As you are probably aware, the “Freedom from Religion” group, an organization that is committed to taking all religion out of public viewing, has recently written letters to the Presidents of Clemson and USC, among others, asking that the University…
Common story, community and Christian higher education
(The following are my prepared remarks delivered as a devotion for the President’s Prayer Breakfast at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina on September 2, 2015.) The one unalterable date on our family’s summer calendar is the third week…
One year later: The search process revealed
A year ago today, I announced to all my friends that my days of searching for a church were over (at least for the extended future, anyway). After nearly a year of editing resumes, filling out questionnaires, meeting with search…
Politics and pork chop on-a-stick
I’ve been blogging for the last few weeks on the intersection of faith and politics. In the post Trumping Faith I asked the question, “How important is it that elected government leaders not only affirm a faith background, but have…
Churchless believers?
Emerging Paths for Fresh Ministries The religious and church landscape is definitely shifting today! We have the traditional members and churches, the missional communities of faith, the multi-site congregations, workplace ministries and a growing host of faith-based non-profits and para-church…
Pastor, please stop!
By Bill Owen (Note: our plug-in for sharing links is not cooperating today. Please follow the link below to read the story.) http://chchurches.org/pastor-please-stop/ Pastor, please stop! Becoming an effective, emotionally intelligent pastor requires more than delivering a good sermon, making timely…
A parting gift: Rejection from the church
It was my fifth visit to St. George Cathedral at the Alaverdi Monastery. Positioned on the picturesque Alazani River valley of Kakheti, surrounded by vineyards against the backdrop of the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains, the cathedral beckoned me to return. Along…
Thinking beyond stereotypes about bivocational ministry
Because of many unwarranted stereotypes about bivocational* ministry in some denominations, congregations, and Christian cultures or tribes, it is unfortunately seen as second-class ministry. This is overwhelmingly not true. Such a perspective limits the possibilities of innovative congregational staffing patterns…
Bringing Scout out of the shadows of Atticus’s “selfie”
By now Harper Lee’s novel, Go Set a Watchman, released less than a month ago and the controversy surrounding it’s publication has become old news. However, I wanted to read the novel for myself before weighing in or making any…