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All Posts By

Ken

Apr 11
Love0

What Would Jesus Say to the Next President

By Church
According to the Federal Election Commission, more than 470 people are running for president of the United States in 2016. You’re probably aware of the remaining two Democrats and three Republicans. But what about the other 465? There’s … Tami Stainfield who represents "No Party" and speaks in tongues. Pogo Allen-Reese, also known as “Patriot Prancer.” He's a former male stripper whose campaign slogan is “You judge a man by the content of his character, instead of the color of his costume.” Tiffani Mims. When asked what qualified her to run for president, responding by pointing to her experience in the Theta Mu Math Club in high school. If none of the 470 candidates appeal to you, don’t forget that Kanye West announced last year that he would run in 2020. To everyone except political junkies, presidential election years have all the charm of an extended toothache. The Economist magazine…
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Apr 08
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Influence or Inform

By Preaching
As a student of public speaking, I'm always watching and analyzing how people communicate. Whether it's on television, at a play, or just sitting in Starbucks, there are certain key ingredients to effective communication. The list can be rather long: presence, voice, style, word choice, authenticity, structure, content ... we could keep going. One distinction I've been reflecting on lately has been the difference between communicating in order to influence and communicating simply to inform. As a pastor and preacher, my natural bent is to communicate to influence. That's not to say we don't inform. We certainly do. In fact, to truly influence requires solid information otherwise the influence will be short-lived, perhaps even harmful. Here's a mistake I see many communicators make: they desire to influence but simply inform. Every public speaker has to be clear about the goal of their speech -- if it is to influence or…
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Apr 05
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Toxins in the Air

By Church, General
I am disheartened. Not about the absolute refusal of winter to leave Colorado. Nor am I disheartened for not having tickets to the upcoming Justin Bieber concert in Denver. If I did have tickets, then my daughter (who does have tickets) would be disheartened for my being there at the same time. I am disheartened by the current state of our politics, particularly our political discourse. No one is surprised when politicians think and act politically. No one is surprised that pundits and commentators are intentionally harsh around the edges of an issue. That's what gets them attention and air time. Name-calling, shout outs, and shout downs. I'm told it's "entertaining" television. Well, I for one, am not entertained by it. Did I mention I am disheartened? I'm not disheartened because political action figures stake out divisive positions. I'm disheartened because of the lack of civility that has crept (or…
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Apr 04
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What Would Jesus Say to Caitlyn Jenner

By Church
The church I grew up in went through a major conflict over the topic of “social drinking.” Not social studies or social media. The question was if a Christian could have an occasional glass of wine or beer. It wasn't about getting drunk - that answer was obvious. Other churches drew the boundaries over whether a Christian could play cards, go to the movies, or wear shorts at a church-sponsored event. In fact, for one brief moment in 1991, I actually interviewed for a youth pastor position in Nashville. I was asked about my “policy” for letting kids wear shorts. I found out that my answer -- “Well, if it’s hot” – was the wrong answer! There are two truths every generation must face: Every generation thinks things are worse than used to be. Every generation has its own set of issues that it must wrestle with. In 1951, Richard…
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Mar 29
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What Would Jesus Say to …

By Church
Our next series starts this weekend and is called, “What Would Jesus Say to …?” What would Jesus say to Caitlyn Jenner, the next president, Planned Parenthood, Miley Cyrus, and Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg? If you live in South Denver, I hope you’ll join us for this five-part series that will explore what Jesus would say about the issues that dominate social media, the news, and conversations at work. Rather than avoid these topics, as the church is sometimes tempted to do, my goal is to provide you with a biblical framework so you can have an informed conversation with your kids, neighbors, or coworkers.
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