The ten best new books I've read over the last month are (5+) We Aren't Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry by Mark Elsdon (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021)(5.0) Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers by Tyler Sit (Chalice Press, 2021)(4.5) In Defense of Kindness: Why it Matters, How it Changes Our Lives, and How it Can Save the World by Bruce Reyes-Chow (Chalice Press, 2021)(4.5) Out of Many, One: Portraits of American Immigrants by George W. Bush Read More …
Top Posts of 2021 (January – June) (#1939)
In a few days, we will reach the midpoint of 2021. Many of my blog posts this year have focused on how churches and other ministries are reopening, and how the next normal will differ from what had been normative in a pre-pandemic world. Additionally, the first post of the month each month introduces great new books. Not surprisingly, all five of the top posts for the first half of this year fit in one of those two categories (top posts as defined by total page views): Reopening for Read More …
Giving Thanks – Mansfield Mission Center (#1938)
Over the last four years, I've had the joy of serving the Mansfield Mission Center (MMC). In short, MMC is the place people turn when unexpected challenges arise, and it is the center of opportunity for individuals, families, and the entire community. Introducing the Mansfield Mission Center Founded as the benevolence ministry of First Methodist Mansfield and originally known as the Wesley Mission Center, the organization became its own non-profit in 2013, and was renamed Read More …
My “Next Normal” Communion Experience (#1937)
COVID-19 has forever changed the church. While exactly what the "next normal" of worship will look like will vary regionally and, within regions, between congregations, it will not return to how it was before the pandemic. With this in mind, I included worship changes as one of five changes I expect in the life of the church in the months and years ahead (for more on that check out Giving Up the Church I Always Knew). Returning to Indoor Worship After more than a year of worshipping Read More …
Celebrating 12 Years of So What Faith (#1936)
In the spring of 2009 I decided to give blogging a try. After doing a little research, talking with several friends and colleagues who had already been blogging for awhile, and brainstorming possible names, I launched So What Faith in June 2009. While I'd love to say that when I launched the site I knew what I was doing and imagined that the site would still be going strong a dozen years later, in reality I simply knew that I was ready to share some of my short form writing about matters of Read More …
Great New Books – June 2021 (#1935)
The ten best new books I've read over the last month are (5.0) United States of Grace: A Memoir of Homelessness, Addiction, Incarceration, and Hope by Lenny Duncan (Broadleaf Books, 2021) (4.5) White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America by Anthea Butler (University of North Carolina Press, 2021) (4.5) Praying with Our Feet: Pursuing Justice & Healing on the Streets by Lindsey Krinks (Brazos Press, 2021) (4.5) Made, Known, Loved: Developing Read More …
It’s Time to Live Again (#1934)
Passage for reflection: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Church is predictable. Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve served nine congregations, and been part of worship services in over one hundred. In the denominations I know best, worship happens in an orderly manner and without surprises. The church year is predictable. Each new year begins with Advent, then come Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time. While that listing is correct it is intentionally incomplete; it omits Read More …
My Ministry Journey: Another BIG Step (#1933)
I'm excited to share the news that I've accepted a new ministry position. On June 21, 2021, I'll become the next Executive Director of the White Rock Center of Hope. This big next step is possible because of so many other steps of varying sizes I've already taken. The following account is an attempt to provide a high level overview of my preparation for this step. My approach is primarily chronological utilizing a series of phases or acts. While give thanks for the hundreds of Read More …
First In Person Worship Service in Florida (#1932)
After not attending indoor worship services for over a year, I re-entered this world in mid-March 2021. Over the next two months I visited 8 different congregations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area (for more on those experiences check out Pandemic Regathering: 8 Experiences). Earlier today I attended my first indoor service of worship outside the state of Texas since before the onset of the pandemic at Naples United Church of Christ. Preparation I registered for the service Read More …
Thinking Theologically: Exploring 5 Tweets (#1931)
I've been tweeting as @SoWhatFaith since 2009. In 2021, the majority of my tweets have been quotes from new books. Interestingly, according to Twitter's built in analytics, my top tweets this year consist of four such tweets alongside one I wrote in response to a very difficult day. I invite you to read these five tweets, and select one to explore in greater depth. Carry the words of that tweet with you for a few days, then share your reflections. Brian McLaren. "Eventually, I came to Read More …