Pastoral leadership

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Julia Perez, (right) at a news conference held by Durham, North Carolina, city leaders to update the community about her husband, Samuel Oliver-Bruno, who was arrested and deported to Mexico in November. Photos by Justin Cook

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership

Tito Madrazo: In a polarized world, we need vulnerable and authentic leaders

After witnessing the arrest of his friend and student Samuel Oliver-Bruno, a pastor learns that he can’t be all things to all people but must instead honestly share his grief and fear for his undocumented friends.

It's in shops and streets and other unexpected places where God’s transforming "meant to be" experiences happen. iStock / Torresigner

Missions & Evangelism, Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership

Thomas Rusert: 'Meant to be' -- playing our part in providence

As pastors, don’t leave the power of “God moments” entirely to chance. Help make them happen. Ask yourselves, “Where am I ‘meant to be’ this week?”

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

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership, Congregations, Missions & Evangelism

Church finds new life, focusing on 'congregation' outside its walls

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

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership, Congregations

Kathryn Lester-Bacon: In defense of 'icebreakers'

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.

Book cover detail

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership

Stephen R. Haynes: The battle for Bonhoeffer

In an era of intense polarization, as liberals and conservatives argue over the meaning of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and work, a Bonhoeffer scholar considers what it means to be a disciple in the age of Trump.

Immigration is such a hot-button issue that many pastors are unwilling to broach it with their congregations. Bigstock/RodrickBeiler

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership, Congregations, Missions & Evangelism

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.

The Rev. Dr. Natasha Jamison Gadson at Turner Memorial AME Church in Hyattsville, Maryland. Photo courtesy of Natasha Jamison Gadson

Vocation, Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership

Natasha Jamison Gadson: How I embraced my authority as an African-American woman in ministry

Overcoming stereotypes and assumptions has been difficult for a female minister in a historic African-American church. But, she writes, she was not serving the people by trying to be what others wanted her to be.

Detail from the book cover of "Breaking White Supremacy: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Social Gospel" by Gary Dorrien.

Reconciliation, Racial & ethnic, Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership

Gary Dorrien: Martin Luther King Jr. and the black social gospel

Though often overlooked by historians, the black social gospel -- a black church variant of the social gospel -- played a major role in the theology and ministry of Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, says the seminary professor and author.

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership, Laity, Health & Well-being

Adam Hamilton: 'Unafraid: Living with courage and hope in uncertain times'

In a time of widespread fear and anxiety, a United Methodist pastor offers four techniques for increasing our capacity to live with courage and hope.

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C. Bigstock / Actionsports

Christian Leadership, Pastoral leadership, Reconciliation. Racial & Ethnic

Mika Edmondson: Martin Luther King Jr. and the power of unearned suffering

The civil rights leader’s understanding of suffering -- and its redemptive power -- offers a source of hope for the church in the struggle against injustice, says the pastor and author.

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The simple act of handwashing is often ignored by doctors even though it saves lives. How can Christians improve compliance with the analogous act of prayer?

A learning resource for Christian leaders and their institutions from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity