God sure seems to get a bad rap sometimes, even from his followers. Well, that may go just a bit far. God’s word gets a bad rap much more frequently than he does. How should we handle this? How about…
Pastors, stop signing those marriage licenses
By Kyle Henderson Pastors should stop signing state-issued marriage licenses. They should stop immediately. Individuals and organizations whose agenda is murky at best are hijacking the marriage debate. We have stopped asking the right questions and started reacting to the…
A Blue Christmas Service to grieve together
Life. Death. Birth. Two years ago I went on a forestry tour. I hated it. It was cold, damp, and painfully forgettable – until the end. The forester came out of his professorial role and said, “The reason why forests…
How a Mountain Hike is Like a Congregation’s Transformation Journey
How is taking a mountain hike like a congregation’s transformation journey? Not much unless . . . Before you read too far let me admit this article took shape during a mountain hike with my family was in North Carolina…
Chaos or community: Which way?
By Ken Sehested – Chaos or community: Which way?
Jesus is Dead and So Are We: Eric Garner is Our Only Hope for Resurrection
By Jeff Hood – Jesus is Dead and So Are We: Eric Garner is Our Only Hope for Resurrection
Reinhold Niebuhr, Eric Garner and white privilege
By David Gushee follow David on Twitter @dpgushee One of the most bracing books I read for doctoral work was Reinhold Niebuhr’s 1932 classic, Moral Man and Immoral Society. I pulled it off the shelf this week while thinking about…
Finding Good Advent Devotionals Online
Moments of meditation, prayer, and devotional reading are crucial to faith development in all seasons. Advent, however, is a prime season for deepening one’s devotional life. And if you opt to go “paperless,” there are many excellent Advent devotional resources…
“Show Me the Money” No Longer Works When Denominations Talk to Churches
Rather than a Jerry Maguire demand of “show me the money,” denominations often find themselves asking “where has all the money gone?” Depending on the denomination, funds to denominations began declining between 30 and 50 years ago. However, it took…
In ‘Whiplash,’ a stark reminder: Teachers have power to abuse
Teachers live in duality with their students. The students either love or hate the teacher, depending on how the teacher is perceived. Some of that is well earned. Teachers have the power to make or break students. They can be…
Practicing Until We Need It
Practicing Until We Need It
Can pastors do something about domestic violence?
VIOLENCE, RECONCILIATION AND CHRISTIAN CARE Earlier today I was listening to a Senate hearing on how the various professional sports associations and their player unions deal with the issues of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. The conversations triggered…