The Sunday Fellowship of West Concord Union Church celebrates St. Patrick's Day 2018 with a dance. Photo courtesy of Hannah C. Brown
West Concord Union Church had had a ministry for people with disabilities since the 1980s. But the congregation discovered that truly welcoming everyone would be complicated and costly -- and worth it.
Authors Dori Baker, first row, second from right, and Tobin Belzer, top row, far right, with the young adults trained as "holy listeners" who interviewed their peers as part of an initiative to attract young adults to church. Photo courtesy of Dori Baker
Sharing stories -- and listening deeply to one another -- is at the heart of a new research initiative that seeks to help churches launch ministries to attract young adults.
Redeemer Lutheran's annual block party is one of the many ways the church reaches out to the Harrison neighborhood in North Minneapolis. Photos courtesy of Redeemer Lutheran Church
Viewing the congregation as more than the Sunday faithful, Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis has been ‘a beacon of hope’ for nearby residents, with its focus on service to the neighborhood.
iStock / Floriana
Icebreakers are about more than small talk, says a Presbyterian pastor. In a world of increasing social isolation, they lay the groundwork for hospitality and welcome, creating common ground where community can take root and grow.
Latino Protestants are an increasingly visible presence in our nation’s religious life. Who is this vital new religious bloc? iStock / Abalcazar
Latino Protestants in the U.S. -- like Latinos in general -- are an extraordinarily diverse, complex and multifaceted group, two sociologists say. A failure to understand this rich complexity can lead to troubling stereotyping.
Studying Scripture in community, much like actors reading a script, can allow us to enter the text more deeply. iStock / Ferrantraite
Drawing upon the metaphor of church as theater, a homiletics professor offers a novel way to read Scripture in community -- entering the text, encountering it, and coming back with something deep and true.
Immigration is such a hot-button issue that many pastors are unwilling to broach it with their congregations. Bigstock/RodrickBeiler
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.
Joined by Urban Doxology staff, interns are all in as they get ready to perform a concert of their own worship songs. Photo by Mike Morones
At the Urban Doxology Songwriting Internship, young musicians study theology and collaborate on worship songs that speak to the challenges of a diverse community.
The author speaks at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta's "TheoEd Talks," a creative example of church-based theological education. Photo courtesy of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
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.
Kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine, is made from salted, fermented vegetables, frequently cabbage. Bigstock/Moongza
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.