Blog

Blog series:  Lost in TranslationUsing Paul’s engagement with the Athenians in Acts 17 as a backdrop, we are reflecting on the many gaps, disconnections, and misalignments we see across the landscape of ministry, along with some hopeful and constructive suggestions for how to respond faithfully….

Blog Series:  Lost in Translation Using Paul’s engagement with the Athenians in Acts 17 as a backdrop, we are reflecting on the many gaps, disconnections, and misalignments we see across the landscape of ministry, along with some hopeful and constructive suggestions for how to respond…

Blog series: “Don’t Fall For It.” This time of year, it’s understandable that ministry leaders are tempted to zoom in on the nuts and bolts of fall planning and programming, trying to somehow manage everything that comes with it. For the next several weeks, we…

Unless we’ve already done so, it’s past time to have a new conversation about this topic. This includes getting clarity about changes and trends in charitable giving, broadening our perspective, relationships, and options, and also considering more deeply about how it all connects to discipleship…

What has your congregation started paying attention to recently that wasn’t front and center a few years ago? Is it racial, economic, or ecological justice? Maybe it’s the prevalence of trauma or the reality of social divides. Or it could be what to do with…

My colleagues here at the Ministry Collaborative have challenged us over the last several weeks to address the proverbial ‘elephants in the room’ when it comes to the future of the Church and our local expressions of it. We’ve been confronted with the sobering reality…

Each year “Sparkle in the Park” brings over 10,000 residents, neighbors, guests, and friends to Main Street Park in our suburban community in Georgia.  This city sponsored event welcomes food vendors, bounce houses, free family photographers, and live music that ensures that the space will…

When I was in junior high, our English teacher Mrs. Visconti made us read James Michener’s massive novel Centennial, about the settling of the state of Colorado. In it, Michener described the migration of a young Mennonite farmer, Levi Zendt, and his new wife, Elly,…

For those of us in vocational ministry, the summer holds the promise of slower days, lighter schedules, a time to catch up on some “to dos”, maybe even a little vacation time…  But around this time of year, that promise quickly gives way to looking…

When I was a pastor in downtown Denver many years ago, a well-meaning parishioner would suggest with some regularity that we revise our congregational mission statement. Now, there is nothing I enjoy more than spending months wordsmithing a statement that no one will be able…

When I visit my in-laws, they usually greet me by asking, “Have you eaten?” Even when I call them, they usually greet me by asking, “Have you eaten?” When my parents were alive, that’s how my parents greeted me when I visited them or called…

Talking with a colleague this week, I was asked, “What common denominators are vital, flourishing churches displaying today?” The following response is unscientific, more story-driven than data-driven, and by no means an exhaustive list. (In fact, we would love to hear from you about what…

Our friend and colleague, Elizabeth Lynn, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, recently published an incredibly helpful article in Faith and Leadership that outlines the myriad challenges many congregations face when it comes to church buildings, property, and space. In addition to summarizing the challenges, Elizabeth…

My church folx have teased me for years with the prospect of a gift that never materializes: a t-shirt that says “I’m not the boss of that.” It’s something I say frequently to remind them and me both that I’m not the final arbiter on…

Last month, several of us – staff and facilitators for the Ministry Collaborative, met in Boulder, Colorado to discuss the future of what it means to be church.  The amazingly creative ways many of us are navigating the uncertainty of the times is both encouraging…

Easter Sunday is the ultimate Good News Sunday. Lent is done. The true triumph of Palm Sunday is revealed. The lurking doom of Maundy Thursday is over. The pain of Good Friday is finished. Finally … Easter! Christ is Risen. He is Risen indeed! Now…

At a recent Ministry Collaborative gathering we were invited to reimagine church. The folks at my table meandered onto the topic of language, specifically the larger culture’s (understandable) suspicion of Christian language in light of its all too frequent use as a weapon to wound…

Can you hear it? “I am the good shepherd.” It’s the voice of our faithful and steadfast shepherd, Jesus the Christ. He’s calling you by name. He knows you – He knows all of us – as intimately as the Father and the Son know…

I love to travel. I took a plane for the first time when I was a teenager and recognized the privilege of experiencing and exploring new places. As the daughter of a coalmining father and a stay-at-home mother, the luxury of travel was not lost…

I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.   John 15:5 In a Denver-area congregation I served some years ago, there was a family who had…

One of my favorite moments in TMC’s immersion experience to Glacier National Park is the evening we spend stargazing at Logan Pass. Surrounded by mountains and miles removed from any ambient light, you are blanketed with darkness. Upon the pitch-black canvas of the night sky,…

