According to recent research conducted by the Barna Group commissioned by the American Bible Society, American Bible readers strongly prefer reading the Bible in an old fashioned printed edition of the Bible. The preferred formats are print - 84%, digital - 10%, audio - 5%, and all others - 1%. So What? A few months ago I blogged about the tremendous rise in e-reading. While the report does note a shift toward digital reading the shift is far slower when it comes to the Read More …
Religious Discrimination for Job Applicants (#1438)
Sociologists Bradley R. E. Wright (author of Christians are Hate-Filled Hypocrites . . . and Other Lies You’ve Been Told: A Sociologist Shatters Myths From the Secular and Christian Media - my review and Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our World - my review) and Michael Wallace published an article in the June 2014 edition of Christianity Today that overviews their recent research on religious discrimination in the job application process in the United Read More …
Spiritual Prodigies (#1437)
Vince Amlin, associate minister at the United Church of Gainesville (Gainesville, FL), recently suggested that we need more spiritual prodigies. More specifically, he wrote The Church could use a generation of spiritual prodigies. The UCC needs them. The world needs them – kids hungry for a second helping of soul. So What? I agree wholeheartedly with Amlin that the church is ready to benefit from a new generation of spiritual prodigies. I wonder, however, what it is that your local Read More …
Learning from Trader Joe’s (#1436)
Becca Messman, associate pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church (Herndon, VA), recently wrote about how the church could learn from her favorite grocery store: Trader Joe's. Her piece, published in the Presbyterian Outlook, considers how Presbyterians would do well to study this "quirky, small-by-design chain of grocery stores that is clearly not trying to be any of its competitors." Her suggestions, of course, transcend her denominational affiliation. Messman recommends that Read More …
Recent Reading – June (#1435)
This is the final installment of my monthly posts sharing my ratings of some of the books I have recently read. I plan to resume my normal routine of providing reviews next month. (5) Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Most by Marcus Borg (2014) (4) The Twilight of the American Enlightenment: the 1950s and the Crisis of Liberal Belief by George Marsden (2014) (3.5) Pastoral Work: Engagements with the Work of Eugene Peterson edited by Jason Byassee (2014) Read More …
Sermon: An Open Invitation (#1434)
Sermon Text: I Corinthians 11:17-34a (The Message) Sermon Excerpt What is it about kitchens that turn them into places for memorable conversations? Before I share what is perhaps my most memorable kitchen encounter, let me give you a little context. I had traveled with a rather large church group to another state to do mission work. We were quite a diverse bunch. The teenagers and college students represented many different Christian traditions, and also included a good Read More …
Boomers = End of Senior Adult Ministry (#1433)
Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently shared five implications for local churches as boomers retire. Since the youngest boomers have already started retiring, it is important that all congregations pay attention to how the coming wave of retirees will change the church. While I agree with his list, I am especially interested in the final item since it is not talked about as often as the others. Retiring Boomers will kill traditional church senior Read More …
Hidden Church Assets (#1432)
Margaret Marcuson speaks and writes on leadership and works with church leaders nationally as a consultant and coach. Earlier this month, she blogged about three categories of assets found in all churches that are often undervalued or overlooked: human capital, intellectual capital, and financial capital. So What? Often congregations focus on financial capital, and assume they know all there is to know about their resources in this arena. Marcuson encourages Read More …
Ways to Engage Volunteers (#1431)
I have been in more than a few meetings this year when someone at the table said "people don't volunteer like they used to" or "we just don't have enough volunteers." Churches should be about helping every member (as well as every active participant!) be engaged in ministry. Creating a congregational culture that promotes volunteerism doesn't happen by chance. Phil Bowdle, creative arts director at West Ridge Church (Atlanta, GA), recently shared four ways his congregation Read More …
Reasons Not To Sing (#1430)
Thom Schultz, co-author of Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore and the director of the film When God Left the Building, recently shared his list of four reasons why fewer and fewer people are singing during worship services: worship is crafted as a spectator event, quality is emphasized, professional music is incredibly loud, and musical selections are unfamiliar, hard to sing, or just cheesy. So What? Schultz concludes his article with a confession: he has stopped Read More …