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Essays

Thoughtful personal reflections from a variety of perspectives about issues relevant to Christian leaders

A prayer to begin the day

An ancient prayer helps today’s Christian leaders remember that God is already with us in our work, blessing, guiding and teaching us, writes a managing director at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

By Gretchen E. Ziegenhals Spiritual director and retreat leader

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Matthew Soerens: How pastors can help their congregations address the issue of immigration

Drawing on his own experiences, a World Relief official offers three tips on how pastors can help their churches address immigration in a way consistent with their Christian faith.

By Matthew Soerens Director of church mobilization, World Relief

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Nathan Kirkpatrick: Passing wisdom to the next generation of leaders

As our clergy population ages, younger ministers are stepping into senior roles at big-steeple churches. How must we mentor and form them so they will thrive?

By Nathan Kirkpatrick Principal, Saison Consulting, LLC

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Conflict is healthy and can promote interfaith understanding

In an interfaith setting, resolving conflict as quickly as possible isn’t the goal. Rather, healthy conflict can be a spark that leads us to self-awareness, self-reflection and transformation, writes the director of North Carolina Central University’s Office of Spiritual Development and Dialogue.

By Gloria Winston-Harris Director, Office of Spiritual Development and Dialogue, NC Central University

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Alaina Kleinbeck: Hope takes hard work

Why do we expect young people to be naturally hopeful? Looking honestly at a broken world and resolving to live in hope anyway requires experience, writes the director of the Thriving in Ministry Coordination Program at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

By Alaina Kleinbeck Associate Executive Director, Coordination Programs

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Ryan P. Bonfiglio: Let's make the church a center of theological education again

For almost 500 years, the church has been outsourcing theological education to seminaries and divinity schools. It’s time to return some of that task to local churches, says a seminary scholar and teacher.

By Ryan P. Bonfiglio Assistant professor, Candler School of Theology

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Kendall Vanderslice: It's lonely to eat alone

Has the idolization of the nuclear family stifled our imagination about how to live in Christian community? What might it look like to sleep, eat and organize our days around the communion built at the Eucharist table?

By Kendall Vanderslice Author

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Jessica Brown: Celtic Christianity and the gift of thresholds

The spiritual practices of Celtic Christianity include an appreciation for thresholds -- those literal and metaphorical crossing points that can serve as designated spaces or times to open to God, says a writer living in Ireland.

By Jessica Brown Writer

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Grace Ji-Sun Kim: Rely on the Holy Spirit in the struggle for justice

With the help of the Holy Spirit, churches can build community, welcome the stranger, love our neighbors, and break down walls of oppression and injustice, writes a theologian and professor.

By Grace Ji-Sun Kim Professor, Earlham School of Religion

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Dave Odom: Cultivating trust is a crucial task for leaders

To cultivate trust, leaders must contribute to a sense of safety, commit themselves to listening, empower others to act, learn from their mistakes, and promise only what they can deliver, writes the executive director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

By David L. Odom Executive director, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity

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