“He who attempts to act and do things for others or for the world without deepening his own self-understanding, freedom, integrity and capacity to love, will not have anything to give others.” ~ Thomas Merton It’s an understandable declaration: “Praying…
Faith leaders see ‘nones’ coming to church for community, spiritual direction
The number of religiously unaffiliated Americans has continued to grow, yet many of them are drawn to churches and retreat centers in search of spiritual direction. Ministers and religious educators say so-called “nones” and other non-Christian seekers are hungry for…
Discovering your community through the practice of the Labyrinth
Every city has a story hidden in plain sight. Go and find it.
Contemplative practices can lure the ‘spiritual but not religious’ to Christianity, expert says
New research is shedding light on a term — and a group of Americans — known as “spiritual but not religious.” They prefer yoga and meditation to scripture and worship. They define God in individualistic ways and they almost always have negative…
Separating mission and spiritual formation is bad strategy, say ministers
If he had a magic wand, Trey Lyon says he would likely transform the way churches conceive, fund and experience mission and spiritual formation. Basically, he would combine them. “I would love to see churches with ministers of mission and spiritual…
For Raleigh church, self-examination was key to surviving identity crisis
When a small group of members at Hayes Barton Baptist Church claimed the Raleigh, N.C., congregation was sliding from its Baptist moorings into the arms of the “emergent church” movement, their agitation threatened the congregation’s stability and forced deep self-examination. Hayes Barton…