I took up the New Year’s challenge of writing a letter to my future self. In the process, I discovered the importance of recycling today’s mistakes and regrets into tomorrow’s opportunities.
Sore afraid: the impediment to transformation
By Greg Jarrell And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. — Luke 2:9 A hand reaches into the gut. It squeezes the…
Do churches allow space for us to interact with God?
There is no lack of information in a Christian land; something else is lacking, and this is something which the one man cannot directly communicate to the other. Soren Kierkegaard Our job as pastors is to create space for people…
Unsettled by truth: A border awareness experience
The summer before my senior year of college, my parents adopted a cat. When they found him he was covered in dirt and matted fur. He hung his head low and did not purr. When you ran your hand over…
Imagining our best selves
By Amy Butler I freely admit that, along with the rest of the world, I stood in line to join the gym last week. I could offer many (valid, in my opinion) explanations for why I didn’t join the gym…
Want to change your congregation? Find a crisis
Five years ago I spent two weeks in the hospital. I did not enjoy it. It was for a reason that had been creeping up on me for about a month. I had been to my doctor—a general practitioner–twice during…
Can congregations stuck in an overly churched culture change?
[Note: This is a follow-up post to Many Congregations Are Stuck in an Overly Churched Culture] The Situation Congregations where 30 percent or more of the active membership is at least 60 years old, and they have been professing Christians…
Congregations need sabbatical and jubilee
Congregations need a hopeful learning season that will help them see the same things they have seen for many years in a different way. This gives them insight into what it will take to continually transform congregational life. Likely this…
Surprised by a God moment when Jason walked down the aisle
We received our annual Christmas card from Carol. It is always a delight to catch up with her family. Typically, it is our only contact with them during the year. They were members of the congregation where I was pastor…