By Ken Camp Musical tastes and worship styles come and go, but some hymns of the church endure for centuries. Worship leaders say hymns that cross denominational lines and span generations are those that people can embrace as a shared…
Finding grace in the midst of my horribly interrupted reverent moment
Sunday, October 6, 2013. A date which will live in infamy…at least at Augusta Heights. Needless to say, it was not a day that went according to plan. Let’s put it this way: When the pastor has to be at…
The work of praise
By Ken Sehested The Blessed One does not stand in need of our praise; nor sits impatiently, impudently, awaiting our genuflection; nor strides restively, demandingly, threateningly, toward our cowering pose. No, none of this. There is no protection to be…
At church with the Carters
By Brett Younger At first glance a supply preacher might turn it down. The church is 183 miles away. The congregation is smaller than most church choirs. The service is on Sunday evening. (I have a prejudice against Sunday night…
Competing with big box churches
There’s a “big box” church in our town that’s all the rage. If you live anywhere in America that’s even slightly urban, there’s probably a big box church in your area as well. By “big box” I mean the kind…
Bivocational ministry is a thing of great beauty
Jack was the bivocational pastor of the church I attended in Pennsylvania when that church licensed me to ministry as a step towards my ordination. Dale was the bivocational national leader for bivocational ministries among Baptists. Glenn was the bivocational…
Book says Baptists embracing high church
By Jeff Brumley Pastors and scholars familiar with a new book about liturgical worship say its publication signals the practice’s spread in Baptist churches who realize ancient Christian practices are inherently missional and may lure younger generations to the faith….
It floats (or what it’s like being on Satan’s payroll)
Whenever I’m asked to describe my job as a professional Christian, I usually stammer something along the lines of: “I talk about God for a living.” Or, if I’m feeling especially cynical: “It’s mostly marketing, some plagiarism, and a bit…
Grieving summer: a Havdalah
For many people, summer is a type of Sabbath: a slower pace; vacation; more interaction with neighbors as the warm weather invites people outside; a deliberate pause between academic years. Even people whose lives do not operate solely on an…