StillSpeaking Devotional: The Disciples Did Not Accessorize
After a great vacation at the beach, packing to come home is not nearly as much fun as packing before the trip. Before the trip, I spend days anticipating the vacation. Will it be cold enough for a sweater? Or so hot that I need to bring more shorts?
The Pain of Pretension - An Encouraging Word
Pretension is a learned behavior. We are not born with it, but the learning process begins early. An infant learns that certain behaviors bring approval while others displease important people in the infant's constellation of relationships.
Family Systems Basics about Money at Church 1: Anxiety
How do you get more reflective about your experiences with money at church? This is the first of a series of posts briefly looking at some basic family systems ideas in relation to church and money.
ON Scripture: Nathan Rebukes David
Every Bible ought to have a warning on its cover. Some of the stories found herein will shock your senses. They will test your faith. They will stretch you. They can hurt you and hurt others. Therefore, handle these texts with care and caution.
StillSpeaking Devotional: The God of Second Chances
I love officiating at weddings for second marriages. In fact, I often prefer them to weddings for first marriages. I know that might sound strange because, of course, you cannot have a second marriage without a first ending either in death or divorce, two of the saddest realities of all.
Facebook and the demise of denominational labels
Guest blogger Laura Everett considers the way Facebook makes obvious our reduced reliance on denominational labels.
The Most Segregated Hour
Churches in the South are denying couples the privilege of getting married in their church simply because of the color of their skin. Recently, there was a "whites-only" pastors conference held in Alabama. During this same summer the largest Protestant denomination in America, born out of a defense for slavery, called its first African-American president. Is the Church in America (especially the South) actually seeing healing and racial reconciliation, or are we taking one step forward and two steps back?
Dr. David Lose: The Burning House
There is a huge difference, I’ve found, between “thinking” or “talking” about something and “doing” something. That’s certainly true with our talk about the relationship between our happiness and our stuff.
Anthony Robinson: Naked Gospel
People are hungry for God. They are hungry for powerful good news of the God who has broken the powers of sin and death and makes new life possible here and now. They are hungry for naked gospel.
Bruce Reyes-Chow: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence
I asked my sister-in-law if she would be willing to share a short reflection on gun violence. As you many of you know, nearly four years ago, my own family was impacted by gun violence when my wife’s brother was shot and killed.
Carl McColman: Of Gods and Men, Movies and Violence
As we grieve the tragedy of Aurora, Colorado, an under-appreciated French film can offer a pathway to hope.
Clarence Jordan at 100: An Influential Soul
Clarence Jordan would have been 100 years old on Sunday, July 29. To say that he was a Christian is at the same time an understatement and the truth. Read this special remembrance by Chris Johnson at the Fuller Center for Housing.
Jesus' Unexpected Presence: A Meditation on John 6:16-21
Jesus tends to pop up unexpectedly in places where we desperately need him, as he did to the disciples, fearing for their lives in a storm and then fearing for their sanity when they saw him walking toward them on the roiling surface of the angry lake.
The Rev. Bill Flippin: Olympic Peace
When people come together in London from different races, cultures and nationalities, peace is not going to be found in a spectacular opening ceremony. When people of differing ages, sexes, educational levels, professions and political orientations gather in a church sanctuary, unity is not created by a well-planned service of worship.
Dr. David Lose: Does Your Sermon Bleed?
Somewhere along the way of my early career in ministry, it dawned on me that the central task of preaching is simply to tell the truth. Actually, to tell the truth twice.
Dr. Thomas Lane Butts: Blessings
Some of life's greatest blessings come unexpectedly, and sometimes from incidental and brief encounters with people we never see again. Sometimes a blessing is not recognized until much later, and sometimes we end up being blessed by an experience which at the time seemed to be anything but a blessing.
ON Scripture: Melissa Browning on 2 Samuel 11:1-15: The Story of Patriarchy and HIV/AIDS
In this week's ON Scripture lectionary resource: Like the story of David and Bathsheba, death and love are too often linked in the stories of women living with HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Church voyeur
Research fellow Monica A. Coleman considers the way that social media increase the ability for all to participate in denominational conventions.
Greg Garrett: Joe Paterno, Football, and False Gods
The Hebrew Testament proscriptions against false gods strike us as ridiculous and archaic. We don't worship statues or graven images, do we?
Do You Celebrate Those Who Give to Your Church?
We often do little to acknowledge those who give. What can you do to thank givers and to celebrate what they contribute?