Now that the USA government shutdown is over–at least for a while–let’s reflect on the lessons churches can learn from the shutdown about conflict. Many of these are lessons of what not to do. These lessons are also politically neutral….
The worst new church member speech ever
By Amy Butler Once during a new member class, I started making the chair of deacons nervous. She pulled me aside and said: “Pastor, don’t you think you should tone it down a little? I mean, it’s good to explain…
Discernment
By Jerrod Hugenot It’s not the easiest sell in a fast-moving, “decision now” type world, yet I would hazard God speaks most clearly to us when we allow ourselves to ponder and more importantly listen attentively. Over the past few…
Don’t forget about associate pastors
Last week I spoke to a group of associate pastors at a continuing education program with the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey. This group of associates was very diverse demographically, but they all shared the same challenges. I started…
A committee-run church can be ugly
A ministry friend recently posted a request on Facebook for the job descriptions for church committees. That is a very legitimate request. If a church is going to have committees, those committees need to have a clear understanding of their…
Book says faith overcomes discrimination
By Jeff Brumley It took about a year of legal action, preaching, public demonstrations and letter writing for religious groups to see most of Alabama’s draconian anti-immigrant law overturned. Now that coalition of faith — which includes Baptists, Catholics, Episcopalians…
New York Times gets Senate prayer wrong
Unless you have been sleeping under a rock, our government is at a budget impasse and everyone is mad as hell. Senate Chaplain Barry Black, a retired Navy rear admiral, gave a Senate prayer that the New York Times reported as “scolding”:…
Stuck in the messy middle
By Alan Bean In the 1950s and 1960s, the unofficial public theology of America was dominated by theologians associated with what we now call “the Protestant Mainline.” A public theology makes biblical teaching relevant to the pressing political, economic and…
Ministry as tug-of-war
By Terry Maples Did you play tug-of-war as a child? I did. It was lots of fun, except when the rope burned my hands. The game was even more exciting if a mud pit or some other unpleasant obstacle separated…
Five tools for ministry success
By Bill Wilson Ministers regularly ask for help with ministerial and congregational life in very pragmatic ways. What is the best way to organize, plan, preach, administer, supervise, lead, teach, evangelize, pray, cultivate a spiritual life, raise a family, play?…
The pastoral prophetic edge
By Mahan Siler Prophetic is such a vigorous word. It brings to mind the courageous actions of an Amos, Shiphrah and Puah, Ghandi, Day or King. Prophets stand up, stick out with their actions for justice in the face of…
Government shutdown comes to church
By Amy Butler Little did I know last year when I planned this month’s sermon series on the cost of prophecy — the story of Jeremiah — that we’d be living at such an intersection of despair and hope. But…