The work we do to renew cities is profoundly spiritual work that reflects the way we see God through Scripture.
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Hospitality for the unhoused
The gospel provides a clear mandate to offer concrete acts of compassion to people on the economic and social margins of society. Today, unhoused people comprise a sizeable number of this struggling demographic. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban…
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How to be the church in a digital culture
Congregations typically aspire to be stable communities. They want to be the steady, faithful center of a person’s life. The concept of a network, however, offers a new lens for looking at the church, because networks are more fluid than communities. In…
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Preaching is leadership
Preaching gives pastors an incredible opportunity that most leaders do not have. At their best, sermons teach, inspire and provoke, which are three essentials for leadership and change. Whatever approach we use for sermon planning, preparation and delivery, preaching has the potential…
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Communication matters more than you think
In the words of the playwright George Bernard Shaw, “The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Have you had this problem before? You have meetings and make presentations. You think that everyone is…
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Creation care & congregational life
Creation care should be an urgent preaching, teaching and pastoral priority for all of our congregations. In this Weekly, we explore how congregations and other faith-based organizations participate in protecting the planet. In our current ecological crisis, theologian Grace Ji-Sun Kim…
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Working in interfaith spaces
In a recent interview project with Christian congregational leaders, I heard repeatedly that they found navigating interfaith spaces a challenge. They worried about unintentionally offending their neighbors. They were anxious about what they did not know about the other person’s…
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Leading change in a polarized world
Today’s polarized climate often frustrates leaders in their efforts to bring about meaningful and lasting change within their congregations and communities. Opposition can rise quickly and unexpectedly even to seemingly benign initiatives and programs. So how do we help lead…
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Engaging youth and young adults through innovative ministry
If you’re like me, you’ve read a lot about generational differences in participation in religious communities. These differences mean that congregations are having to find creative and diverse ways of engaging younger generations in ministry and service. In this edition…
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Being in and for your neighborhood
As congregations developed online worship offerings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many learned that their reach could be far greater online than it had been previously. Some churches report people regularly logging on from across the continent or across…
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