If we take Luke 2:52 seriously, even Jesus improved as he matured. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and years, and in divine and human favor,” the verse reads. Knowing how to get better over time is a critical quality for…
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The church and the gift of Black history
The annual celebration known as Black History Month began as “Negro History Week” in 1926. Historian Carter G. Woodson picked the timing for this commemorative week to coincide with the birthdates of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two figures who…
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Is it time to push “reset”?
As the pandemic trudges into its third year, many leaders are thinking about what needs to change. The paradox, however, is that a leader’s success is often judged by longevity and continuity. Innovation is not always appreciated in real time….
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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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Is your congregation burned out?
We all know pastors who are burned out from the stresses of 2020 and 2021. Maybe we are willing to say, “I am burned out” — but I wonder if it would help us to think about a congregation being burned out. A Harvard…
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Churches and mental health
As we cross the threshold into another year of a global pandemic, the stress is palpable. We all want to be resilient, but resilience is becoming more difficult. For church leaders, the call to action is clear: Congregations must not underestimate…
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Why you should ask an expert
As congregational leaders, we are usually generalists in many aspects of our job. Yes, we are trained in seminary, gifted by the Holy Spirit and formed by years of practice to be dependable preachers, competent worship leaders, good administrators and…
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Top 5 Alban resources of 2021
Happy New Year! We begin a fresh year of the Alban Weekly with a look back at the resources that resonated most with Weekly readers. If you feel like you have spent this year continually determining – and determining again…
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Start the new year with the right questions
In a few days, 2021 will be in the history books. We will march, or meander, into the long-anticipated new year. The way we start 2022 will influence our leadership and our institutions. Experienced leaders recognize that having clear objectives for…
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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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