Our relational cup remains relatively empty (and for a relational movement like ours, this is particularly painful) as we grapple with social distancing and try to connect through interacting via screens. Any novelty and initial exhilaration of church online has worn off.
Columnists
When Branches Grow
While useless if you just push it, a rope can be used to pull anything if adequate force is applied.
If It’s Sheep Versus Goats, Pick the GOAT
“One small silver lining in the rancor about race in America is that it might help propel us beyond polite dishonesty into real conversation.”
No Matter Who Is in the White House…Christmas Is Coming
We are called to be Christmas, in places where it feels as if winter might never end.
Pivoting for Mission
We are listening to the Holy Spirit and to each other as we discern how to align the denominational team to best serve conferences and churches. We are pivoting for the sake of mission, just as First Covenant Church in Portland did many years ago.
To Confront Racism, First Examine What’s in Your Hand
Columnist Jelani Greenidge reminds us that God can use the things we already hold to bring about deliverance
The Noteworthy Ordinary
As far as we know, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about this ordinary desert bush until God made it into something special.
Sometimes it happens that way.
Weeds and Lions
“Being vigilant about a roaring lion appeals to me more than being vigilant about weeds.”
For Dominant Christian Culture, It’s Excavation or Extinction
Rigid conformity robs us from experiencing all the richness and beauty of God’s creation.
I Can’t Go Back to Normal
The American narrative that equates success with self-sufficiency poisons our identity as children of God.
The Lord Is My Smartphone
One of the challenges every pastor has is to present God’s word in a way that is relatable to people in their everyday context. It requires the skill of cultural exegesis—learning the nuances of a culture in order to accurately […]
Our Place in the Race
I sat in a room full of church staff as we mourned the loss of a young person to gun violence. One of the women present expressed that she found relief in the fact that through our ministry programs, we [...]