I've never not been a Christian. Put more directly: I've been a Christian my whole life. I was blessed to be raised by parents who followed the Way of Jesus, who embodied the love of Jesus, and who encouraged my full participation in the life of the local congregation I participated in from birth until college. In that congregation (First Presbyterian Church, PCUSA - Arlington, TX) I was nurtured, challenged, and supported. It was there that I was confirmed and there that I discerned a Read More …
Discipleship
Mainline Decline: 1990 to 2020 (#1989)
I've been hearing about Mainline decline for my entire life. As a lifelong participant in multiple denominations within this tradition, I don't remember a time when I was not a part of conversation about what's been happening and why. And, as someone who has served 9 congregations affiliated with denominations in the Mainline Protestant world, I know the practical challenges this trend presents to the local church and to denominations. Decline - The Last 30 Years I was confirmed in Read More …
Praise the Lord (#1987)
Passage for Reflection: Psalm 148 I grew up in the Presbyterian Church. We were an intellectual bunch who fit the stereotypical label: “frozen chosen.” No one spoke up in worship, and I could not imagine the liturgy being interrupted by an exuberant “praise the Lord” shouted from the pews. Now, I live in downtown Fort Worth, surrounded by large buildings of varying shapes and sizes connected by roads and sidewalks. The limited remaining undeveloped land is more likely to be occupied by a Read More …
Tweets Worth Thinking About (#1986)
In the past, I've limited my blogging about my tweeting to times when what I said was amplified by others. This has resulted in posts that include 10 Most Popular Tweets in the Last 10 Years (2021)Top 5 Tweets of 2020 (2020)Christians Don't Own Jesus (2019)My Top 5 Tweets of 2018 (Jan. – May) (2018)Winning a Retweet Award (2012) Today, I offer an entirely different sort of collection of tweets: tweets worth thinking about. Ten Tweets - Quotes from New Books The following ten tweets Read More …
Slow Down (#1983)
Every now and again we all need a reminder to slow down. We need to be reminded we are more than our actions; we should find our identity as human beings rather than from our human doings. When things I use every day stop working, I tend to slow down while I seek to I find creative temporary solutions and work toward restoring normalcy. For the last few weeks that opportunity came in the form of an oven that stopped heating appropriately. Last night the message was presented more Read More …
Just How Christian are Christians? (#1982)
Holy Week is a time when many Christians spend more time engaged in overtly religious activities than any other week of the year. Given such, it seems an appropriate time to ask the question, "Just how Christian are Christians today?" Or, put differently, how do others experience and perceive the Christians around them and how do Christians perceive themselves? Looking Back Fifteen years ago, I was introduced to a book to what was then a recently published book considering how Read More …
In-Person Worship Attendance: Continued Challenges (#1981)
In a pre-pandemic world, when people mentioned attending worship, I assumed they were speaking of an in-person experience. This assumption in no way minimizes the many ways in my lifetime people have heard and/or seen services of worship without being physically present - from the days of audio cassette tapes to the more recent options of livestreaming. I was taught that these supplemental approaches worked well for niche audiences, such as those who were homebound, ill, or traveling. Since Read More …
How’s Your Foundation? (#1979)
For the last few months, I've watched as dozens of workers have used a variety of equipment to prepare a piece of land just outside my front door for the construction of a building. In recent days all of that work has culminated in pouring a strong foundation. Jesus talked about everyday topics often, including building. In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders (found in the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 7:24-27 and Sermon on the Plain: Luke 6:46-49) he compared those who hear his Read More …
It’s Lent Again (#1978)
Lent has always been a big deal to me. I grew up Presbyterian. I spent 20+ years in parish ministry. And, I tend to appreciate anything that inspires more focused action in life or in the life of faith. Lenten Reflections: The Last 10 Years Not surprisingly, I've written quite a bit about Lent here at So What Faith over the years. A sampling from odd numbered years follows: 2011 - Social Media: Fast or Engage? - consideration of a then current article and interview with Bruce Read More …
Lifelong Retention: A Religious Challenge (#1976)
Do you still affiliate with the general religious tradition of your childhood? If so, you are among the majority. In his new book, 20 Myths About Religion and Politics in America (Fortress Press, 2022), Ryan P. Burge includes the myth that the growth of the nones (those with no religious affiliation) is largely from people leaving the church (Myth #15, p.165-174). Using widely available data, Burge shows that the growth of nones is actually due to generational replacement and high retention Read More …