In this illuminating essay, a Millennial explains why his generation is put off by traditional congregational approaches to faith, religion and community — and what might work to involve them in church life. From Leadership Journal. (Photo by sboneham, used by Creative Commons license)
When Chicago’s struggling Lasalle Street Church received an unexpected windfall, it did the unexpected — giving every member $500 and asking them to use it for good. “It feels like a faith experiment more than a social experiment,” Pastor Laura Truax said. (Photo by Steven DePolo, used by Creative Commons license)
So far as I know, the Bible says nothing explicit about subprime loans and the financial implications of such risky economic practice. There is a great deal, nonetheless, that the Bible has to say about such a crisis as we now face. I will comment in turn on a biblical perspective of an analysis of the crisis and a biblical perspective for an alternative economic practice. [Written in 2009, this prophetic article in Sojourners still speaks to our time.] (Photo by Glenn Thomas Hvidsten, used by Creative Commons license.)
It’s that time of the year again, when we stand on the precipice of a new year and look forward to what is in store for us in 2015. Given the events of 2014, the church now also has a monumental opportunity to provide healing, justice, care, and compassion in new and exciting ways — ways I believe are important for the church in the upcoming year. Read them all, inSojourners, and see which fit your context. (Photo by Courtney Dirks , used by Creative Commons license)
Every congregational leader has had this experience: A well-presented great idea — bold, creative, innovative and missional — is met with a tsunami of resistance. This article from ChurchLeaders.com talks about the top pretexts for resistance and how to handle them.
As the country marks Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, a veteran activist explains why it would be a mistake to remember King as only a great civil rights leader. In his final years, he began to move toward an ever-more-profound and radical understanding of what would be required to deal with the nation’s domestic and […]
An ever increasing number of people are choosing to live with fewer possessions and as a result are experiencing a better quality of life. Read about the new minimalists, gather some ideas, and use what fits your context to be a better steward of all of God’s creation in 2015. (Photo: storebukkebruse, Creative Commons)
It causes church people much anxiety and soul searching that Christmas brings people to church who don’t attend the rest of the year, including the desperately needed younger generation. Though churches are eager to attract a new generation, they often go about it the wrong way, says this USA Today commentator, who has suggestions for […]
We’ve all done it — we weigh ourselves in late December and discover we’ve gained more weight than we wanted. Through parties and special holiday meals, overeating is a temptation. On this page from WebMD you’ll find links to a number of articles on how to eat more healthfully this Christmas. (Photo by Kris Krug, […]
Our culture gives us a lot of holiday traditions around Christmas, but many of them do not bring us closer to God or the miracle of the incarnation. This writer, a pastor, suggests adopting “new traditions” that will help you and your family have a holy holiday. From Pastors. com. (Photo by Picsbyclive, used by […]
