Faith is awe in the face of mystery. – Rudolf Otto We gazed silently alongside an uncountable amount of people. The oddity was not in the differences of those of us present but in the symmetry of what we all…
Churchless believers – Searching for anchors for the next phase of life
Churchless believers is an unfolding conversation I’m having with some colleagues, neighbors, friends and churches. The more we talk, the more dimensions appear that intrigue me and help me understand and possibly explain some of what is going on in…
Jesus loves hippie churches
By Brett Younger The parking lot has several versions of “Co-exist” and “God loves the whole world no exceptions” bumper stickers, a “Leslie Knope for President,” and, on the same Prius, an “I’m too poor to vote Republican.” The sign…
7 things I (re)discovered on sabbatical
C.S. Lewis once said that most of us don’t need to be told new things, but rather reminded of old truths. This has certainly been true in my own journey these past few months. On June 1, I entered into…
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…
Racially diverse nation isn’t mirrored in most religious groups
By Robert Dilday The American Baptist Churches U.S.A. ranks in the top 10 of the most racially diverse religious groups in the United States, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. But with 73 percent of its…
The genericization of the evangelical church
By Mark Wingfield Is it possible that America’s evangelical churches have merely traded one form of uniformity for another? One of the criticisms of the old model of churches driven by denominational identity is that they were all the same….
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…
Sermon mistakes
By Doyle Sager I misspoke in one of my recent sermons. I know. You’re not surprised that a preacher flubbed up. You’re only surprised that said preacher would admit it! Yes, I made a mistake in the pulpit! I was…