Dear Thoughtful Pastor: Has Facebook Hurt Church Attendance?
In my opinion, it is not Facebook, which does have room for somewhat reasoned dialogue, and yes, it can be contentious, but not always, that has dampened church attendance. There is space for nuance,...
View ArticleAfter Pittsburgh, I Can No Longer Wear A Cross
No longer will I wear the cross. I will stop identifying with this kind of Christianity. It’s one small step to saying to these dear Jewish people, “I am so sorry. My tears are mingling with yours....
View ArticleLet Us Pray: Day One At General Conference: Brokenness And Surrender
Brokenness and surrender. These are the themes of the morning. Very triggering for those who have suffered much at the hands of an autocratic church which has offered few open doors and limited welcome...
View ArticleWhat If The Holy Spirit Did Indeed Fall Upon Us? Could We Survive It?
Yes, should the Holy Spirit fall here, no one will walk away unchanged. We’ll all recognize ourselves as hopelessly in need of grace, utterly thankful when it falls upon us, and devoid of judgment over...
View Article“Will Your Church Survive?” Coronavirus Diary, March 18, 2020
Will your church survive? Not in the form it is in now. Some budgets cannot recover, mainly if we stay in recession mode for a while. Unpaid mortgages could easily lead to many buildings going back to...
View Article“Leave The Children Out,” The Mediated Reality of Streaming Worship
If we are not going to leave the children out in this new world of necessary mediated worship, we must engage in extremely creative, barrier-breaking holy thinking. Remember the novel coronavirus...
View ArticleYes, Church, The Stock Market DOES Matter To Your Survival
Remember, Church: the stock market does matter to your survival. Embrace this perilous time as the best of all occasions to practice serious self and institutional reflection, repent from and leave...
View ArticleWill The Church Survive The Covid-19 Damage? No, But This Is The Time For...
Will the church survive the Covid-19 damage? Probably not. But the massive uncertainties that just about the entire world now faces also call for massive infusions of creativity, hope, service, and...
View ArticleTruth Sets Us Free, But Trump’s Lies Killed Thousands
Trump’s lies have hastened the deaths of approximately 266,000 people SO FAR in the US. I would not be in the least surprised to see that number double in the next three months. We are facing an...
View ArticleEight Lessons and Blessings From COVID
It’s time we recognize the multiple lessons and blessings from Covid. From this growing national tragedy, we can actually emerge wiser and stronger if we take a hard look at ourselves and see what we...
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