New England Perspectives
A regularly updated collection of articles written by New England leaders and thinkers. Looking for news articles? Click here.
Our (Not-So-Secret) Weapon
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said, “if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The reference here is not our love for nonbelievers (as important as that is), but Christian love for one another. Our love as a church is our not-so-secret weapon to witness to the world about Jesus Christ. The local church, far from an obstacle to evangelism, is the God-ordained means to share the Gospel with the world.
We Need Shepherds
We are skeptical of authority, perhaps more so than any previous generation. It’s in our DNA. As Americans, we are, after all, born of a revolution from the tyrant King George III. In the last 250 years, our anti-authoritarian sentiment has only grown stronger. Reinforcing it, we have seen political figures get suspiciously wealthy, the “Me Too” movement expose business leaders and movie moguls, and social media billionaires playing god behind the curtain. We have reason to be wary. But is this ever-defiant attitude healthy?
Jesus Versus the Church?
There is a rumor going around that Jesus doesn’t much like the church. He is sort of annoyed with his bride, or outright disgusted by her. Some might even suggest a breakup. This perceived animosity has led people to the conclusion they can love Jesus and hate the church.
The Case for Denominations
Denominations as a whole are in decline, and the number of non-denominational churches is increasing, “13 percent of total American adults now identify as non-denominational. That is more than all mainline denominations combined” (Thom Rainer). Making a case for denominations today is like canoeing the Mighty Mississippi... upstream. However, it might be worth the effort to at least make the case.
Local Church Fallacies
We hear the refrain that church is unnecessary more frequently nowadays. The idea is that church is an optional club Christians can either choose to take part in or not, and going to church is a sort of side issue in the real business of following Jesus. Let’s briefly attempt to address some local church fallacies.