So much happens in a year’s time. As I reflect back over the last year of life I think mostly about several shifts alongside considerable continuity. While my complete list of changes during the past 365 days is rather lengthy, a few examples adequately address the impact these have on how I spend my time. Professionally, I moved from having a single employer to multiple employers. Personally, my wife and I became landlords after purchasing a rental property. So What? Life is Read More …
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Don’t Over Communicate (#0754)
Maurilio Amorim is CEO of The A Group, a media, technology and branding firm in Brentwood, TN that consults with some of the country’s largest ministries, leading churches, and Christian publishers. Recently he blogged about the importance of not over communicating. While it is easier than ever for ministries today to communicate with constituents, it is also more essential than ever to communicate effectively. To avoid over communication Amorim suggests Segment your Read More …
Fashion Friday (#0740)
Since I lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area for many years, I am no stranger to the strangeness of megachurch pastor Ed Young. Earlier this year, I even mentioned his one-of-a-kind "bed-in" here on sowhatfaith.com. Given what I know of him, I am convinced Young is the ideal poster boy for the "bigger is better" and/or "flashier is more fun" model of church. Given such, perhaps one of his latest ventures will equip a new generation of pastors to be more fashion Read More …
Living in the Happiest Place (#0738)
I have the distinct privilege of living in a happy place. According to a list just released by Coastal Living magazine, I live in one of America's five happiest seaside towns: Kiawah Island, SC Naples, FL Sausalito, CA Lake Bluff, IL Tiburon Bay, CA So What? The list was crafted using a list of the magazine's Dream Towns over the last 15 years and Facebook recommendations. The editors narrowed then ranked this larger list by considering their ranks on the Read More …
12 Religions in a Year (#0729)
Amanda Greene's recent article explores the yearlong religious experiment of 29 year old Andrew Bowen, a man who sought to attain faith in humanity rather than divinity through his quest. During 2011 he practiced a new religion each month, in effect becoming Hindu in January, Baha'i in February, Zoroastrian in March, Jewish in April, Buddhist in May, Agnostic in June, Mormon in July, Muslim in August, Sikh in September, Wiccan in October, Jain in November, and Read More …
College Presidents’ Pledge Against Global Poverty (#0719)
The Presidents' Pledge Against Global Poverty (PPAGP) invites current and former college presidents to pledge to donate 5 percent or more of personal income to fight global poverty by giving to organizations of their choice. Since PPAGP was founded in 2010 by Ann Svennungsen, past president of Texas Lutheran University and The Fund for Theological Education, 28 presidents have joined. So What? According to the nonprofit's FAQ sheet Presidents’ Pledge participants believe that personal Read More …
Is Your Church’s Website Visitor Friendly? (#0714)
Most people visit your church's website before visiting your congregation's physical campus. How welcoming is your site for prospective visitors? Tyler Walworth recently suggested assessing your site in light of questions visitors will likely ask including: Where is the church located? Who is the pastor? What should I expect? Will I be singled out as a visitor or pressured in any way? How do I join? Do I have to join? Should I know anything before I arrive? So What? A Read More …
High School Ministry – Defining Success (#0648)
Lutheran (ELCA) pastor Rich Melheim is the founder and chief creative officer of Faith Inkubators, which he describes as "a Christian education systems design think tank and resource provider dedicated to incubating faith every night in every home." In the February 22, 2012 edition of the Christian Century, he answered several questions regarding faith formation as a family matter, including one about high school youth ministry. Q: How do you define a successful church program for Read More …
Atheism 2.0 (#0643)
Alain de Botton's new book, Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion (2012), will be available in early March. If it is anything like his TED talk on Atheism 2.o, it will be worth reviewing and discussing. In his nearly 20-minute long talk in Edinburgh, Scotland last summer he shared these words: Now what is Atheism 2.0? Well it starts from a very basic premise: of course, there's no God. Of course, there are no deities or supernatural Read More …
Teach Better (#0641)
Whether the classroom is a university lecture hall, a business conference room, or a church library most people assume the subject matter expert will convey information in such a manner as to aid would be students in the learning process. The expectations relative to the teaching-learning experience rise proportional to the formality and expectations of the environment. Near the high expectation end of this continuum are credit courses at Ivy League universities. Dan Berrett's Read More …