TMC Program Staff Ryan Bonfiglio, Adam Mixon, Mark Ramsey, and Adam Borneman discuss the April data from the Hartford Center for Religion Research on church attendance trends, as well as what it might - and most certainly doesn't - tell us about ministry today. Read the...
TMC Program Staff Mark Ramsey, Adam Mixon, Ryan Bonfiglio, and Adam Borneman discuss the importance of bearing witness to both injustice and joy, why resurrection calls us to solidarity with those who suffer, and how prophetic preaching ought to be marked by energizing hope. Episode Transcript....
Most of us spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting in traffic, waiting at airports, waiting through commercial breaks on Netflix. It makes me think Mark Twain was right when he quipped, “Good things come to those who wait – provided they don’t die in...
Program Staff Ryan Bonfiglio, Adam Mixon, Adam Borneman, Beth Daniel, and Mark Ramsey speak signs of hope in ministry, the critical need for Christian community, and why they believe in the work of The Ministry Collaborative. Contact TMC....
Program Staff Beth Daniel, Adam Borneman, Mark Ramsey, and Ryan Bonfiglio speak about the difference between "how to" and "why to" questions; the temptation of the "well run machine" of church; and the importance of continually asking ourselves, "what's at stake?" Read Adam Borneman's reflection here....
To preach about politics or not to preach about politics—that is a question many pastors are now asking with urgency. Those who say we should preach about politics often reference 20th c. German theologian Karl Barth, who said that preachers should hold a Bible in one...
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill,...
Pilgrimage Formation Curator Ryan Bonfiglio speaks with the Rev. Dr. Albert Russell (Grace Community Church, Millbrook, AL; Tuskegee University) and the Rev. Leon Bell, Jr. (St. Joseph Baptist, Mobile, AL; Hope for All Gulf Coast) about the tension between forced dislocation and the practice of spiritual dislocation, the...
“Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’ This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them… The whole assembly became silent as...
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I was the Facilitator for the first New York City cohort, and at the time, I was working in theological education on Christian leadership formation, so it seemed like a natural fit. What I discovered, though, was something quite different from my “day job.” While the content and topics of the curriculum was a crucial part of our gatherings, it was the community of mutual care and support that made the content relevant, not the other way around. And second, having three years of strong bonding created an extraordinarily resilient community that, in turn, was able to build up resilience in our leaders. I think every member of my cohort went through significant seasons of both joy and heartache, professionally and vocationally, during our time. And the cohort, in turn, lived out the exhortation of Romans 12:15, “rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep,” with a depth and integrity that I have rarely experienced, and often doing both in the same gathering. It was a privilege and a blessing to me and my own faith and ministry to be their facilitator, and I am eternally grateful to the Ministry Collaborative for calling me to that work!”
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“I truly looked forward to this every week. The discussion topics, activities, and small group conversations were all very rich and meaningful. This experience gave me space to reflect on what’s happening right now in my congregation and community. It helped me to think about what might be next in my own ministry. It offered some very concrete ways I might work on equipping leaders in my congregation. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues from different places, denominations, and contexts–and learning from their experiences and reflections. I also appreciated hearing further conversation and reinforcement in the podcasts.”
Graduation Date:
July 14, 2021
“The experience was, in one word, enriching. It was timely as well. I was at a critical point in my own ministry and this literally breathed life back into me. The time went by so fast that I didn’t even realize two months had passed. To be able to share that type of camaraderie with other preachers, and realize that my struggles are not isolated, was liberating.”
Graduation Date:
March 18, 2021
“It was great to find confirmation and affirmation of my ministry through the voices of other pastors. I particularly enjoyed the focused time on talking about each of us as individuals and pastors, and not so much on what our churches look like.”
Graduation Date:
January 31st, 2020