If I had the guts the narrative section (part II, step 5 of 6, sections 3, 4, 5, and 6) of my next PIF would read as follows: (all responses will be kept to the required 1,500 character limit.)
I’m sure we have all been there.
So what about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Washington Office (WO)? What’s ahead for the program heralded by some as a bright light on Capitol Hill and excoriated by others as a black hole?
If you ever doubted the importance of training church leaders before they start leading, remember the last time this scenario occurred:
We now interrupt the Presbyterians’ celebration of John Calvin’s 500th birthday to listen into our Baptist neighbors’ celebration of their 400th birthday.
I don’t know a perfect formula for managing a church’s finances during a deep recession. Every situation is unique. But here are some tips for taking hold
of the situation:
As a charter member of a brand new non-denominational church — fresh out of college with a B.A. in religion and philosophy — I held high hopes of becoming the church’s pastor.
Does a young adults ministry require one or more young adults in leadership? Yes.
We had just begun to unload the U-haul in the manse driveway — in anticipation of beginning our first ministerial call — when an older gentleman rolled up in his car.
October 2006 was a great time for the European Ryder Cup team. Do you remember?
If you want a lively argument, ask a group to name a “top ten” list of players in a sport, top ten movies, top ten songs.
After reading reports from the Episcopal Church’s recent General Convention in Anaheim, Calif., I was reminded that church conventions aren’t “the church,” any more than Congress is “the nation.”
“What did the Calvinist say after falling down the stairs?”
I couldn’t make this up. A reader writes:
It’s good to do good (proper grammar notwithstanding). It’s great to give. But why do folks do good? What motivates good folks to give?
It wasn’t the item on the agenda I’d mentally marked as controversial.
In a recent Church Wellness Project, the Metrics team grasped the concept of measuring outcomes and saw the importance of doing so.
While watching a recent tribute to Michael Jackson, referred to by many as the King of Pop, I realized that Jackson bore, in his life, much resemblance to King David of the Bible.
Some advice gets repeated so frequently that we stop hearing it. “Take an umbrella,” for example. And, “Clean up after yourself.”
If homes keep burning to the ground should each of us buy a bucket, or should all of us build a fire station?
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)
A client recently completed a report on best practices in Spiritual Development. It made me tired just to read it.
Question for church members everywhere: Where is your pastor going on vacation this summer?
At some schools serving low-income neighborhoods, nearly every student is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
“Mrs. Duffield!” was initially all I heard as my head broke the surface of the water. My children’s swim coach was shouting at me from poolside.
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