Will we be bringing liberal secular people back to church? During a discussion I had with a conservative religious pollster, I asked for his analysis of my denomination. He claimed our problem was that the congregations were mostly conservative while the agencies were run by liberals. The problem, he went on to explain, is that liberals do not go to church. If there has ever been a better explanation of “us v them” in the mainline church, I have yet... Read more
Advent is almost over. Thank God! Learning Advent and Christmas were two different seasons was a gift. But it did not change the bitter-sweet experience of the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Perhaps we need to lose some of the traditions churches have during Advent. Christmas Cantata Honestly, how many members of your congregation actually know the meaning of the word “cantata?” They may guess it has something to do with choral music. According to Merriam-Webster, cantatas are compositions for... Read more
A church is choosing to close. But, does that mean it dies? This is the question we have been wrestling with at the congregation where I serve as pastor. Choice appears to be the greatest value in our society. Wishful thinking is second to it. Is this discussion an exercise in the latter. So many people are prematurely dancing on the grave of The United Methodist Church. And there are indeed a few former members of the congregation who are... Read more
The County Democratic Party group received a “soft” threat for the Christmas parade. The people claimed they and their friends were going to pelt the float with rotten vegetables. The plea was, “We need to keep politics out of Christmas.” My head almost spun around. This from people who get mad if someone says, “Happy Holidays” to them? But it is possible to keep politics out of Christmas. Here are five ways pastors can avoid anything political this Christmas. Avoid... Read more
Watching stories retold as film after reading the narratives is not new for me. But watching while reading is. We are all used to hearing people say, “the book is better than the movie.” I even tongue-in-cheek said this when people talked about The Bible miniseries. Someone even asked, “There’s a book?” And then immediately realized I was baiting them. “Haha, very funny, smartass,” was the reply. What people usually mean when they claim the book is better, is, “The images... Read more
Hiking, running, and walking are not real to me unless I go uphill at some point. To be honest, I do not run anymore. But I still hike and walk. Sometimes, it is even fun. The ever-increasing arthritis in my knees makes going down hills harder than going up them. Going up hills used to be more difficult though. I would stop for short breaks. Now I rarely ever do that. Some time ago, and I am not sure when,... Read more
A billboard carries the message for a local church. It includes the words “too blessed to be stressed.” The word “prosperity” rings in my head every time I see it. Prosperity gospel preachers and believers lack imagination. In their world, one cannot both enjoy blessings and live with stress. If a person feels bad, then they conclude that person is not among “the elect.” This lack of imagination means failing at empathy. People would not practice compassion for others until... Read more
The Members Only jackets of my teenaged years illustrate how I view those times. I, of course, wore an imitation. No label described me as a member of the elite circle. It was the same with my Sears knock off of Izod shirts. I was disgusted with the dragons that stood in place of the alligators. I tore them off. The traces of glue could still be seen on the shirts. People asked, “Why I tore off the alligators.” A... Read more
“Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 5:5) I walked around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania the last few days. Lincoln, in the Gettysburg Address, says no words spoken or actions by dignitaries can make the site any more holy than the full measure of devotion demonstrated by the soldiers. He wrote stirring stuff, for sure. But what really makes a place holy? I have wrestled with this question... Read more
Have you ever considered there is a difference between winning and victory? One is the action of achieving. The other is the action achieved. I often ponder these slight distinctions. It is easy to make too much out of them. When we look at states of being, we are confronted with the difference. In sports someone may claim victory before the game is over. But the team is actually only winning. Decisions to turn away from a game by leaving... Read more
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