The holy grail for helping youth remain religiously active as young adults has been at home all along: parents. Mothers and fathers who practice what they preach and preach what they practice are far and away the major influence related…
Hospitality: I’ll worship like a dog
Do you know Andrew Hozier-Byrne (aka Hozier)? Rapidly growing in popularity, this Irish musician and singer-songwriter is responsible for the song, “Take Me to the Church.” Here is the refrain: Take me to the church I’ll worship like a dog…
Why men hate going to church
I was in line at Chickfila the other morning, and the perky cashier asked for my name, and I mumbled “Brandon.” There was an older man standing a few feet away from me waiting for his food, and he took…
Are single people the lepers of today’s church?
There are the well-meaning ladies who ask you about your husband and children and, when you say you don’t have any, suddenly run out of things to say to you. There are the women’s Bible studies scheduled on weekday mornings,…
FaithSoaring churches are fueled by vision and flavored by relationships
Melinda sat down in the sanctuary and prepared for worship. Her mind wondered and she thought, “I love this church, our worship, and my friends. But I want more. I want to be part of a church with a clear…
Instead of a Coffee Shop How About a Laundromat?
Many years ago my church was pondering how to create a “third space” in our neighborhood. A third space is a place where people can mix on a regular basis, a place that is relaxed and non-threatening. A lot of…
Missing Church: Why I’m not a “Done” (Even If I Want to Be)
A couple of months ago, I posted about the experience of taking a break from attending church. It somehow garnered a lot more attention than I expected, enough that it prompted a follow-up question: Why go back? It’s a question that…
Can the church ever be united?
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to preach at the Rosedale Congregational United Church of Christ (RCC) in Kansas City, Kansas. As RCC is currently without a pastor, I was asked to preach each Sunday this month, and I much…
Diary of a wimpy church
The delightful New York Times best-seller ” Diary of a Wimpy Kid ” details Greg Hefley’s misadventures in middle school as told through cartoon entries in his diary. He records his insights and questions, his frustrations and aspirations.
Four emerging trends in small town churches
Today kicks off a new series of blog posts called “What’s Trending,” where I will specifically discuss cutting edge trends that might push a few boundaries for many rural churches. The trends I will name in this series will range…
Kick ’em out: Why it’s gotten so hard to work together
Christianity at a crossroads in America
Christianity, along with other faith traditions, is at a crossroads in American life. Many sociologists see the road leading us to a European secularism, where mostly-empty churches are monuments to the hollowed-out faith of the masses, and serve as reminders…