The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5.0) Only Work Sundays: A Laidback Guide to Doing Less while Helping Your Church Thrive by Liz Miller (Pilgrim Press, 2023)(4.5) King: A Life by Jonathan Eig (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023)(4.5) The Word Made Fresh: Preaching God's Love for Every Body by George A. Mason (Front Edge Publishing, 2023)*4.5) The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams by Seth Godin (Portfolio / Penguin, 2023)(4.0) Walking With Read More …
53 Years of Hope: Celebrating Cathedral of Hope’s Anniversary (#2071)
I was excited to be able to worship this morning at Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ after missing out the last several weeks to worship with other area congregations that support the work of the faith-based non-profit I serve (for my sermon at St. James Episcopal Church see Preaching Hope or for my message at Eastminster Presbyterian Church see Preaching Difficult Discipleship). Celebrating 53 Years! 53 years ago something new happened in Dallas. In July of 1970 a group of 12 Read More …
My Ministry in the United Church of Christ – Ordination Update #12 (#2070)
In this series on my journey to ordination in the United Church of Christ, I’ve shared some of my experiences as a Member in Discernment. In the last update, I shared that I submitted the final item requested from my by the North Texas Association Committee on Ministry: an ordination paper. The paper consists of three sections: My Theology (an exploration of what I believe)My Understanding of the History and Polity of the United Church of ChristMy Ministry in the United Church of Christ Read More …
Preaching Hope (#2069)
This morning I had the opportunity to preach at both worship services at St. James Episcopal Church and share more about the ministry of White Rock Center of Hope during the education hour. This was a special joy as I've gotten to know this congregation better and better through my relationship with their WRCH Board Member, Russ Pate and their Rector, Fr. Jonathan Melton. Sermon My message, “Sowing Seeds of Hope” was based on the lectionary passages (Isaiah 55:10-13, Romans 8:1-11 & Read More …
Am I Living in the Most Protestant Place in America? (#2068)
Dallas - Arlington - Fort Worth, Texas (aka the D/FW metro area) has been my home for most of my life. Given D/FW's location, it isn't surprising that the area is more religious than the United States is on average. But, just how religious is it? And, just how Protestant? Most Religious Counties Last month sociologist Ryan Burge compiled a list of the Most Religiously Affiliated Highly Populated Counties in America as defined by the percentage of people in the county who are attached Read More …
Learning from 9 Congregations & 10 Denominations – Update #11 (#2067)
In this series on my journey to ordination in the United Church of Christ, I've been sharing some of the specifics of what my life has been like in recent months as a Member in Discernment. In this post, I explore how my current theology has been informed by lessons I've learned from 10 denominations or traditions. As I engage in this reflection I'm mindful of the nine congregations I've served, which are shown below: (1) First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) - Duncanville, TX; (2) Central Read More …
Ordination Paper Submitted – Update #10 (#2066)
I'm in the process of seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ. This is my 10th update about that journey. Submitted Today, I submitted my ordination paper. It is a twenty-five page document that is divided into three sections: theology,history and polity of the United Church of Christ, andand my calling to and ministry in the United Church of Christ. So What? In nine prior updates I've shared lists of what I've been asked to do as a Member in Discernment (UCC-speak Read More …
Great New Books – July 2023 (#2065)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5+) Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents - and What That Means for America's Future by Jean M. Twenge (Atria Books, 2023)(5.0) The Poverty Paradox: Understanding Economic Hardship Amid American Prosperity by Mark Robert Rank (Oxford University Press, 2023)(4.5) Christ Among the Classes: The Rich, the Poor, and the Mission of the Church by Al Tizon (Orbis Books, Read More …
Celebrating 14 Years of So What Faith with Popular Posts (#2064)
Thanks for being a supporter of So What Faith - a site where matters of faith that matter are explored and where good questions are always more valuable than easy answers. As a writer, I always wonder if anyone will read my words. For So What Faith, I'm able to answer that question thanks to Google Analytics. Note: Google Analytics as I've always know it is coming to an end. Effective July 1, 2023 a new Google Analytics launches. Given this big change, I decided to run some mid-year Read More …
Preaching Difficult Discipleship (#2063)
This morning I had the opportunity to preach at Eastminster Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Dallas, Texas. This was a special joy as the congregation has been a long-time supporter of White Rock Center of Hope, which is the organization I serve as Executive Director. The Sermon My message, "Difficult Discipleship," was based on two of the lectionary passages: Romans 6:1-11 and Matthew 10:24-39. A Difficult Excerpt As the Executive Director of a non-profit that is powered primarily Read More …