Seeking the sacred in family, culture, politics, and sometimes, even ministry.
As is so often the case... I was late to the party. The virtual wake for Will D. Campbell, that is. When he passed away earlier this week, my newsfeed filled up quickly with articles about his life and work. As a general rule, if I see something go by more than 5 times, I take a minute to read it. After all, if so many people are thinking/talking about something...there's a good chance it needs to go into my sermon notes for the week. So I started reading up on the late … [Read more...]
When a church is dying, The Body wants to know why. When people are leaving (or just not coming), when no new programs emerge, when there's no money for outreach, and no passion for mission, we start asking questions: what are we doing wrong? what are we just plain not doing? It's a sad conversation, with fatigue and frustration involved. The physical weight of the unknown and unknowable...it sits heavy on the congregational heart, and smothers everything. Even--maybe especially--the spirit … [Read more...]
I'm going to say a thing. Stop me if you've heard it: "Just because I don't accept someone's lifestyle, doesn't mean that I hate them!" I've heard it before. So have you. If nowhere else, you've seen it (blowing up your newsfeed) on a meme quoting Rick Warren. But more broadly, you’ve heard it in conversations with people who do not support equal marriage rights. Maybe you’ve even said it, written it, or thought it yourself. This line of discourse is the new ‘love the sinner/hate the … [Read more...]
A follow-up to yesterday's discussion re: "Moral Compromise." We are talking about the beginnings of transformation. The sharing of real stories, real relationships; engaging open discourse and genuine interest in those we mark as 'other.' Time and again we find that once an 'opinion' or an 'issue' becomes about a real live person, everything changes. That truth goes both ways. Always. There is still a long way to go down the road to equality and inclusion of LGBT folks, in all … [Read more...]
I'm going to say a thing. Stop me if you've heard it: "Just because I don't accept someone's lifestyle, doesn't mean that i hate them!" I've heard it before. So have you. Most recently, as a direct quote from Rick Warren. But more broadly, coming from folks in conservative settings all over the place. And chances are, if you've heard some version of this line, the conversation was about gay people. Everywhere you look these days, churches, pastors and fundamental Christians are getting more … [Read more...]
It occurs to me that I should never be famous. Not that i was ever in much danger of that...i'm just thinking that i should avoid it at all costs now, because I am still experiencing 'feedback fatigue' from the discussion about amendment 1 the other day. I usually get a handful of readers, mostly church folks and my mom (who told me that i should sometimes count her twice, because she comes back to read it again). To give you a little perspective on the kind of traffic I got this week--i've been … [Read more...]
It's been about 6 months now since Foothills adopted an "Open and Affirming" mission. As we close in on Easter, I'm reflecting on how it's changed us, and also, the truths of transformation that we learned along the way. As ever, Tina Fey preaches it better than me. According to the gospel of Tina Fey, “the fun is always on the other side of a ‘yes.’ In her memoir, “Bossypants,” she expounds on the rules of improvisation. Call me a church nerd, but her rules of improv sound … [Read more...]
Follow Patheos on
Copyright 2008-2013, Patheos. All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Patheos Privacy Policy | Site developed by Avalon Consulting, LLC
Follow Patheos
Progressive Christian: