Rusty Rushing

@danwhitejr It’s a “contact” sport!

Discipleship is more than a solo endeavor surrounded by your favorite books, podcasts, and youtube clips - it's a local journey with others in availability and vulnerability.

@fitchest How does this compare to McKnight’s Revelation for the Rest of Us? Thanks.

THIS BOOK by Michael Gorman profoundly deepened my reading of Revelation. I read it 15 years ago. We preached through it at Life On The Vine Christian Community. It could not be a more timely read.

Beautiful

@richvillodas While this is true, I don’t think this phenomenon is limited to Evangelical Christianity. I think it also applies to progressive and mainline forms as well.

Evangelical Christianity in the United States is often characterized by a deep desire to have “Christianity” pervade our culture but not have Christ permeate our being.

@RalphCarter @erichoke That doesn’t change the point.

@Rusty__Rushing @erichoke I think he means normative sized meaning most churches are this size. That is the terminology that is being used today for the under 250 attendance church instead of calling it a small church.

One of my biggest mistakes in leading a normal-sized church was having a communication strategy that was for a larger church. Let me explain: We’re holding a back to school block party. Post it on social media. Pay someone to make a flyer. Hand out said flyers by the subway. Pay for AdWords for our immediate neighbors. Block party happens. New people come, they never return. You send them generic emails hoping they return. They ignore you when they see you in the bodega or laundromat. The better way (for a church of our size): Hold a meeting for everyone post service to talk block party. Pray for people in our lives who might be interested in the block party. Commit to invite those people with us to attend the block party. New people come, and are more likely to come back because they have a connection. Individually thank people who brought friends, and schedule time for you all to grab dinner or coffee together. Build relationships, grow. Basically, more high touch. I get how this isn’t doable as the church gets larger (at least not by the pastor only) but it’s one of my biggest regrets about my time leading a normal sized church and I hope someone can learn from my shortcomings.

Got a feeling Spencer’s gonna make a lot of GMs look stupid…Go be great #7!

@ryancduff If that’s your/their experience, imho, you chose the wrong seminary. My experience was nothing like that. It was formative, enlightening, and spiritually enriching. I wasn’t told what to believe—I was challenged to discover what I believed and why.

This may be offensive and I'm sorry... but I am deeply grieved by the status of our seminaries and am starting to think they are nothing more than an invention of the devil to break the spirit of well intentioned believers trying to learn more. I've tried to keep an open mind but the more and more people (particularly ones I know) come out the other side who had vibrant relationships with the Lord but are now a shell of their former selves is deeply troubling. You're forced to comply and think the way they tell you to think. If you have daring thoughts or push something slightly outside the bounds, you risk getting kicked out. In the end, everyone comes out looking like all the other graduates, citing your theology from extra-biblical sources. This is not how it's supposed to be! The way we get formed in Christ is by communing with Him in the secret place. That's it. Almost every person I know who is on fire for the Lord, walking in the power of God and being bold in their faith has spent large amounts of time alone in their room with the Lord. And then there are the seminary graduates-- almost all of who do not walk in the power of God, because they've been taught that power does not exist today. I don't know about you but I'd prefer a bold, living, powerful faith over a dead faith that exists only in my head. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

A church that sees the cross of Jesus as the central event of history can never identify any political order with the reign of God.

⁦@BenjaminSWatson⁩

Look at our ⁦@GamecockFB⁩ BUILD!! We are so proud of the community work and volunteerism our student/athletes participate in. Not to mention the great team bonding that takes place! #Together #SB

@johnmarkclifton @Lifeway I tend to think it’s a rapid scheduled disassembly. It’s a pruning. God is doing a new thing.

In the year 2000 the median worship attendance in USA was 137. Today median worship attendance in USA is 65. (@Lifeway research). - that’s some “rapid unscheduled disassembly”

@CoachSBeamer Had the privilege of unexpectedly meeting your parents & sister this morning at the church where I pastor and Casey’s children attend(ed) preschool. I was a bit starstruck meeting your Dad. I did have on a Carolina polo, so I hope they all understood my reaction!

Hate that I couldn’t be in Charlotte tonight for ⁦@GamecockBasebll⁩ Great to see my parents , sister and nephews representing ⁦@GamecocksOnline⁩ though Let’s get this W !! 🤙🏻

What is the proper meme for Pastors on Sunday night?

@JustinKing I was sitting in the end zone to the left of the UT band and hardly heard them all night, much less over Sandstorm and the crowd. That's just bull.

Unedited audio. Y’all be the judge.

Christians need the gospel as much as non-Christians do.

“Hope is hearing the melody of the future; faith is dancing to that melody here and now.” Brazilian theologian Rubem Alves (1933-2014) #faithhopeslove

I believe with all my heart that renewal is coming to the church. But it won’t be the revival of us taking back anything; it’s gonna be the revival of us laying down everything. It’s the church returning to the way of the cross. We are Jesus people.

Thanks @AdamMGrant! I need this reminder today.

The brilliance of Jesus political strategy is that he doesn't grab us by the shirt and shout in our face; he invites us to supper and tells us a subversive story.