After months of online worship, Barbara Aikens Walker was relieved finally to gather in-person with her church on July 5 — even if it was from inside her Jeep Cherokee parked inside a California parking garage. Walker said First Baptist…
In the UK, coronavirus has made ‘every street a parish’
In the United Kingdom, the coronavirus lockdown “has made every follower of Jesus a leader, every house a house church, and every street a parish,” according to a consultant who works with thousands of churches across denominational lines. Matt Bird…
It’s time for innovative partnerships between churches and for-profit businesses
The 21st-century, post-pandemic church should not eschew participation in the American economy because of who it might leave out. Instead, it should embrace a new role as a transformative social and cultural guide for doing business in a way that is ethical, sustainable and missional.
You CAN go home again
When we use our imaginations, our grief and loss have the potential to become the silent, fertile seedbed for redemptive, life-giving deeds.
People of faith explore upside of web: community building
By Jeff Brumley and Bethany Harper There’s a lot about the Internet and social media that’s good for humankind and religion, says Rabbi Joshua Stanton. “It demonstrates the creative potential of human beings and provides evidence that human beings are…
Study shows faith helps overseas companies; U.S. businessmen say, ‘Here, too’
By Eric M. Eckert and Jeff Brumley Higher levels of spiritual capital — the motivation, energy and work ethic one may find from a relationship with God — have a positive effect on business success, employment and innovation in developing countries, according…
Calling a start-up pastor in a traditional church world
Maybe you’re sick of me referring to Kellogg, but I’m a little obsessed after a good week here. As I continue to ponder shifting church culture so that our congregations might thrive, I came across an article in the Kellogg…
If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly
It was a common scene: Reynolds, our church’s minister for adult discipleship, sitting on the sofa in my office, excitedly telling me about a new idea for ministry, usually one that would help us cross more faithfully the stubborn lines…
Rebalancing congregational finances for missional ministry
Your congregational budget has become a straitjacket. What do you do to rebalance your finances for missional ministry? You have at least two choices. One is to take an allocation approach and the other is to take an innovation approach….