Discovering that a friend has been blogging is always a pleasant surprise.  I enjoy reading folks I’ve not met, but I much prefer the thoughts, questions and critique of those I know.  Consider this another reason why I still appreciate the blog format.

Nick Liao is someone I met through our church.  Over dinner the other night he mentioned that he occasionally writes for Faith and Leadership, a collection of articles and resources from Duke Divinity School.  The site offers plenty of articles written by some very sharp folks, but I think this blog’s readers will be particularly interested in Nick’s writing.

“The Idea of the City” is Nick’s most recent article and it points to some of the questions I’ve felt as an urban church planter.

Attention to the significance of the city isn’t especially new. The prior generation may remember the ink spilled by Harvey Cox, Francis Schaeffer and Jacques Ellul over the meaning of a rapidly urbanizing society and the accompanying forces of technological progress and secularity. The new Christian urbanites, however, have a decidedly less ambivalent view of the city, heralding it in no uncertain terms as the future of the church.

There’s a lot of good stuff here and I hope you’ll take some time to read the rest of the article.  When you’ve finished, take a look at “Strength in an Immigrant Church” for an important perspective about the ongoing role immigrant churches play among those in their 30’s and 40’s.  Again, really insightful stuff.

Thanks to Nick for letting me know about these articles.  Will others of you who keep a blog please leave your site’s address in the comments? Even if you’ve done so before.  We’d like to hear what’s on your mind.