 2015 | Devotionals, Discipleship, Messy Church, Money, Practical Theology, Sex, The Vineyard Movement
Luke 18:22b Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: and come follow me.” (ESV) The story of Jesus’ encounter with the rich ruler is abundantly clear! Cast off any and all things that hinder you from fully...
by Luke Geraty | Apr 17, 2015 | Church Life, Church Planting, Cultural Engagement, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelism, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Small Town Church
At this year’s Society of Vineyard Scholars annual meeting, focused on “Thinking with the Church, Thinking with the Vineyard,” features a panel featuring three of our ThinkTheology.org contributors: Brad Blocksom, Kenny Burchard, and Luke Geraty....
by Kenny Burchard | Feb 23, 2015 | Conflict Resolution, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Family, Forgiveness, Healing, Messy Church, Practical Theology
I can’t take any credit at all for the big idea that I want to share in this short post. In fact, I am shocked that I have lived with the Bible for so many years and had never really seen this as clearly as I was helped to see it (by the teaching pastor, and by...
by Brad Blocksom | Feb 17, 2015 | Church Life, Church Planting, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology
Bear with me for a minute: A guy (or gal) has a heart/gifting for evangelism. So what does he do? Does he become an evangelist? No she becomes the Pastor of a Church and endeavors to create an organization centered around her goal of soul-winning. She turns every...
by Think Theology | Feb 17, 2015 | Church Life, Cultural Engagement, Marriage, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Sex
Per our mission of fostering theological conversation, ThinkTheology.org is hosting a conversation between Bill Hoard and our very own Luke Geraty in regards to homosexuality and the Church. This is a six part series where Bill will offer a perspective and Luke will...
by Kenny Burchard | Jan 7, 2015 | Gender Issues, Marriage, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Preaching
I realize that I run the risk of severely caricaturing viewpoints when writing posts like this. I assure the reader in advance that this is not my goal. So, if things seem a little over-simplified or caricatured I invite you to jump in and add whatever clarification...
by Geno Olison | Nov 26, 2014 | Conflict Resolution, Cultural Engagement, Ethics, Ethnic Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Politics, Practical Theology, Social Media
I don’t usually say much (at least publicly/on social media) at the epicenter of these events, although there is usually plenty to say. I’ve had a half dozen or so serious conversations recently, mostly with a few of my white brothers, regarding the latest...
by Aimee Tiernan | Nov 2, 2014 | Conflict Resolution, Counseling, Family, Healing, Mental Illness, Messy Church, Parenting, Practical Theology
I was at church one day when the Smith family (names are changed) approached me asking me to pray for them. Their daughter Vanessa had started cutting on herself. They were distraught, worried, and had no idea what to do. They could not understand how their daughter...
by Think Theology | Oct 15, 2014 | Church Life, Ethics, Homosexuality, Messy Church, Practical Theology
Per our mission of fostering theological conversation, ThinkTheology.org is hosting a conversation between Bill Hoard and our very own Luke Geraty in regards to homosexuality and the Church. This is a six part series where Bill will offer a perspective and Luke will...
by James Henderson | Oct 14, 2014 | Church Life, Church Planting, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology
I’m not sure that house/organic/simple churches are the complete answer for reviving or “greening” the American Church. Historically, I can think of several movements in which small groups or house churches played a very positive role. For example, while the...
by Luke Geraty | Sep 26, 2014 | Church Life, Church Planting, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelism, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Small Groups, Small Town Church
As we’ve entered into the fall, our attendance at Trinity Christian Fellowship has been growing and we’re seeing new and old faces, together. It’s beautiful to see Jesus’ community gathered to experience the Spirit’s presence/empowerment....
by Think Theology | Sep 24, 2014 | Church Life, Ethics, Homosexuality, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology
Per our mission of fostering theological conversation, ThinkTheology.org is hosting a conversation between Bill Hoard and our very own Luke Geraty in regards to homosexuality and the Church. This is going to be a six part series where Bill will offer a perspective and...
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 17, 2014 | Church Life, Evangelicalism, Leadership, Messy Church, Practical Theology, Small Groups, Theological Training
While the idea of men walking between the two halves of a sacrificial animal as a means of ratifying a covenant may seem strange to our modern mindset, this is exactly what is being pictured when Yahweh “cut” a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15:18....
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 10, 2014 | Cross-Cultural Ministry, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Short-term
I recently read a comment in a long thread that I found to be pretty insightful, which asserts exactly that. Jim Wright makes a pretty good case for the idea that the way we typically help the poor (while well intentioned and does meet a real, felt, and very practical...
by Kenny Burchard | Sep 3, 2014 | Church Life, Conflict Resolution, Counseling, Ethics, Messy Church, Practical Theology
A few years ago I was the worship leader and an associate pastor in a large church. There was a new guy in the church who was an excellent guitar player, and who was looking for a way to both connect to people and re-connect in his relationship with Jesus. I started...
by Brad Blocksom | Sep 2, 2014 | Church Life, Church Planting, Disciple Making, Discipleship, Evangelicalism, Evangelism, Leadership, Messy Church, Missional, Practical Theology, Prayer, Small Groups
We’ve been talking a lot here at Think Theology lately about Ekklesia (church) thanks to Kenny Burchard and Luke Geraty. So I think what I have to say today will fit right in along that vein. Now I understand all the practical, logistical reasons why churches go...
by Luke Geraty | Aug 29, 2014 | Messy Church, The Vineyard Movement
The first Vineyard church I attended was the Smoky Hill Vineyard and the date was sometime in the early 90’s. At the time the church was meeting at a local middle school and it was the first “church plant” that our family ever attended. The worship...