As we continue to respond to the needs we’re encountering nationwide, we’ve once again curated some of our articles, podcasts, and other resources, organizing them under key areas of need and opportunity. Please use these resources in whatever way is most helpful to you in…

For a few months last year, the church I pastor practiced pausing at “thresholds” throughout the week. Each time we came to a doorway, we were asked to pause, to become aware of our leaving one place and going to another and to prepare for…

Over the next several weeks, my colleagues and I will be reflecting on the “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John.  The practice of reflecting upon, and recalling who God is, should be a source of comfort for us – especially in times of trouble,…

Over the next several weeks, my colleagues and I will be reflecting on the “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John.  The practice of reflecting upon, and recalling who God is, should be a source of comfort for us – especially in times of…

Writing in The New York Times last month, Margaret Renkl brought back to me a key moment in this past season of “The White Lotus:” Not quite halfway through the new season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” a young woman, Portia, breaks into tears at…

Years ago, when I was invited to participate in a cohort for the Ministry Collaborative (then called Macedonian Ministry), I had no idea of the impact it would have on my life.  I admit that I was more than a bit skeptical about the outcomes…

  For me, one of the most striking images of the Civil Rights movement is the photograph below. It’s from the march from Selma to Montgomery, March 1965. On the far left is Martin Luther King, Jr. and on the far right is Rabbi Abraham Heschel,…

Snapshots of the Life-Giving God. Week 2: God Our Constant Companion Snapshots capture unique moments of our lives that often suggest something about who we are, what and who we care about, where we find joy, and how we make meaning. In a similar way,…

Snapshots of the Life-Giving God. Week 1: God the River. Snapshots capture unique moments of our lives that often suggest something about who we are, what and who we care about, where we find joy, and how we make meaning. In a similar way, scripture…

I think one of the most important words Jesus ever spoke was the word “today.” Give us today our daily bread. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing….

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn,…

If you were to ask someone from the 1st or 2nd c. CE what they thought the church needed to be talking about, I’m pretty sure they would say “the resurrection.” It’s front and center in Paul’s letters. It is there in the church’s first…

In what follows, I’m essentially banging the same “The Great Opt Out” drum as I did a couple weeks ago, though at a slightly different tempo. I think we should immediately discard any version of the question, “what do we do to get folks back…

The last few years have taken something from all of us.  Some of us are bereaved and going through the stages of grief.  But all of us are at some stage of mourning.  It took my wife, the mental health counselor, to tell me that…

Yes, people are opting out of “church.” No surprise there. But what are they actually opting out of? And what does this say about what matters, what doesn’t, and what we might more intentionally move toward? Earlier this month, Dr. Scott Thumma, director of the…

In recent weeks, my colleagues and I have been writing about what conversations pastors and their congregations need to be having right now. High on that list for me is what it means to pursue shared leadership between clergy and laity. Exodus 18 offers a…

I have a confession. When my children were in elementary school, I was notorious for picking them up late. It began when I was in seminary across town and had to speed back to our side of town to get them. The teachers were amazing…

John and May Hakala were second-generation Finns who lived for a time in Kotzebue, Alaska. Kotzebue is remote—even for Alaska. Pastor Michael Lindvall, who knew the Hakalas when he was growing up, heard stories of their life in this far-off place, including one about eggs….

To say we have been through a lot over these past few years is a gross understatement. The seismic shifts that are still occurring across every area of our lives – the enormity of the adjustments we have had to make in our lives and…

Since his recent passing, Frederick Buechner’s words have been with me more frequently, shared by friends sharing on social media, emerging from memory, and on pages that I’ve gone searching for when I couldn’t quite remember how he had phrased a particular idea or insight…

Recently, while hanging out with friends, one friend was telling us all about the relationship she shares with her new significant other. We all smiled and shared her happiness as she spoke of their synergy and like-mindedness, of the ways they are different yet complimentary…

In his 2018 TheoEd Talk, “Resurrecting Church,” activist Shane Claiborne remarks that none of the significant problems facing our communities can be solved from a distance. Social and spiritual change requires taking the risk of getting close and making connections. We see this message playing…

I’ve had recent conversations with several dozen pastors serving congregations in diverse settings.  Their descriptions of their ministry challenges were what most of us could expect these days.  One by one, they all raised the same daunting concern:  broken connections.  Broken connections within the congregation…

45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter7 said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”[1] Luke 8:45 We are years into a global pandemic, and we have witnessed the resiliency and creativity of Christian…

“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you refused” Isaiah 30:15 NRSV Our pursuit of our best life will not save us. Nor will it satisfy…

“God uses all kinds of people to reach all kinds of people.”  This simple, yet profound statement was made several years ago by my friend and brother, Rev. Andre’ D. Waller.  I think a lot of us in ministry would do well to remember this. …

