In 2015 I announced that I was leaving parish ministry. Now, almost a decade later, I'm pleased to share that I'm returning. On June 30, I'll begin a new role as Interim Pastor at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Arlington, Texas. Ministry Background For those who may be reading this post as an introduction to me and/or to So What Faith (a blog I started back in 2009), some background information is helpful. After earning an undergraduate degree in ministry and spending a few years Read More …
So What Faith Turns 15 (#2129)
So What Faith launched 15 years ago this week. In June 2009, while I was serving First Presbyterian Church in Naples, Florida I decided to become a blogger. I knew I wanted to share messages about matters of faith that matter with an audience wider than my congregation and believed that blogging was the right tool for that moment in time. Except that I kept going and going and going and . . . now 15 years later well after the heyday of blogging, I continue to faithfully create new Read More …
My Religion is Dying: A Deep Dive into Mainline Decline (#2128)
Confession: I am a lifelong Mainline Protestant. While I've switched denominations many times - from Presbyterian (PCUSA) to Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to Lutheran (ELCA) to Presbyterian (PCUSA) to United Church of Christ to Presbyterian (PCUSA) to United Church of Christ - I've never left this religious tradition. Stating the Obvious For my entire lifetime, Mainline Protestant denominations have all been experiencing a numeric decline in membership. The narrative of decline Read More …
Great New Books for June 2024 (#2127)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Baptizing America I've read more than my fair share of material on Christian Nationalism. I've even reviewed and/or rated a number of book length considerations of the topic here on So What Faith, including The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming the Faith, and Refounding Democracy by Jim Wallis (2024), The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Read More …
My Visit to Mosaic Community Church (#2126)
This morning, I was a first time guest at Mosaic Community Church (a United Church of Christ affiliated congregation) in Oklahoma City. My wife and I attended their sole Sunday morning service, which begins at 11:00 a.m. When we arrived in the parking lot fifteen minutes before the hour, we were surprised to find a few dozen vehicles already in place. Since the lot in use was located adjacent to the sanctuary, no exterior signage was needed to help us find our way. Once inside Read More …
ELCA Membership Cut in Half (#2125)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was formed in 1988 by the merger of three Lutheran denominations: American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and the Lutheran Church in America. And, almost every year since its creation, the denomination has experienced a decline in membership. This trend is consistent with what has happened in Mainline Protestantism at large (a grouping used by sociologists for seven theologically progressive denominations, Read More …
A Pentecost First (#2124)
Today I worshipped at First United Lutheran Church in Dallas. It was my second time to worship with this congregation (the first was last April on the occasion of the celebration of their first 100 years of ministry). And, this was the tenth congregation I've worshipped with in 2024 (for the ninth and links to the others check out My Visit to Trinity Presbyterian Church). Preaching During my years of parish ministry I had a number of opportunities to preach on Pentecost. Today, however. Read More …
My Visit to Trinity Presbyterian Church (#2123)
This morning, I was a first time guest at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. My wife and I attended the 10:55 a.m. service of worship. While we have no real links to the congregation, I have considerable ties to the congregation’s denomination – Presbyterian Church (USA) – and, some time ago I connected with the congregation's pastor, Rev. Richard Mize. Mize, like myself, is an ordained United Church of Christ minister. (For those not familiar with Mainline Read More …
God’s Wisdom (#2122)
Passage for Reflection: James 3:17-18 There is no shortage of worldly wisdom. Scroll through any social media platform and you’ll see person after person claiming expertise on a wide variety of topics. Open e-mails and other more formal professional correspondence and you’ll find an alphabet soup of degrees and certifications alongside the sender’s name. Walk into a public library and you’ll be greeted by books as far as your eyes can see. Wisdom is everywhere. James contrasts this Read More …
Great New Books for May 2024 (#2121)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Trash "Poor whites are the largest group of poor people in the United States. 33 percent of white people are poor. That is roughly 20 percent of the US population . . . The system of capitalism unique to the United States has been wildly effective, both at creating wealth for those in power and keeping poor people fighting among themselves in the process" (p.14). Cedar Monroe was raised in this culture and has served in ministry as Read More …