Writing for the Naples Florida Weekly, Ella Nayor explores how many congregations in Southwest Florida are using technology to connect people to one another and to the life of the faith community. Clergy from multiple religions see value in leveraging technology for connectivity in a variety of use cases. While some congregations have just a few dozen followers on Facebook, many have more robust offerings. North Naples United Methodist Church's staff includes a Read More …
Review of Adventures in Churchland (#0827)
Meet the Author Dan Kimball is a pastor who oversees "Sunday gatherings and teaching as well as the missional aspects of the church" at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, CA. He is an adjunct professor at George Fox University. Kimball is the author or co-author of multiple books on church leadership and culture, including They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations (2007). Book Basics Adventures in Churchland is the story of the American Read More …
A Challenge to Change (#0826)
Cynthia Rigby, professor of theology at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, recently contributed to Bill McKenzie's Texas Faith Blog on the topic of whether or not religion has lost its bite. Rigby's words are appropriately challenging for those who follow the way of Jesus: The point of true religion is not to notarize our behaviors, but to challenge us to change. The Gospel pulls the rug out from under us and our ways by telling us we should do radical things such as Read More …
Radical Hospitality Isn’t Enough (#0825)
Scott Benhase, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia, recently wrote that radical hospitality alone is no longer adequate. In his understanding, the theology most commonly undergirding radical hospitality is such that it supposes something of a "law of attraction" wherein "if we’re just open and welcoming enough people will naturally be attracted to us and want to come and join our churches." In reality, the number of people who are attracted continues to dwindle thereby Read More …
Religious Engagement via Social Media (#0824)
While America remains a country with high levels of belief in God, most Americans are not talking about religious matters via social media. According to a recent (July 2012) survey of 1,026 American adults: 13% have downloaded a religious podcast of a sermon or listened to a sermon online 11% have posted status updates about being in church 10% have used a cell phone to take pictures or record video during worship 6% belong to one or more religious groups on Facebook 5% Read More …
Christian Leadership (#0823)
Earlier this summer Will Willimon (read my review of The Best of Will Willimon: Acting Up in Jesus’ Name - 2012) shared some challenging words for those who seek to be Christian leaders: I’ve read dozens of books on leadership, have even written a few myself. Books on leadership tend to say, “Here are the personal qualities you must have, here are the skills you must acquire if you want to lead.” In the world, leaders must be omniscient and omnipotent, capable and courageous, Read More …
Ecumenical Prayer Cycle (#0822)
The World Council of Churches suggests that prayer is at the heart of the ecumenical movement. The ecumenical prayer cycle is designed to encourage people to pray for every region of the world by focusing on a specific region each week of the year. This week's focus is This week we pray for So What? There are many ways your congregation could encourage participation in the ecumenical cycle of prayer, including prominently displaying a visual reminder on your Read More …
Organizational Clarity (#0821)
Last week Scott Williams wrote several blog posts summarizing the sessions he attended at the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit, including one on a session led by Patrick Lencioni on the importance of organizational health. Lencioni is the author of ten business books and president of The Table Group, where he focuses on writing and speaking about leadership and organizational life. Williams shares Lencioni's six questions every organization must Read More …
Recovering from Disappointment (#0820)
Ron Edmondson recently shared his list of 10 ways to recover from major disappointments: Reconnect with God Evaluate your life Create some new dreams Call in the advisors Don't take your pain and anger out on others Take a break When it's time, be willing to risk again Don't let failure or disappointment define you Do something Get back in the game So What? The list of possible major disappointments one can experience in life is nearly endless. When struggling with a Read More …
Prayer of Dedication for Sunday, August 12 (#0819)
God of unexpected provision and unending love we place before You our offerings and our lives. Multiply what we bring and change who we are for the sake of advancing Your realm. Open before us the possibilities of ministry and guide our community of faith in the way of Jesus. Amen. Read More …