Yesterday, I was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ and installed as the CEO of White Rock Center of Hope through a four way covenant. My Journey Toward Ordination I received a call to vocational ministry as a teenager and have sought to live that out ever since. That quest started with earning an undergraduate degree in ministry and then a seminary degree (M. Div.). And, it has continued in the 22 years since finishing those foundational theological studies. I've Read More …
Great New Books – November 2023 (#2086)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5+) Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other by Amy Butler (The Dial Press, 2023)(4.5) Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God Into a Hopeful Future by Dwight Zscheile, Michael Binder, and Tessa Pinkstaff (Fortress Press, 2023)(4.5) Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen (Penguin Books, 3rd edition, Read More …
Lacking Close Friends (#2085)
Earlier this week Pew Research Center published the results of a survey they conducted in July that found around 1 in 12 American adults (8%) have no close friends outside of their family. You read that right, 1 out of every 12 American adults self-reported that they didn't have any close friends outside of their family. Among those who responded the breakdown by number of close friends follows 0 - 8%1 - 7%2 - 14%3 - 18%4 - 13%5 - 13%6 - 6%7 - 2%8 - 2%9 - 1%10 or more - 13%Did not answer Read More …
It’s Happening & You’re Invited: Ordination Update #14 (#2084)
I'm pleased to share that I'll be ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2023! If you are in or near the Dallas area, you are invited to attend the service, which will be held at Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ. Please help spread the word. About the Process If you are familiar with my story at all you likely know that I started in ministry in a very traditional manner by completing academic preparation (an undergraduate Read More …
10 Invitations to Conversation (#2083)
While I read many new books and share ratings for the best of them with you once a month, I most frequently share quotes of interest via X, the platform previously known asTwitter. Today, I'm sharing 10 quotes from recently published books as an invitation to theological conversation about one or more of the topics they explore. Read More …
Great New Books – October 2023 (#2082)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (4.5) The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America by Kathryn J. Edin, H. Luke Shaefer, and Timothy J. Nelson (Mariner Books, 2023)(4.5) Life After God: Finding Faith When You Can't Believe Anymore by Mark Feldmeir (Westminster John Knox Press, 2023)(4.5) Afro-Christian Convention: The Fifth Stream of the United Church of Christ edited by Yvonne. V Delk (Pilgrim Press, 2023)(4.0) The Evangelical Read More …
Mainline Protestant Clergy: 3 Intriguing Stats (#2081)
Earlier this month, Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) published Clergy and Congregations in a Time of Transformation: Findings from the 2022-2023 Mainline Protestant Clergy Survey. This wide-ranging study "considers the perspectives of mainline Protestant clergy from the seven largest mainline Protestant denominations on the cultural and political divides facing the nation, and how such divides may be impacting their own congregations." And, it is filled with statistics that warrant Read More …
14 Years of Tweeting (#2080)
A few days ago the social media platform formerly known as Twitter alerted me it was my 14th anniversary as @sowhatfaith. Since this may be my last such anniversary, I decided this was a good time to reflect on my journey. Getting Started In the early years, I spent more time on Twitter than anywhere else in social media land. And, I regularly wrote about those experiences here on So What Faith, including celebrating several twitterversaries and a reflection an award I Read More …
Preaching and Ordination Update #13 (#2079)
I'm current seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ. And, I've been sharing updates as I progress through the discernment process that I hope will culminate in ordination. My last update was about two months ago: My Ministry in the United Church of Christ – Ordination Update #12 (July 2022). In that post I shared parts of the third section of my ordination paper, which focuses on my experiences in the United Church of Christ and plans for ordained ministry. Preaching One Read More …
Saying Goodbye to Hodges University (#2078)
I never imagined saying a permanent goodbye to a University that deeply impacted me. Today, I take this action for the second time in as many years. Last year, I said Goodbye to Hardin-Simmons University after that University choose a new path marked by dishonesty and that exclude all people who do not wholeheartedly endorse a new and troublingly specific statement of faith. Today, I say Goodbye to Hodges University upon the recent news that it has stopped admitting new students and will Read More …