Article on “The Banner” – “Redeeming Ritual”

Protestants tend to brace themselves at the mention of the R-word: ritual. The word is a trigger evoking a Reformation history that has sunk into our bones. We associate ritual with dead orthodoxy, “vain repetition,” the denial of grace, trying to earn salvation, scoring points with God, “going through the motions,” and various other forms [...]

At the Crossroads…

This past Sunday, November 7, I attended worship at Crossroads Community Church in Goshen, Indiana. This church has made quite a splash in the Church of the Nazarene as one of the fastest growing churches in our area by utilizing the attractional church model. The music was performance driven with a keyboardist leading the songs [...]

Visiting Mars …

This past Sunday (Oct 24), I visited the Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. Just outside Grand Rapids, Mars Hill has been meeting in a vacant mall complex.  They do not have a sign anywhere; the only information is on the entrance doors.  We drove around the building the night before, and I am [...]