Hung over after Holy Week, Church Leader?

April 1, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

Dear Church Leader, Are you hung over today? No matter what your church tradition, you’re coming off the most intense worship schedule of your Church calendar. Nothing compares to Holy Week, not even the Christmas season. If you’re shepherding a liturgical church, you’ve had a long run-up to holy week, beginning with Ash Wednesday 47 days ago. But even if your congregation doesn’t add additional services during Lent, this past week has probably been packed with anything from invite-the-community Easter... Read more

Waiting for Resurrection

March 30, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” – John 11:25-26 Read more

Pilgrim’s Road Trip #11 – Moses, Not To Be Confused With Charlton Heston

March 28, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

We live as exiles. We’re called to be pilgrims. I am journeying through Scripture chronologically in order to explore our exile experience. I’ll also offer some helpful thoughts about how Christ can reshape that identity and reorient our journey so we live as pilgrims. To read earlier posts in the series, head to the sidebar at the right, click on “Categories”, then on “Pilgrim’s Road Trip”, which also happens to be the inspiration for this blog’s title. * * * *... Read more

Review: The Hardest Thing To Do

March 26, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

If anyone but my friend Carole had handed me a book series like Penelope Wilcock’s The Hawk and The Dove, I would have found a way to smile politely, tumble together a sloppy “thanks but no thanks; too busy” and pass them back to the giver as if I were playing Hot Potato. Carole, a brilliant friend possessing the equivalent of a black belt in classic literature, pressed the stack of three books in Wilcock’s original trilogy on me back... Read more

A Plea: Listen To The Voice Of Grief

March 25, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

Last Friday, Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog ran my post entitled “Like Valerie Harper, We’re All Terminal“. In it, I contended that we in the Church talk a lot about eternal life, but we stink at helping each other deal with death. After I wrote the Valerie Harper post, but prior to it being published, I received a series of emails from a young ministry wife I’ll call “T”. I referenced her story briefly here. Because of her life circumstances, “T” requested... Read more

Out To The Margins: Ginnie Lange

March 21, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

What does honest faith look like? If I head out to the margins, the places at the edge of things where our messiness and Christ’s forgiveness meet, I have the best chance of finding the answer to that question. From time to time, I’d like to introduce you to people I know who’ve followed Jesus out to the margins. You and I may not sign off on each of these friends’ choices or convictions, but I hope their stories will... Read more

When Theology Becomes An Assault Weapon

March 20, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

What appears to be pristine theology, presented in user-friendly form, may in fact be a deadly assault weapon. A young friend was struggling with how to trust God as she faced infertility. She didn’t feel as though the Ladies Bible study crew at her church would be the best place for her to process her questions and emotions. I suggested we read a book together – something that could shape our conversation and our prayers. I offered four titles addressing... Read more

Pilgrim’s Road Trip #10 – Moshe’s Mama

March 18, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

We live as exiles. We’re called to be pilgrims. I am journeying through Scripture chronologically in order to explore our exile experience. I’ll also offer some helpful thoughts about how Christ can reshape that identity and reorient our journey so we live as pilgrims. To read earlier posts in the series, click here. * * * * * * * When we lived in WI, my husband and I were foster parents for 2 years, licensed to do “cradle care”... Read more

Church staff as ensemble cast, congregation as audience

March 14, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon

Reed and Linda* relocated to a new city so Reed could lead a faith-based nonprofit organization after many years of pastoring a church. It took the family several months to find a new church home, which was a disconcerting experience for them after spending so long at the helm of their former church. They finally settled on a mid-sized non-denominational congregation in a nearby town, and met with the church’s pastor to introduce themselves and put their gifts and experience... Read more

Church staff as ensemble cast, congregation as audience

March 14, 2013 By Michelle Van Loon