By Bill Wilson A seasoned minister was addressing a group of young clergy and talking about some of the lessons learned on the job — the kind you can’t learn in graduate school or from a book. These are the…
When the cavalry doesn’t come
By Bill Wilson A seasoned minister was addressing a group of young clergy and talking about some of the lessons learned on the job — the kind you can’t learn in graduate school or from a book. These are the…
Intergenerational mission
Randy Shepley What is your favorite church or denominational buzz word or phrase? There are so many: missional, free and faithful, purpose driven, emergent, traditional, contemporary. When overused, buzz words can begin to lose their meaning. Take, for example, one…
Fear and congregations that give in to it
How many times have you heard there are three kinds of people in this world? One memorable version of this is from the 1960s “spaghetti” western starring Clint Eastwood that referred to the good, the bad and the ugly. When…
Do you want a pastor-in-chief?
With the selection of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s running mate, religious history was made. Some historians believe this is the first presidential, major party ticket that does not feature a Protestant running for president or vice-president. Romney is Mormon…
Absolute complexity is not allowed here
More than 35 years ago I was working on a graduate degree in the sociology of religion at the Southern Seminary in Louisville. The time came to declare the subject of our thesis. Some of us were sure and others…
Asking Good Questions
“[And] they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” (Luke 2.46, NRSV) This month hundreds of thousands of students flock back to school ready to learn, ready to read, and ready to…
The Church’s great rummage sale
Once more with feeling: The demise of traditional Protestant congregations has been greatly exaggerated. Yes, mainline denominations have been losing members for a number of years. Yes, many churches are dwindling in number and resources and even closing. And yes,…
The outward-oriented church
By Bill Wilson Tom Ehrich, one of my favorite thinkers about church in the 21st century, recently told me he is down to one pivotal question for the congregations he works with: “Is your primary orientation inward or outward?” He…