A Cloud of Witnesses
He’d been making the rounds. The man in the trench coat, Bible in hand, burst through the side door of the sanctuary right after communion. “The Lord sent me here today,” he proclaimed, in the midst of...
View ArticlePermission To Unperfect
My Girl Child was melting down. It was 8am, the Wednesday after a 4-day weekend. Predictably, with so many days off school we had lost a piece of paper. One she was supposed to have signed by a parent...
View ArticleMagnify The Joy: Hope and Gratitude In the Midst of Illness
I’ve had the privilege of knowing Shawn McGuffey since college– which means I’ve had the privilege of sharing the dance floor with him on a few occasions. And if you’ve ever seen him move you — you...
View ArticleFive Ways To Be The Church When Church Is Canceled
There are many unknowns here. There is unprecedented territory ahead, and nobody can say how long it might last. So if it does come down to canceling services at your place, here are some things to...
View ArticleThis Pandemic Is A Test: But Maybe Not How You Think
If you’d told me a month ago that a pastor in America would be arrested for holding a worship service, I’d have called fascism in a hot minute. But these are strange days, and the times have called for...
View ArticleWithout Casseroles and Crowded Churches: 10 Ways To Support The Grieving...
Guest Post: Rev. Selena Wright “Grief must be witnessed.*” One of the greatest gifts of being a pastor is that when tragedy strikes and people feel powerless to support those who are hurting, I know my...
View ArticleIf We Weren’t Afraid: What Is The Post-Pandemic Church Going To Be?
We’ve all got a story we’ve told too many times, right? Mine is this: Once, there was a little church in a big desert. And it was dying. The people didn’t really KNOW that it was dying, exactly: but...
View ArticleTruth and Transformation: Can The Church Survive Confronting Racism?
As Americans, we have a choice in nearly everything. From where we live to what kind of car we drive; from what cell phone carrier we use to what brand of running shoes we purchase; hell, the sheer...
View ArticleReclaiming the Language of Faith: Beyond Sound Bites To The Better Way of Jesus
When the church can't talk about poverty without somebody hollering "politics!" then our message has clearly been hijacked. These are not political issues-- these are faith issues that have been...
View ArticleChurch Deserts: And the Unique Opportunity of Online Community
A church desert is a place where your choices of worshipping community are limited. It's not that there aren't churches there. Lord knows, small towns and rural areas often have more than their fair...
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