I start this blog for the purpose of conversations engaging the issues of being the church in postmodernity. In particular may the thoughts blogged here and the accounts of everyday doing church described herein, promote the furthering of Christ’s church among evangelicals as we seek to figure out what it means to do church at the end of modernity. As the influence of the Enlightenment wanes and the presumptions we have based our lives upon decline, let us engage seriously and with humor, what it means to be evangelicals as modernity crashes and burns.

The blog’s title is The Great Giveaway, after the recent book of mine released by Baker. It reminds of the accusation that we have “given away” being the church to techniques, democratic and republican politics, democracy and capitalism, consumerism and other modern maladies. We have packaged and commoditized our faith in Christ. And so I aim to blog, in conversation with many I am already hearing from who have read the book, and those who have not, how can we receive back what it means to do and be Christ’s church in North America.

I do not aim to publish papers on this blog. I will hold my entries to one or two large paragraphs at most. This is the Web for St. Pete’s sake (although I doubt he cares that much). I will try to put enough to summarize a key issue and make a point. I invite any all comments as conversation. This is a blog and I will do my best to keep it a blog.

For Christ, His Kingdom and His church.