I didn't mention this in my previous post, but that post grew from something Methodist Pastor Allan Bevere said about the HHS/birth control decision. He explains why he thinks what the Obama Administration did originally (and in its compromise) was so distrubing: I have to say as a mainline Methodist, I really appreciate the irony of... Continue Reading →
Epic Fail
I love the fact that there is a conference called Epic Fail Pastor's Conference. I am tempted to go to it. This gets me thinking about how pastors are loathe to admit failure. We don't like to look like a complete ass in front of others. We feel that we always have to have an... Continue Reading →
How I Totally Failed in Planting a New Church (And Why I’d Do It Again)
Presbyterian pastor and blogger Landon Whitsitt shares two ways that a church plant can fail. The second one is trying to do it like you would staring a business. The first one kind of takes a motto from a certain athletic company as gospel: For folks in the circles I typically run in (read: postmodern... Continue Reading →
How I Totally Failed in Planting a New Church (And Why I’d Do It Again)
Presbyterian pastor and blogger Landon Whitsitt shares two ways that a church plant can fail. The second one is trying to do it like you would staring a business. The first one kind of takes a motto from a certain athletic company as gospel: For folks in the circles I typically run in (read: postmodern... Continue Reading →
Called, Gathered and Sent (Or, Why Mainline Protestants Suck at Church Planting)
I've been what could be considered a Mainline Protestant for 20 years. In those 20 years, I've learned something about mainliners: We really suck at planting churches. Let me back up a moment. I started attending Calvary Baptist Church in located in the Chinatown area of Washington, DC in the fall of 1992. It was... Continue Reading →
Called, Gathered and Sent (Or, Why Mainline Protestants Suck at Church Planting)
I've been what could be considered a Mainline Protestant for 20 years. In those 20 years, I've learned something about mainliners: We really suck at planting churches. Let me back up a moment. I started attending Calvary Baptist Church in located in the Chinatown area of Washington, DC in the fall of 1992. It was... Continue Reading →
Repost: Why Church Planting Matters
Jim, left and my partner, Daniel, right. From August 2010. As First Christian plans its future, a constant among the plans is to leave some money aside for to plant new churches. Both the Senior Pastor and I have made this a priority in what ever decisions are made. That has been met with some... Continue Reading →
Repost: Why Church Planting Matters
Jim, left and my partner, Daniel, right.From August 2010.As First Christian plans its future, a constant among the plans is to leave some money aside for to plant new churches. Both the Senior Pastor and I have made this a priority in what ever decisions are made.That has been met with some resistance. One person... Continue Reading →
Notes from a Scrapper
I've been meaning to share this post by Carol Howard Merritt, but life has been busy and so I never did get around to it. But hearing about some fellow Disciples of Christ clergy who feel that they have no place in the church reminded me of it again. She uses the term "Scrappers" to... Continue Reading →
Repost: “Progressive Christians” and Yours Truly
From June of this year. I've been noticing lately within Mainline Protestant circles, the rising use of the word "progressive" as a way to describe Christians who might have once used the term "mainline Protestant." The biggest change to note is over at the religion megasite Patheos, which changed the name of one of their... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 