January 25, 2008

Weekly Round-Up: Witchcraft, Charismatic Excess, Missions-Minded Churches, and Islam

Here's this week's round-up:

1) Anthony Bugembe, "Does witchcraft really work?" in the Sunday Vision newspaper (Uganda). This is a brief piece on witchcraft in African culture, maintaining its incompatibility with Christianity.

2) Kevin O'Connor, "Pastors - why no pothole miracles?" in the Sunday Monitor newspaper (Uganda). Here is a cynical commentary on the charismatic excesses often found in Uganda and East Africa.

3) Ken Sorrell, "Is Your Church Missions-Minded?" on the SBC Impact! blog. A Southern Baptist missionary thinks through what it really means to be a missions-minded church. Hint: it involves a lot more than having missionaries speak and giving money to overseas ministries!

4) Rob Bowman, "Introduction to Christian Apologetics" on the Parchment and Pen blog. Bowman is a top-rate evangelical scholar that is teaching an upcoming online course. I would highly recommend enrolling if at all possible. The class will certainly be well worth the money.

5) John Piper, "A Common Word Between Us?" on the Desiring God blog. Pastor and theologian John Piper provides some important and insightful words on the Islamic document "A Common Word Between Us and You" as well as the response to it from 300 Christian leaders. Here is the video: