Can saying “no” be an act of Christian love? Becca Messman explores how boundaries help churches practice deeper, more meaningful inclusion.
As the PC(USA) considers a proposal on clergy relationships, April Stace argues the church risks regulating relationship structures instead of addressing power, harm and ethical practice.
After losing three close family members, one man finds his faith and a calling to pastoral ministry. Alan Olson reflects on how loss can open the door to renewal.
In "Project Hail Mary," an unlikely friendship reveals that interdependence is woven into creation, writes Brendan McLean.
A neurodiversity lens helps churches move beyond ableist expectations and cultivate worship spaces of belonging, writes Jen Bluestein.
Teri McDowell Ott explores how imagination shapes the future — and why Beloved Community calls us to build a more just and inclusive world.
Andrew Taylor-Troutman shares a personal story of friendship, failure and forgiveness — and how God restores what feels lost.
With a new overture before the 227th General Assembly, a group of Presbyterians argues that shareholder engagement is not enough. Faithful action requires full divestment, writes Fred Milligan.
Maggie Alsup reflects on childhood loss, unanswered questions and the quiet hope carried in a hymn that refuses easy explanations.
When pastoral calls falter, “fit” is often blamed. But the deeper issue is clarity. What if “fit” could be defined, tested and faithfully discerned before a call is extended, asks Gary Noonan?
Jesus spoke constantly about the Kingdom of God, yet many Christians struggle to define it. Sara Pantazes offers four questions to clarify how Kingdom citizenship shapes our lives today.
In each issue of the Outlook, we include a discussion guide to further reflect on the issue. We recommend using this guide in your Bible study, small group or book club. It's our invitation into a faithful conversation.
Well-meaning words can unintentionally deepen isolation in grief. Mathew Frease explores why platitudes fail and how presence and listening offer something more faithful.
Arianne Braithwaite Lehn invites the Holy Spirit to meet us in grief, reminding us that love, loss, and healing are all held in God’s grace.
A once-quiet question is resurfacing across the denomination. According to Christian Boyd, it could shape how the church calls and equips leaders in the years ahead.
Lent invites honest self-examination — not just of personal sin, but communal harm. Katrina Pekich-Bundy explores what "America’s Next Top Model" reveals about complicity, silence and repentance.
Michele Minter recounts an old, but timely, soundtrack for our divisive times.
Churches destroyed. Pastors detained. Communities displaced. The crisis facing Christians in Burma demands more than concern — it calls for sustained U.S. action.
Grief isn’t something to fix or silence. It’s a story that needs to be heard. Honoring our grief is part of the path toward healing and resurrection hope, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
In deep grief, broad offers of help can feel overwhelming, writes Deb Bergmann. Simple, ordinary companionship can help.
Heartache and wonder can coexist, writes Christopher Elwood.
What does it feel like when a ministry you love comes to an end? Karie Charlton reflects on grief, relief and the quiet work of trusting God in seasons of transition.
Josh Robinson’s choice to wear Converse sneakers in worship reveals how approachability, embodiment and ancient tradition can work together in pastoral care.
Julie Hester offers writing prompts for you to try during this season of Lent.
Aaron Pratt Shephard writes that even when a child’s life seems to end before it begins, faith in Christ’s resurrection offers hope that every life will yet be born into eternal fullness.
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