Todd Engstrom

Author: Todd Engstrom

  • Verge Conference

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    Todd Engstrom
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    The Austin Stone is hosting a National Missional Community Conference called Verge. The Verge Conference is unique in that it is committed to the development and multiplication of missional communities. The theme of the Verge Conference is The DNA of Gospel Movements, and will focus on movement strategies and practices to help pastors, church planters,…

  • Together for Adoption Conference

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    I’m headed out tomorrow to make the trek to Franklin, TN for the Together for Adoption conference.  I’m really looking forward to spending time with some of our TASCC staff processing through God’s movement in our hearts for adoption, as well as connecting with some new friends in the adoption world. Please keep us in…

  • Forgiveness in Marriage and The Gospel

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    I spent a considerable amount of time in our Nearly/Newly Wed class this Sunday laying the Scriptural foundation of marriage in class in order to demonstrate that the purpose of marriage, as Paul highlights in Ephesians 5:31-32, is to demonstrate Christ and His glory to the world. One implication of thinking about marriage this way…

  • For Those Considering Marriage – The Freedom of the Gospel

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    I’ve been preparing some teaching for our Nearly/Newly Wed class at The Austin Stone, and thinking on the gospel and its implications in our marriages.  Here are some of the thoughts I have for couples considering marriage: Trusting the good news of Jesus and his work on your behalf frees you from: Getting married because…

  • Lessons Learned in Fatherhood

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    We’ve had a pretty rough week in our house this week, most notably because our oldest son came down with croup.  The first night, we slept in shifts as our son continued to wake up terrified and having difficulty breathing.  After a trip to the doctor, we thought we had the problem solved with a…

  • The Whole and Heart of the Gospel | Cardus

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    Todd Engstrom
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    I found this summary from Ray Pennings (HT: Kevin Young) of Reformed theological positions on cultural/social engagement to be particularly helpful in identifying the predominant understandings churches tend to have of gospel and culture.  Below is the core of the article: Neocalvinism focuses on the comprehensiveness of the gospel claim. “Every square inch” belongs to…

  • A Gospel-Centered Reader | Timmy Brister

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    Todd Engstrom
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    I stumbled across this resource a couple of weeks ago, but neglected to post it…the link below is an excellent compilation of Gospel-centered resources from Timmy Brister.  Give it a look! A Gospel-Centered Reader Timmy also just posted a links to Soma Community’s resources of “Living Inside the Gospel Story” here.  I’m planning on doing…

  • Called | JD Greear

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    Todd Engstrom
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    I loved JD Greear‘s thoughts on calling as they are seeking to plant 1000 churches in 40 years.  Below is the excerpt: First, calling is not: * Necessarily a Burning Bush/Damascus Road/Warm Fuzzy experience. We all want the Mark Driscoll, “God told me to marry Grace, plant churches, and train men” kind of experience, and…

  • Avoiding the Bureaucratic Death Spiral | What’s Best Next

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    Todd Engstrom
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    Matt Perman pulled a great quote from a book that I love, Good to Great by Jim Collins, over at What’s Best Next.  The basic gist (for those who won’t read below), is that bureaucracy kills entrepreneurial spirit, while discipline sustains it. Entrepreneurial success is fueled by creativity, imagination, bold moves into uncharted waters, and…

  • College Ministry Links

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    Todd Engstrom
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    There were two great posts about college ministry today that I wanted to point out to you: 6 Essentials of College Ministry from The Resurgence – this is some great practical wisdom for particular issues we face on college campuses. College Ministry Poles: Cooperation vs. Independence by Benson Hines – an excellent post on interaction…

  • Freshman Ministry at The Austin Stone | Gentrified

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    Ever wondered what The Austin Stone is doing with Freshmen this fall?  Check out what my friend Logan Gentry and the College Team have cooked up for Freshmen below: — We’ll be dealing with 6 issues that focus on Gospel, Community, & Mission and answering the essential questions of what it means to believe in…

  • The Spiritual Openness Continuum | the SENTinel

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    My new friend Steve Lutz has done some good work on articulating the relative breakdowns of students at Penn State on their “spiritual openness continuum”.  I’d suspect it looks fairly similar on most state university campuses (±5%): +2 Actively looking, open people (churched, professing Christian, or on the verge). 3% of the student population +1…