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…
An open letter to all the people writing open letters about what’s wrong with the church
I’ve read them. I feel like I’ve read them all-the letters from well-meaning, well-written peers of mine. Posts penned by young (well, relatively young) people unhappy with and enlightened by the woes of the Church.
Rethink this church thing
Does your congregation exhibit kingdom of God characteristics? An oft-repeated television commercial captured my attention the other day. I watched people use a ribbon to see how far their money would stretch into retirement. Finally, one lady, surprised by how…