Mark A. Kellner

KELLNER: David Jeremiah brings 5,000 to NYC to celebrate Bible

New York City is known for many things, but a hotbed of religious activity might not be the first thing people think of in the "city that never sleeps." Nevertheless, that's where the Rev. David Jeremiah, the megachurch pastor from San Diego, headed for a celebration of the Bible on Dec. 5 at Madison Square Garden.

December 12, 2013

KELLNER: Yes, Bible can be mined for health principles

Is the Bible merely a holy book to be read during worship services and for personal devotion? Or can the Scriptures offer clues to better living?

December 5, 2013

KELLNER: 3-D Imax ‘Jerusalem’ sure to enthrall, educate

I've been to Jerusalem five times, and each time I learned something new. On my most recent trip, in June 2012, I learned June may not be the best time of year to visit: it was monstrously hot, and, frankly, I suffered!

November 28, 2013

KELLNER: Rabbi, imam plead for understanding in ‘Sons of Abraham’

The seemingly intractable problems of the Middle East — and, indeed, the rest of the world where Christians, Jews and Muslims exist and sometimes collide — might have a simple solution: We need to listen to what everyone is saying so that we might understand each other.

November 21, 2013

KELLNER: How (else) to read the Bible, 140 characters per chapter

On one level, "The Twible: All the Chapters of the Bible in 140 Characters or Less" might seem, well, just a hair short of sacrilegious: summarize each of the Bible's 1,189 chapters in the 140-character limit of a Twitter tweet. On another, it's just plain fun, which might well be one way to approach the overall themes of Scripture.

November 14, 2013

KELLNER: At world gathering, a troubling comment on evangelizing

The 10-day ecumenical lovefest known as the World Council of Churches draws to a close Friday, leaving this South Korean coastal city little changed other than the bulging coffers of many restaurateurs, hoteliers and taxi drivers. I'm not sure whether it did all that much for Christianity, however.

November 7, 2013

KELLNER: Going ‘all in’ to transform one’s relationship with God

There are many ways of measuring the impact of a church on its community and the world at large. Here's one you don't often see: A leading management authority cited Ebenezer's Coffee House, a project of Capitol Hill-based National Community Church, as a prime example of what organizations should do to connect with their neighbors.

October 31, 2013

KELLNER: Preacher Joel Osteen wants readers to ‘Break Out!’

It's difficult for people to be neutral about Joel Osteen. The television preacher seems either to be loved or hated by millions of people, many of the latter having never heard or read a word of his.

October 24, 2013

KELLNER: Author’s parables reveal path to better parenting

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a parable is "a short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson." Andy Andrews, a writer who lives on Alabama's Gulf Coast, writes novels, not short stories, but he tells parables nonetheless. And, I believe they're parables worth reading — and heeding.

October 17, 2013

KELLNER: Mormon leaders open up about church’s shortcomings

While much recent attention has focused on the fresh attitudes and media savvy of Pope Francis, now in his eighth month as bishop of Rome, another major denomination, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is also seeing its top leaders express a refreshing level of candor.

October 10, 2013

KELLNER: If humor defines Jewishness, ‘Unscrolled’ fits the bill

The release this week of a major new survey of Jewish Americans by the Pew Research Center revealed several intriguing points, but the one that caught my eye was that 42 percent of those polled assert that having a good sense of humor is essential to their Jewish identity.

October 3, 2013

KELLNER: A time to ‘discover what God might be calling us to do’

American Christians have some "Unfinished" business, Rich Stearns asserts, and not just because that's the title of a book he recently released via Thomas Nelson Publishers.

September 26, 2013

KELLNER: Century-old ideas of ‘personal holiness’ more vital today

He's been dead for 77 years, and Samuel Logan Brengle's influence was chiefly limited in his lifetime to the Salvation Army, a scrappy evangelical church as much as a social services mission, and to the relatively small cluster of evangelical Protestant congregations comprising the "holiness movement."

September 19, 2013

KELLNER: Scholar delves into Mormon ‘lessons’ for Christians

The unsuccessful 2012 presidential campaign of Mitt Romney brought with it at least one potentially positive byproduct: a greater public examination — and perhaps more understanding — of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more popularly known as Mormons, after the church's Book of Mormon, which members consider "another testament of Jesus Christ."

September 12, 2013

KELLNER: Popular author Max Lucado wrestles with the question of suffering

Even if you've never met him, Max Lucado has a message for your darkest hours: "You'll get through this." That, in fact, is the title of the newest book from the well-known Christian author and the "preaching minister" at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio for the past 25 years.

September 5, 2013

KELLNER: ‘Left Behind’ author scores again with novel on Paul

Saul of Tarsus, later known to Christians as the Apostle Paul, is one of the most compelling — and controversial — figures in the history of the faith. Some say he "invented" what we know today as Christianity, putting his spin on Jesus' teachings, amplifying and expanding the Gospel message via letters, or epistles, to various branches of the then-nascent movement.

August 29, 2013

KELLNER: A woman not ‘fixed’ but ‘redeemed’

There are words some of Sheila Walsh's friends used to say to her that, she notes, "aren't found in the New Testament."

August 22, 2013

KELLNER: Keep victims of persecution in prayers

One of the greatest things about living in the U.S. is the freedom of religion granted under the Constitution's First Amendment. You and I can attend worship services at any church, synagogue, mosque, meeting house, temple or assembly and do so without too much hassle.

August 15, 2013

KELLNER: Pastor’s message: Treat fellow Christians in Christian manner

It's safe to say that Michael Cheshire is not a happy man. At least not when he's talking about how evangelical Christian churches treat their own, especially when their own have stumbled.

August 8, 2013

New Salvation Army world leader wants spiritual focus

Taking over a global organization best known for its social service work, the Salvation Army's new international leader said in an interview he wants the Christian movement's religious work to take center stage for the 1.7-million member church.

August 6, 2013