Christian Unity
(This post has been updated from its initial publication. See the postscript.)
Last Sunday, a teenager named Skylar and a senior named Gene chatted in the hallway between services at our church. I secretly took this picture of them. (I got their permission to use it here.) ...
The new year is always a time for big decisions, big hopes and big disappointments.
Churches are no exception.
For the next few weeks, gym memberships and diets will soar. Job losses and divorces will rise. Some people will decide to go back to church, while others will decide ...
When people say we don't go to church, we are the church, I resonate very deeply with them.
The church is not a building or an event. It's people.
But there's a part of me that resists saying we don't go to church. Because we do.
Church is not just who ...
I reached my limit last week.
It was a recent Facebook post that did it. A pastor wrote that "today’s church has turned its back on God", then went on yet another indiscriminate rant about what’s wrong with all of us – except him and his church, ...
Is it possible to be passionately apathetic?
If so, count me in.
I grew up in the church. But in recent years I've found myself caring less about many of the issues I used to think mattered so much. I’m not just apathetic about them, I’m passionately apathetic. ...
There is no right format for worship.
This week I spoke at a ministers’ conference. In the closing commissioning service, most of the new ministers who came forward were wearing jeans and short-sleeved shirts. Those commissioning them were dressed the same.
As they ...
There's a disease infecting many of our churches. I call it Cool Church Cancer.
It's a progressive disease that happens in three steps:
Step 1: A cool, new church comes to town. Or a cool, new pastor. Step 2: Some people leave our church for the cool church. Step ...
If you’re a long-time, faithful church member who doesn’t like the way your church is changing, I have one thing to say to you.
Thank you.
For what? We’ll get to that soon. But first I want to tell you a short story.
Trying to Keep Up
“What ...
Megachurches are awesome.
How could we not be grateful when thousands of people voluntarily gather together every week to worship Jesus? Everything about that is good.
But … (you knew there was a 'but coming, didn't you?)
But while it's wonderful ...
Recently I met someone who had spent many years on staff at a church of over 4,000. During his entire time at that church, he never met the pastor.
He expressed some frustration about it, because he admired the pastor and would have enjoyed learning from him over an occasional ...
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