Q: I am the pastor of a church in a changing neighborhood, and it is clear that we need to be more multicultural/multiracial in our ministry. How can I begin to create real community amid difference? A: Although American congregations…
Read MoreLeft Out of the Picture
According to Richard Florida of Carnegie Mellon University, a new social class is emerging in America, one he calls the “creative class.” Florida, a professor of regional economic development, has tracked work and workers across the country. He argues in…
Read MoreStaying Put: A Look at the First 10 Years of Ministry
During my years in parish ministry I offered spiritual direction for clergy in the area. In the span of two years, four pastors came to me with what seemed to be the same symptoms. Each felt a sense of restlessness,…
Read MoreThe 80 Percent Rule: Fact or Fiction?
Church growth consultants are fond of noting that when average church attendance exceeds 80 percent of sanctuary capacity, crowding begins to limit a congregation’s growth. This rule of thumb, often called the “80 percent rule” has been so commonly cited…
Read MoreBenedictine Spirituality and Congregational Life: Living Out St. Benedict's Rule in the Parish
My acquaintance with St. Benedict began in seminary courses in which the contemplative monk was introduced in the context of Scripture. But Benedict seemed to keep popping up in my life. He showed up in pastoral theology courses, in contemplative…
Read MoreHomegrown Theology: Understanding God in Everyday Life
Several parishioners wait for Frank by the back door of the sanctuary. Frank steps out of his car and opens the trunk. Tucking his Bible between his side and upper arm, he reaches in with both hands and lifts out…
Read MoreRenewing Minds: Calling and Educating Disciples
I’ve been thinking about Søren Kierkegaard lately, especially his beer parable: SK describes a vendor who buys his beer wholesale at five cents and proceeds to sell it to his customers for four. The vendor is elated with his excellent…
Read MoreTelling the Right Story: Why Theological Consistency is Necessary for Congregational Vitality
On an evening in April 1999, our congregation held a worship service—the kind of service that pastors and congregations hope they’ll never have to host. Under a steady drizzle on a dark night, reflecting the mood of the community, people…
Read MoreLeading Theologically: Does It Really Matter?
Juxtaposing two of the most significant religion stories of this past summer might seem as odd as combining peanut butter and tuna fish. What common element links the election of a gay bishop in the Episcopal Church and a controversial…
Read MorePracticing Theology in the Congregation
It was an exciting time in the life of Center Church, a small congregation in a vital downtown area in the Northeast. Because of a shared sense that new opportunities for ministry were emerging, a “Millennial Committee” had been charged…
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