The rocks were far from perfect. Our 30-year-old retaining wall had come tumbling down, and the stone masons were tasked with rebuilding it. They would reuse the rocks, but they’d have to shape them to fit the new design. The…
Backward priorities: Athletics first, church last
By Aileen Lawrimore My kids rarely ask because they know what I’ll say: “Yes, you have to go to church.” In truth, there are exceptions, but my kids know that skipping church is never a given. OK, wait. Hear me:…
Brace yourself: It’s the ‘post-everything’ age, say church leaders
By Jeff Brumley Churches already overwhelmed by the postmodern, post-denominational and post-Christian eras should brace themselves, experts say, for another layer of change: the “post-everything” age. That’s the term Baptist pastor and congregational coach Mark Tidsworth uses to roll together…
Millennial ministry: It’s time we drop the adjective
By Aileen Lawrimore Collegiate ministry. My Facebook newsfeed is full of articles that have something to say about ministry to or with young adults (often referred to formally as Millennials). And if you read BuzzFeed, the Huffington Post or other…
Millennials and evangelism: An attempt at dialogue
By Aileen Lawrimore “Well,” the teen said after thinking only for a moment, “I’d like to talk about evangelism.” I was with a group of young people — ages 19-35 — and I had asked what issues of faith they’d…
Freezing temps create First World problems
By Aileen Mitchell Lawrimore Have you heard about the record low temperatures we’ve had in North Carolina recently? Well, let me tell you: this weather has caused me some serious (First World) problems. For one thing, I couldn’t just go…
Images of the Kingdom
By Aileen Lawrimore “I’m going to move over here by Ruby so she can hear me,” Edna said as she stood, stepping over so her voice would project directly into her friend’s ear. “How’s this?” she asked. “Can you hear…