By Molly T. Marshall Thomas Friedman’s provocative book, The World is Flat, offers a glimpse of the rampant globalization taking place as world market forces shape widely disparate lands and people. Historical and geographical divisions matter less all the while,…
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….
Being a multi-mission partner church
When describing our church family at First Baptist Pensacola, I usually tell folks that we are a “multi-mission partner, multi-worship service, and multi-generational congregation.” Each of those “multi” dimensions presents a unique set of dynamics. Offering multiple worship services means…
Online community as missions field
By Jeff Brumley Jim Somerville pastors a Baptist congregation in Virginia that, thanks to the Internet, includes people living in Austria, India and Slovakia. And now, he learned recently, some guy in Iowa. “He said ‘I tune in online and…
Thriving cowboy churches buck ‘fad’ status
By Jeff Brumley Charles Higgs is all too familiar with the smirks and jokes generated when talk turns to cowboy churches. Images of worship in rodeo arenas, preachers on horseback and baptisms in cattle troughs also elicit criticism – especially…
The life of a cowboy church pastor
By Jeff Brumley As the pastor of Lost Pines Cowboy Church in Elgin, Texas, Greg Long pulls the usual pastoral and preaching responsibilities as ministers in traditional churches. But visiting his flock begins to take on a literal meaning sometimes. “A…
Coalition faces ‘post-Christian’ challenges
By Robert Dilday A diverse coalition of pastors and theological educators has launched an initiative offering a platform for evangelicals to develop theology and practice for mission and ministry in “post-Christian” North America.” The Missio Alliance will “provide a place…
Freedom for peace or for pain?
I probably should work a little harder at commenting in a more timely fashion about current events. Truthfully, it takes me a while to figure out how I feel about things. That was not true with recent events. I know…
Churches spin off ministry nonprofits
By Jeff Brumley Travis Collins doesn’t need church health experts to know ego and fear can kill creativity and risk-taking in ministry. Collins, senior pastor at Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond, Va., said he had a “big time” gut…