March 6thand 7th a diverse group of Baptists from North America gathered in Philadelphia for the 50th anniversary of the North American Baptist Fellowship [NABF] of the Baptist World Alliance. Using the title—FutureBaptists: A Collaborative Missional Movement—this gathering was more…
Enon Tabernacle Rocks!
I thought if I arrived for worship about 20 minutes before the service was scheduled to start I would be there in plenty of time. I was wrong. Even though Enon Tabernacle, which can be found at www.enontab.org, has a…
Church gun giveaways send wrong message
A local church in Troy, NY is promoting a gun giveaway and its not the first church to do so. Churches in Texas and Kentucky have offered gun giveaways. The practice of a church gun giveaway sends the wrong message. Is it wrong…
Top 10 Things that Show You are Not taking Lent Seriously
In commemoration of the Lenten season, a top ten list of things that show you just aren’t taking Lent seriously. 10. You think Ash Wednesday is kind of like “Downtown after Five,” only on Wednesday and only once a year….
Proof being a pastor is a tough job
As I’m shaking hands with church goers after worship one Sunday, I talk with a congregant about meeting him during the week. His reply? “I thought pastors only worked one day a week!” Truth be told, we full-time (and part-time…
Top 10 things I love about church
“It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship.” “Jesus isn’t my religion, He’s my savior.” “Why I hate religion and love Jesus.” I’ve heard all of these and more. And I understand the idea behind the slogans. A lot of rotten…
Birthday offerings
What is your earliest memory of giving or receiving? That was the first of a set of prompts given to a small discussion group this week at a class I attended on religious fundraising. My mind immediately pictured a small…
Choose ye this day diversity
A strong, natural, cultural tendency among humankind—even those committed to loving all people—is to be in community with those considered to be “our kind of people”. The tendency is to swarm with people with whom there is the least diversity…
Do female pastors have to be feminists?
As I have adjusted to the life of a minister, I wonder if there are some assumptions that are attached to being a female pastor. In discussing with another female pastor, we both commented as to whether there would be…