Blog
All blog posts are written by Chip Warren and intended for the edification of Christ-followers in their daily lives.
Can the church become the center of community life once again?
For centuries, the local church was the center of community life in America. In a few places it still is to some degree, especially in rural areas and small towns. The community gathers for the usual Sunday services and Sunday School, along with an occasional dinner on the grounds, family reunions, VBS, weddings, funerals, and in some cases voting. During war time or other national crises, people of the community would flock to the local
The Epilogue Changes Everything
I became a fan of The Andy Griffith Show after it originally aired in the 1960’s when many stations began the reruns. One thing that fans know now is this: Many scenes, including the epilogue, were cut to allow time for commercials. When the show began to come out on VHS tapes and then later DVD’s, those omitted scenes and epilogues were included. For some of the episodes, the epilogue changed everything. They
Who is Influencing You & Who Are You Influencing?
Intercession is the key to influence Are you a person who wants to influence others, or are you a person who is easily influenced by others? If you are a parent, do you want your kids to influence others for good or to be influenced by others for bad? If you are a Christian, you were “created for influence,” which is the title of a book that I will mention later. The church was
My life wasn’t supposed to turn out this way
Have you looked at your life lately and said to yourself, “My life wasn’t supposed to turn out this way.”? I suspect most of us have at one time or another. The nice neighborhood we moved into ten or twenty years ago is slowing deteriorating. The church I grew up in has changed so much that I no longer look forward to worshipping there. I had to move into a nursing home. My kids have
Celebrating 250 Years of God’s Faithfulness
As America celebrates her 250th birthday, I say to her as I say to my family and many friends on their birthdays, “Celebrating 250 years of God’s faithfulness and goodness to you.” There is no doubt that the hand the God was on the founding of our nation, and his hand of blessing has been upon us since July 4, 1776 and even before. Even Thomas Paine wrote this about our founding: “There has been
The Church of the Greener Grass
Have you ever wondered why a certain church become the one that everyone in town wants to go to? I know I have. And then why does that church lose that status and almost overnight another church takes that status? This is a strange phenomenon indeed. I have witnessed this in the community we currently live. I have witnessed the exodus of people who had been members of some churches most of their lives to