Sometimes, being missional requires creativity in the development of new ministries. At other times, it means recognizing the innovation of others and simply offering a helping hand. A North Carolina couple is modeling the latter approach by getting behind a…
Providing ‘a hand up’ to ministers struggling with credit card, student loan debt
Mental health, congregational politics and the decline of the American church get much of the blame for minister burnout. But consultant Bo Prosser says all of those factors take a back seat to the financial struggles of pastoral leaders.
Shedding light on the Old Testament’s great villain — the Philistines
Baylor University religion professor Deirdre Fulton is in the middle of a three-year dig that is shedding light on the lives, beliefs and practices of a group often villainized in the Old Testament: the Philistines.
New ‘stable of preachers’ frees small-church pastors for sabbaticals
Five decades. That’s how long Ken Hale served small Baptist churches without an extended break. But that streak finally ended last fall when long-time friend and retired pastor Bill Bruster volunteered to stand in for Hale at Trinity Baptist Church…
Sacred space: the antidote to over-stimulation
Sometimes, pastors need a place to get away, a place to go where they can recharge between sermons and committee meetings and the like. They need a sanctuary from the sanctuary — a space where they can delve into Scripture, pray…
Messy partnerships between churches, ministries can transform lives, say field personnel
Grace and Main Fellowship is an ecumenical, grassroots community development and social justice ministry located in the heart of Danville, Va. Ascension Lutheran Church is a traditional, predominantly white ELCA congregation located nearby. “These are two organizations that would probably…
Change is an inside job — for both congregations and individuals, say coaches
The experience of guiding churches through challenges and change feels a lot like helping individuals through the same process, say consultants.
BWA, Catholics to resume dialog in 2017
Baptists and Catholics will launch a third round of theological conversations in 2017, the Baptist World Alliance has reported. The announcement followed talks between the BWA and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Apocalyptic obsession that inspired ‘Left Behind’ series also fueling Trump support, ministers say
If nothing else, the best selling “Left Behind” series, first published in 1995, was well-timed. The entire culture was preoccupied with big endings and scary changes.
Black pastor who wowed CBF now has Clinton’s ear on race
Kevin Cosby, the black Louisville, Ky., pastor who has inspired Cooperative Baptists on matters of race may now have the ear of Hillary Clinton as she prepares for her presidential run. The presumptive Democratic candidate attended a racial reconciliation worship…
BWA urges Baptists to stand with victims in war-torn regions of Nigeria
The Baptist World Alliance is urging the United Nations to increase its threat level designation for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. The global Baptist organization cited rampant conflict and dislocation in the region, including “violence, murder and kidnapping” in…
Growing movement pushing pastors to ‘get real,’ vulnerable with congregations
It takes a lot of guts and humility to be vulnerable. Just look at the New Testament account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, Mary Alice Birdwhistell said. “Since feet were the primary mode of transportation, think how dirty they…