Staff illustration / Photo by Debby Hudson / Unsplash
Leah Schade: How pastors can bridge political divides in 2020
The minister and professor of preaching offers a method of dialogue in advance of the coming election.
Congregations
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G. Jeffrey MacDonald: Do you need full-time clergy to be a vital congregation?
Don’t let the ingrained belief that only churches with full-time pastors can thrive keep you from making the switch to part-time clergy, writes an author who has researched the effects of part-time ministry.
The Rev. George Mason speaks to reporters in 2014. Photo courtesy of Wilshire Baptist Church
George Mason and Mark Wingfield: How to lead calmly in a global outbreak
Leading during a global health crisis requires trust in medical professionals and the courage to love and not fear, say two pastors who cared for a congregant whose life was upended by Ebola.
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Andrew J. Skerritt: How I learned to love Vacation Bible School in middle age
A writer’s rediscovery of Sunday school and VBS in his 50s helps fuel a joyful renewal and deepening of the faith of his youth.
Photo courtesy of Alisha Lola Jones
Alisha Lola Jones: Assumptions made about black worship leaders have history and do harm
The ethnomusicologist identifies how the stereotype of a flamboyant choir director changes someone’s gift into something to fear.
Congregants chat during a worship service at Arlington Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Virginia. Photos by Mike Morones
Affordable housing rises where a church building once stood
After a period of discernment and community engagement, a congregation takes a risk and finds its way back home.
Photo by Jessamyn Rubio
Melissa Florer-Bixler: Worship can be boring, and that's OK
Making worship productive misses the point and submits to the logic of capitalism, says the pastor and author.
Detail from the cover of "Planning Sabbaticals: A Guide for Congregations and Their Pastors."
Excerpt: 'Planning Sabbaticals: A Guide for Congregations and Their Pastors'
In this excerpt from his recent book, author Robert C. Saler writes about pastoral sabbaticals as a time of reinvigoration and reflection for both church leaders and their congregations. Saler directs the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs and the Center for Pastoral Excellence at Christian Theological Seminary.
The author leads a worship workshop at the Duke Youth Academy. Photo courtesy of Duke Youth Academy / Casey Brewer
Angie Hong: Creating a diverse congregation requires more than diverse worship
Worship leaders of color are often brought in to encourage diversity in congregations, but real diversity requires shifts in the entire culture of a church, says the worship leader and writer.
Representatives of Park Street UMC consider options for the church property in Belmont, North Carolina, at a design charrette, which is a process in which stakeholders gather to map solutions to complex problems. Photo courtesy of Wesley CDC
A North Carolina nonprofit helps churches convert property from liabilities into assets
Leaders of a community development corporation believe that even struggling congregations can survive and thrive if members take stock of their assets and put them to use as resources for their communities.