Column Title: In Search of Right Words: Saint Augustine, Rhetoric, and Preaching By Brandon Knight, Ph.D. William Carey University April: “Preaching to Entertain” Column Description: Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, in his work On Christian Doctrine, illustrates the important relationship between preaching and rhetoric. Even in his day, many questioned what use the church could possibly gain from the study …
Quote of the week, The Source of Your Depression, by Rumi, 13th century poet
Quote of the Week “Your depression is connected to your insolence / And your refusal to praise. If a man or woman is / On the path, and refuses to praise—that man or woman / Steals from others every day—in fact is a shoplifter!”[i]—Rumi, thirteenth-century poet Source [i] Rumi, “Praising Manner,” trans. Coleman Barks, in The Winged Energy of Delight: …
A Prayer to Preserve Us from Faithless Fears, by William Bright
Preserve Us from Faithless Fears O most loving Father, you want us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but losing you, and to cast all our anxiety on you because you care for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light …
Quote of the Week, by Flannery O’Connor
“ . . . to the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind you draw large and startling figures.” —Flannery O’Connor, Christian novelist and essayist Source: Flannery O’Connor, Collected Works (New York: Library of America, 1988), 949. Thanks to Christina Bieber and her work, which pointed us to the quote from O’Connor.
Call for Book Review, Family Communication and the Christian Faith
CALL FOR BOOK REVIEW: Journal of Christian Teaching Practice is seeking a reviewer for Family Communication and the Christian Faith (Integratio Press), by Jonathan Pettigrew and Diane M. Badzinski. Amazon Associates Link for book We’re especially looking for someone who researches and/or teaches family communication at a Christian institution to do the review. Our time frame is flexible. If you are interested, please reach …
Devotional, Penetrating Prayer, by Donna Elkins
Penetrating Prayer Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV) In the early 1970s, two psychologists studied how individuals grew closer to each other in interpersonal relationships. They believed the key to developing a deeper interpersonal relationship was self-disclosure. Like the layers of an …
A Prayer for Help and Comfort, by Howard Snyder and Richard Rohr
Lord Jesus, I come to you for help and comfort just now. I sense my profound need of you. Wash me anew in your grace. Live in me by your Spirit, that I may have strength to serve you with faith and joy, I pray. Amen. * * * It feels so insignificant, and yet this is the …
Vlog entry, Discerning and Listening Skills, with Stephanie Bennett
Description: [in this episode] Is there a tool in our communication treasure chest that can help us feel more confident and steady in our faith? Yes, indeed! It is not a one-size-fits-all way of gaining the Lord’s guidance, but it is a way to gain spiritual muscle, and that way is called discernment. We learn to “walk in the Spirit” as …
Quote of the week, The Essence of Hospitality in a Divided Culture, by Henri Nouwen
The Essence of Hospitality in a Divided Culture “Hospitality, therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but …
Column Entry, Following Christ “Outside the Camp” (Holy Week), by John Hatch
Column title: Crossed My Mind: Thoughts on Culture and Communication Column entry: Following Christ “Outside the Camp” (Holy Week) By John Hatch, Ph.D. Eastern University (retired) CCSN Senior Fellow Column Description: As Christians, we are called to have the mind of Christ. This goes against the grain of our social and cultural conditioning. We seek personal or political advancement; Christ …
