According to the World Almanac, there are 168 Christian denominations in 13 major groupings in the United States. There is no way to get a total on how many church networks there are in this country. No association of non-denominational community churches exists that could tally their numbers. The best I can do is a […]
Read MoreWhat will church cultures look like in America as it transitions into the post-Christian era? Pivotal for my understanding of a fresh perspective on church life was the study of Gordon Fee’s 967-page book God’s Empowering Presence (1994)—his careful and thorough study of the 169 references to the Spirit in the Apostle Paul’s letters. He […]
Read MoreMainline churches traditionally emphasize a transcendent spiritual experience, meaning above and beyond the ordinary. They meet in settings very different from weekday environments. Worship happens in special buildings (sanctuaries with stained glass windows) and in special clothing (gowns and Sunday-best) with organ music now associated only with churches. Sunday is meant to be a weekly […]
Read MorePoet T. S. Eliot famously observed, “We had the experience but missed the meaning.” All practicing Christians have had experiences of the Spirit. Most Christians in traditional churches weren’t taught the meaning. Eliot was referring to the “sudden illumination” of meaning beyond temporary circumstances, deep meaning across generations. Christians have moments of sudden illumination of […]
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