A funny thing happened this week in pop culture. You can read a little more about it here, and then see what I think about it in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3O5yIxNAaY&t=8s Welcoming and inclusive are who and what we are called to be, y'all.
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There have been many calls (including a New York Times op-ed piece) for churches to cease offering service online because it's time for people "to come back to church." There is so much wrong with this way of thinking, I had to make a list. So here are my ten reasons churches should not give up their online presence. One The most obvious: you don't want to be ableist. In ...
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Covid Communion--what I call communion using those little pre-made, plastic sealed cups that contain a tasteless wafer and half a swallow of grape juice--has been less than satisfying for me. I was blaming COVID. Turns out, it's me. https://youtu.be/Yt5W1koCXxQ Click below for Liturgy for Keeping Communion Holy Even While Using the Covid Cups Everyone Hates Download Communion Liturgy
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Chris Pratt (of Parks and Rec, Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic Word, etc) has become known for being vocal about his Christian faith. Most recently he talked about his faith practices on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Subsequently, actress Ellen Page pointed out on Twitter that Pratt failed to mention that his church is "infamously anti-LGBTQ." Pratt has denied this and says that his church (Zoe Church) welcomes everyone with open ...
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This one is an oldie, but a goodie. One of those it's-funny-cause-it's-true kinda things. There are lots of reasons people don’t come to church. Some are legitimate reasons and some are simply excuses. Here are 10 of the top excuses and ways to respond. 10. I go to brunch on Sundays. (Here is a list of local restaurants that serve Sunday brunch until 3 p.m.) 9. Church is full of hypocrites. (And we always ...
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If you have given up on church because the church is anti-LGBTQ, anti-women, full of hypocrites, too interested in social status and not interested enough in helping the poor and the marginalized, you clearly haven't looked very hard for a church. There are plenty of churches (like mine) that are welcoming and affirming, have LGBTQ people and women in leadership roles, wear shorts to church and turn tiny amounts of resources ...
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I sometimes wonder if the death of the church will be youth soccer or apathy (I would say the two will have to duke it out, but you know...apathy). Actually, the biggest sign that a congregation is marking the beginning of their end is when they decide to cut mission and outreach money out of their budget. Because that's when a church quits reaching out beyond its walls and becomes ...
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I'm thinking of starting a movement to use the word "team" instead of "church" in order to boost commitment to the latter. Almost every kid I know who plays on a team has been taught by parents and coaches that once you commit to a team, nothing (short of extreme illness or injury) should keep you from making it to practice or a game/match. Because if you're not there, you're letting ...
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I’m just going to come right out and say it—I don’t care for football. I’m really not interested in who played this weekend or what the outcome of the games were. Perhaps it’s because in four years of high school, our team won one game. I attended two different colleges and one grad school—none of which had a football team. Maybe I’m turned off by all the hitting. What can ...
Read MoreRecently, I've seen several articles that speak of progressive Christianity and use the word "progressive" as a derogatory term, suggesting that we progressive Christians have tossed out the Bible, given up any moral compass we may have possessed and just do whatever feels good. Yeah, I call horse hockey on that. Here is my list of six signs that you may be going to a progressive church. Nobody is arguing about who does and doesn't ...
Read MoreMy mother's day children's sermon was more of a bust than my children's sermons normally are. I generally don't preach on Mother's Day. I attend a conference every year the week before, and I have historically gotten someone else to preach for me that day. But I'm going to be gone three different Sundays during the summer, so I thought I should fill my own pulpit post-conference this year. My mind must ...
Read MoreI've never been big on the clergy collar. When I first started in ministry, the blouses they made for women clergy were uncomfortable and unflattering, so I pretty much dismissed them. But now there are companies like Clergy Image, Women's Spirit and House of Ilona that make comfortable, stylish options so you don't feel like you're just trying to make a man's shirt work for you. So about a year ago, I ...
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