How well do you respond when you find yourself in the middle of what you consider to be a power struggle or a challenge to your authority? Power struggles can happen when complete strangers won’t let us park where we…
Why church matters
By Amy Butler “The true alchemists do not change lead into gold,” observed American author William H. Gass. “They change the world into words.” As one who spends a lot of time trying to change the world into words –…
What if a generation of women in ministry planted new congregations?
It is hard to believe it has been more than 35 years since I was ready to leave seminary in Louisville, KY for what I thought would be my first full-time church pastorate. Although I had grown up in Baltimore…
The shredding machine
By Bill Wilson It was a very impressive group of church leaders. Clergy and laity alike, they were successful and savvy men and women who had been patiently listening to me make repeated invitations to engage in a spiritual-discernment process…
Do we need denominations in the 21st Century?
Those of us who worked in denominational roles in past years often referred to ourselves as “denominational serpents” rather than denominational servants, questioning the motivations of the bureaucracies that employed us. Being part of a denominational organization and seeing its…
Does your church look like a warehouse?
For the last 30 years, it has become popular for new churches to build their worship and ministry space to look like a warehouse or storehouse (or use an actual warehouse). The “Emergent” or “Emerging Church” and ultra contemporary church…
Is there life after burnout for pastors?
The short answer is Yes! I have traveled constantly for three weeks. This week, with my return to my home office, I have stumbled upon numerous situations of burnout among senior or solo pastors. When I am reminded of the…
The club-like church
By Kenneth Meyers Many churches are failing to imagine being and doing church in the 21st century. Forays into social media, marketing campaigns, new buildings and so much more compose the traditional church response to stagnated vitality and membership. The…
When violence visits your church, how ready should you be?
Wednesday morning, July 10th someone started two small fires inside Providence Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. As of this writing fire officials are calling it arson and an investigation continues. The damage was small in economic cost; probably less than…