What cues for a negative stereotype are we sending out often without even knowing it? And how can we create a culture that will maximize learning for all kinds of people? (Nonfiction)
Top 10 of 2019
A look back at our most popular articles in 2019.
One of the Family: Becoming a New Minister in a Small Church
Becoming a minister of a small church means, for better or worse, you have married into a family.
“11/22/63” by Stephen King
Our intrepid hero goes back in time in an attempt to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing JFK. Will he succeed, and would it be a good thing if he did? (Fiction)
Christmas: More Than a Gift
I do not know what the future holds for these kids, but my gifts to them are no longer about Christmas; they’re a statement of my hopes and dreams that they will be great.
Faithfully Distressed
How do we handle spiritual distress as ministers and faith communities? We start by assuring people that distress and crisis are normal.
“Wave” by Sonali Deraniyagala
What do you do when life hits you with grief and pain that is so overwhelming that there are no words for it? If you are a writer with Sonali Deraniyagala’s skill, you write the unspeakable. (Nonfiction)
Leadership Structures for Local Congregations
In far too many places, the structure of leadership—the way in which decisions and deliberations are handled—creates obstacles for the congregation’s mission.
“Ignorance” by Milan Kundera
Why should a preacher read Kundera? There’s no one else who faces more squarely the conundrum of living in a post-Nietzsche world. (Fiction)
He Stills Storms Still: A Meditation (Part 2)
Jesus’s disciples, when faced with the imminent possibility of death, ask the question of the ages when they ask, “Do you not care that we are perishing?”
The Cost of Impatience
Patience keeps us fixated on our hope and shields us from acting out of our restlessness as we wait for the coming of the Lord.
“Moonwalking with Einstein” by Joshua Foer
Let’s begin this review with a little quiz. I will give you the title of the book, and you try to guess what the book is about. Ready? (Nonfiction)
‘Tis the Season for Reflective Planning
As the year comes to a close, there is one practice that should be built into our schedules: reflection.
Beauty in the Abnormal
Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, but that eye seems inconsistent in its demands for meeting expectations of beauty.
“Snow” by Orhan Pamuk
It has much to say about the ongoing conflict of the secular world with the world of religious conviction. And it certainly might cause you to rethink how you have viewed that conflict and what its future might be. (Fiction)
What Does It Mean to Be in Charge?
Jesus reveals that true leadership is about taking responsibility for others, not amassing authority for ourselves. As the church, what image of kingship do we promote?
Cancer, Jesus, Sin, and Surgery
My recent surgery made me think about melanoma and sin, about radical physical and spiritual surgery, and about recovery.
“The Lifespan of a Fact” by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal
If you ever wonder whether one can change the facts in order to more clearly present the truth, do I have a book for you! (Nonfiction)
We Needed a Trusted Advisor
Knowledge provides opportunity to choose areas in which we desire greater health, where growth is possible and ministries can become more robust.
“The Messiah of Morris Avenue” by Tony Hendra
The basic idea of the novel is simple and straightforward. Jesus has come back to modern America as the Hispanic street preacher, Jay. (Fiction)