Carol Howard Merritt, a Presbyterian pastor and the author of Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation (2007 – read my review here) and Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation (2010 – read my review here), recently shared her list of 10 reasons why being a pastor is the best job ever. It included relating to anyone, writing, and variety. So What? Pastoral ministry is one of the more diverse professional pursuits. Read More …
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Support Your Pastor (#1248)
October was clergy appreciation month. November includes Thanksgiving. Next Sunday a new church year begins. During this time of year, I encourage you to consider how you can support your pastor. Emily Heath, pastor of West Dover Congregational Church (West Dover, VT), recently blogged about the topic. Her post features 10 practical tips, including: make sure your pastor has sabbath time, remember that you called your pastor, not their whole family, and Read More …
Myths About Raising Interfaith Kids (#1237)
Susan Katz Miller, author of Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family (2013), recently shared myths parents of differing religions who want their children to be raised in both traditions often hear presented as facts: the kids will be confused, the kids will be stressed by choosing between parents, the child will not feel comfortable in a synagogue or church, the two religions are contradictory, Jesus is a huge dilemma for interfaith kids, both Read More …
Is Youth Group Biblical? (#1223)
The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches is currently surveying people about their views of youth groups. The three question survey will remain open through November 8. So What? Cast your vote now. How did you answer the first question? (Are church "youth group" programs a biblical way to reach young people?) Does your congregation have a youth group? If so, what do you understand its role to be? If not, do you believe your congregation should consider starting such a Read More …
Wisdom for Boys (#1220)
For those that do not regularly speak to teenagers, opportunities to give talks to those in this age group can prove especially challenging. On the occasion of preparing to give an extended presentation to a group of teen aged boys, Roger Olson shared a working outline. Among his list of ten items are it’s good to be a boy—and a man, they need to ignore the stereotypes of “manhood”—whether those come at them from their male peers or from the media or anywhere, and they Read More …
What Should Pastors Wear? (#1195)
What should pastors wear during worship? Joseph Yoo, pastor of St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara (CA), recently addressed this question in a post titled "Pastor Dress Code." He writes: What is the appropriate attire that a pastor should wear on Sunday mornings? And, is it really that important? Apparently, the issue is much, much bigger than I had ever thought it would be. So What? I found myself spending more time reading the comments than the original Read More …
My New Call (#1172)
It is official: I am now serving as Interim Senior Minister of United Church on Marco Island (FL). The congregation was established in 1966, and now consists of 300+ followers of the way of Jesus. United Church is committed to Christian unity, and is affiliated with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches and the United Church of Christ. So What? While most of my previous ministry positions were firsts for the congregations I served (the first time they Read More …
1,000 Days of Daily Blogging (#1150)
This post marks 1,000 days of blogging on a daily basis. I launched sowhatfaith.com just over 4 years ago. Almost three years ago, I started blogging on a daily basis. At several points along that journey I paused to reflect and share my experience: 100 Days, 1 Year, and 2 Years. So What? I hope my daily posts have been substantive, relevant, and actionable. I believe even more strongly now than I did when I launched this blog that it is important for people who Read More …
Church Signage Tips (#1147)
Really awful church signage regularly appears on my social feeds. While there are far too many examples of church signage, there are relatively few helpful resources for church leaders who want to think strategically about signage. Church Marketing Sucks, however, recently featured multiple posts on the topic: Tips for Your Primary Exterior Sign by Erin Williams, Tips for Secondary Exterior Signs by Erin Williams, and 8 Steps to Making Interior Signs Work for Your Church Read More …
No Verbal Announcement for ____ (#1133)
At some point during the worship service most congregations include a time for verbal announcements. This content is often reinforced by printed material in the bulletin/worship guide and/or data projected on a screen. While those responsible for the success of just about any and everything that happens on the church campus often desire a verbal announcement, most opportunities simply do not deserve to be highlighted in that manner. Phil Bowdle, Communications Director at West Read More …