The death of George Floyd has underscored a hunger in our cities and around the world for justice, reconciliation, and renewal. READ MORE
Ecclesiology
Posts focusing attention on the theological and practical nature and reality of Church
Reflections on Where We Are
We have so much still to learn, but we are making headway, and for this we give all glory and praise to the Head of our Church, Jesus Christ. READ MORE
Remarks Following the Death of George Floyd
Pastor Matthew shared the following remarks with the New Hope Church community during the time of lament in the worship gathering on Sunday, May 31, 2020, less than a week after George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. These past several days I’ve been in Tennessee because, as many of you know by now, my mom READ MORE
Reflections on the American Church and Global Ministry
At a global ministry conference in Beirut, Lebanon, I was asked to share my reflections on the state of the American church and the implications of my observations for global ministry. Here is a survey of what I shared: First, evangelicalism, which is a rich theological construct, has been co-opted by American politics and is READ MORE
The Mark of a Disciple
It is rather simple, really, this defining mark of a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus, of course, sums it up quite well with his pithy imperatives nestled within Mark 8:34. Here is what he says: And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let READ MORE
Loved By God
The essence of being a disciple is moving toward Jesus and taking others with you. When all is said and done, it is really that simple. This is liberating. It allows for a variety of ways to do this, recognizing the unique wiring of many different people, their circumstances, contexts, and so forth. To be READ MORE