When I launched So What Faith back in 2009 I didn't really know what I was doing, but I had an adventurous spirit, adequate tech skills, and a desire to write about matters of faith that mattered. The first year I managed to publish 59 posts, which I shared primarily with those in the congregation I was serving and a few former colleagues. Growth Once I got the hang of how to blog, I started to expand my horizons through more intentional use of a variety of social media and interactions Read More …
authenticity
Pastoring Isn’t Glamorous (#1205)
Eugene Peterson (b.1932) is a pastor's pastor. He is the author of the best-selling The Message, which is his translation of the Bible into contemporary American language. He is an ordained Presbyterian (PCUSA) pastor who served as the founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland for twenty-nine years before retiring in 1991. Following his retirement from parish ministry, he served in academia until retiring from that role in 2006. Read More …
Sermon: Authentic Discipleship (#1168)
Today I have the privilege of preaching at United Church of Marco Island. My sermon texts are Psalm 1 and Luke 14:25-33. Sermon Excerpt Which of you would plan to build a new custom home without creating a detailed budget, and ensuring you have the necessary funds to complete construction? If you do not count the cost and only partially build the home, then it will be worthless and you will be the laughing-stock of your community. Or can you imagine the leader of a powerful nation Read More …
Effective Social Media Usage (#0905)
Bruce Reyes-Chow is a consultant who previously served as founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church. His effective use of social media while serving as moderator of the General Assembly of the 2.3 million member PCUSA helped many mainline leaders appreciate the value of social media for ministry. In an October 2012 presentation to the Miami Valley Presbytery (Dayton, OH) on social media and the church, Reyes-Chow offered five tips for effective Read More …
Misleading Blog Post Titles (#0369)
I write about matters of faith that matter. Many of the ideas for my posts are birthed by content on blogs I frequent on a regular basis or ones that are recommended by some of my many friends in ministry on Twitter. Over the last few weeks I have encountered a number of misleading blog post titles. While some creativity is essential in crafting titles, it should not extend so far that the title has no real link to the topic(s) addressed. So What? As a result of my recent Read More …