In my previous post I raised some questions related to a statement that Amy DeLong made in regards to change and grace. Several folks have rightly suggested that I took the sentence in question out of context, and that Amy was obviously referring to change in regards to GLBT folks who have spent their lives … Continue reading A comment on my previous post which will probably won’t make anyone any happier…
Category: Ministry
Oh, I’m probably going to tick all sorts of people off….
Earlier today, a buddy of mine sent me a link to an interview on the Believe OutLoud website with Amy DeLong, who was recently tried for being an open lesbian and for performing same-sex marriage/covenant ceremonies. In the end, she was acquitted on the first charge for she refused to talk about her sexual practices … Continue reading Oh, I’m probably going to tick all sorts of people off….
The Dilemma Of Leading a Church in Decline
One of the hallmarks of my ministry as a solo pastor is that I have been sent to congregations that at sometime in their life have been growing and thriving places but due to difficult pastoral appointments, changes in community community demographics, and poor decision making at crucial times along the way, these congregations now … Continue reading The Dilemma Of Leading a Church in Decline
Engagement vs. Inertia–Worship
Perhaps one of the places most clearly identified in culture with congregational vitality is in the area of worship. After all, for most people, worship is the first experience of a church, and what is experienced in that service will likely be a factor in determining whether to go deeper in developing a relationship with … Continue reading Engagement vs. Inertia–Worship
Engagement vs. Inertia–Worship
Perhaps one of the places most clearly identified in culture with congregational vitality is in the area of worship. After all, for most people, worship is the first experience of a church, and what is experienced in that service will likely be a factor in determining whether to go deeper in developing a relationship with … Continue reading Engagement vs. Inertia–Worship
Engagement vs. Inertia – Discipleship Development
Worship guru Dean McIntyre raised the question in my last post as to how to differentiate between those congregations that are engaged (leading toward vitality) and those who are driven by inertia (surviving and perhaps even growing numerically, but disconnected from the source and power of vitality). He asked for practical descriptions of the differences … Continue reading Engagement vs. Inertia – Discipleship Development
Engagement vs. Inertia – Discipleship Development
Worship guru Dean McIntyre raised the question in my last post as to how to differentiate between those congregations that are engaged (leading toward vitality) and those who are driven by inertia (surviving and perhaps even growing numerically, but disconnected from the source and power of vitality). He asked for practical descriptions of the differences … Continue reading Engagement vs. Inertia – Discipleship Development
Vital Churches = Engaged
Every morning one of my daughters and I head out to the car to get to school. We open the doors, adjust our seats, put on our seatbelts, and I turn the key to start the car. By many of the indications used by most churches, we are doing pretty good – we’ve shown up, … Continue reading Vital Churches = Engaged
Vitality = Forward Leaning
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is … Continue reading Vitality = Forward Leaning
Harvesting from Afar
One of the crappy things about moving from one appointment to another is that there are many seeds that have been planted that haven't quite sprouted. We leave them in hope -- hoping that the congregations we are leaving will keep up the watering and fertilizing; hoping that the folks that are following us in … Continue reading Harvesting from Afar
The Drive for Discipleship – Setting the Stage
Over the past few weeks I have been thinking quite a bit about the state of the church in America, focusing of course on the United Methodist Church in particular. Reports such as the Council of Bishop's Call to Action report have driven some of this thinking, but most of it comes in my context … Continue reading The Drive for Discipleship – Setting the Stage
A “Vital” Reponse
Neil Alexander is the President and Publisher of the United Methodist Publishing House, and a member of the Steering Committee which produced the Council of Bishop’s Call to Action report, which I recently wrote about. Neil e-mailed me his thoughts on that post earlier today and has agreed to allow me to share them in … Continue reading A “Vital” Reponse
A “Vital” Reponse
Neil Alexander is the President and Publisher of the United Methodist Publishing House, and a member of the Steering Committee which produced the Council of Bishop’s Call to Action report, which I recently wrote about. Neil e-mailed me his thoughts on that post earlier today and has agreed to allow me to share them in … Continue reading A “Vital” Reponse
Pastoral Accountability
A couple of commenters on my post on congregational vitality have suggested that critique of the Council of Bishop’s Call to Action report is based in a discomfort with pastoral accountability. To quote one commenter: “Spiritualize it away all you want, but the old tired notion referencing unmeasurables is a transparent attempt to avoid accountability. … Continue reading Pastoral Accountability
What is Congregational Vitality?
For many years, going back to the Council of Bishop’s “Vital Congregations” initiative (a project I worked on back in pre-1996 UMCom days), the United Methodist Church has talked quite a bit about developing and promoting “vital” congregations. The language of congregational vitality has been on the tips of our tongues as we wring our … Continue reading What is Congregational Vitality?
Ministry to the Dechurched
The word "dechurched" is not a common term in mainstream Christianity. In fact, it doesn't even appear in Webster's unabridged dictionary. But for me, it describes a neglected group of Christians: those whose firsthand encounters with Christianity have been negative, painful, and alienating, and because of this significant wounding have left the church or lost … Continue reading Ministry to the Dechurched
A Co-Creator With God
I got an email today informing me that Ddani Aguilar died today, his spirit leaving this world and passing on into the other realm. I was privileged to work with Dani for several years during my time at UMCom, and we would occasionally cross paths as we wandered throughout the city. It was during one … Continue reading A Co-Creator With God
The Purpose Driven Organization
My buddy Sam Davidson pointed me to the following video that is both entertaining and enlightening on the movement from being profit centered to purpose centered organizations. For those of us in church circles, it begs the question of whether our focus on "church growth" (with our profits being attendance and offerings) has led us … Continue reading The Purpose Driven Organization
A Final Word
This is the sermon I preached today in my last official act as the pastor of the Antioch United Methodist Church. Next Sunday, I will begin my tenure as the Senior Pastor of the Old Hickory United Methodist Church. The text for today’s sermon was Ephesians 4:1-16. Three million, six hundred and eighty nine thousand, … Continue reading A Final Word
A final word…
This is the sermon I preached today in my last official act as the pastor of the Antioch United Methodist Church. Next Sunday, I will begin my tenure as the Senior Pastor of the Old Hickory United Methodist Church. The text for today’s sermon was Ephesians 4:1-16. Three million, six hundred and eighty nine thousand, … Continue reading A final word…
Only Wonder Understands 