I love how Eugene Peterson translates the first few verses of Philippians 2. “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if His love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you,…

The movie theater in my city has $5 Tuesdays, where you can watch any movie for $5. If they have a movie that starts early enough for me to see it before I have to pick up my three kids from school, I go by…

“This is hard” the words came quick, without warning catching me off guard. I wasn’t expecting this confession. Not from her, not today. I had already reached the limits of my own exhaustion and anxiety. I had already used my comforting words for the day…

“Other seed fell into good soil…”        – Mark 4:8 In the shed at Farm Church, we have a tool that looks like it doesn’t belong. It hangs among the rakes, trowels, and digging forks, looking strangely out of place, until we need it, and…

I rushed home yesterday after work so that I could get in my yard and do some much needed trimming and clipping, but after getting about halfway through the yard the heavens opened and it began to rain – not a downpour but a gentle…

In recent months we’ve been reflecting on trust building and mending the social fabric. Concurrently, I’ve had the opportunity to lead some group facilitation training sessions and have been coaching a few individuals who inhabit systems of dysfunction and distrust. All of this has had…

One of my favorite movie scenes of all time, is the waterfall fight scene in the movie Black Panther wherein M’Baku challenges Prince T’Challa for the kingship of Wakanda (if you haven’t seen it, you may watch a clip here). There is a moment when M’Baku seems to be winning…

How can pastors work to heal the tattered social fabric of their communities? I’ve been thinking a lot about this question since recently returning from a trip to Israel-Palestine with two Ministry Collaborative cohorts. While there, we spent time in the Galilee and Jerusalem having…

hind·er  verb create difficulties for (someone or something), resulting in delay or obstruction Peter’s education as a follower of Jesus didn’t end with Jesus’ ascension.  The Book of Acts highlights God’s relentless work on opening Peter up to hard challenges.  These surprises for Peter largely…

I wrote these words before I learned of the mass shootings that occurred over this weekend.  My first inclination was to scrap them but then I read them again and they remain true to me… Pardon me if they seem a bit preachy but here…

Over the next several weeks we’ll be reflecting on how congregations and other ministry contexts serve as spaces of trust-building, mending social fabric, and faith formation that joins people in hope across difference. Here, I want to consider for a moment what an expression of…

A couple years ago when I started the Digital Hospitality Retreats as an experiment, the driving need I imagined was people needed space to connect with God in the midst of the unknown. We were just entering the widespread pandemic of COVID-19, shelter-in-place, school at…

I like how Eugene Peterson translates this section of Hebrews 13: 10-12 The altar from which God gives us the gift of himself is not for exploitation by insiders who grab and loot. In the old system, the animals are killed and the bodies disposed of…

It’s no wonder that most pastors and church folk would like to never think or have to talk about the political/social divide in our society ever again.  It is literally tearing churches – and pastors – apart.  Accepting the warring categories in our culture as…

As a third-generation preacher I have been in the church my whole life, however, there were times where my church involvement and attendance was episodic at best. Yes, I was one of “those people” who didn’t attend church regularly despite my deep relationship with Jesus…

When I think of the “where” of the formation that has taken place in my life, there are certainly some places and spaces where I can “drop a pin” and say, I was changed here. In reality, I was not changed in that place. The…

The end of Luke’s Gospel can teach us a lot about where spiritual formation happens. It’s Easter afternoon. Two individuals, likely a man and a woman, are traveling the road to Emmaus after having been in Jerusalem for Passover. The recently resurrected Jesus appears to…

Over the next several weeks my colleagues and I will be reflecting on the “Where of Faith Formation.”  The challenges of doing our work as pastors and clergy are already numerous. With so many of us displaced from our places of worship over the last…

Navigating the complexity of vocational discernment has always been a tricky dance to learn, not to mention master. Too many times, we find ourselves stumbling through the process trying to learn the steps or the choreography as we go while trying to convince those around…

Many years ago, we moved to a new community. As the moving van was unloading the last of its boxes, a neighbor came over to introduce herself.  Looking at the out-of-state license plates on our cars, she asked what brought us to town.  I explained…

What is the goal of vocational discernment? For many, it’s arriving at a clearer sense of what job they should pursue. Should I be a pastor, lawyer, accountant, teacher, electrician, coach, or counselor? Should I go for a solo pastor position at a small church…

A multitude of wise counselors. There are so many fascinating trends in our culture that have been accelerated by the pandemic. The one that most concerns me is the growing epidemic of isolation and loneliness. Pew, Gallup, Barna, Cigna, Harvard, and everyone else who has…

Over the next several weeks, I and my colleagues will be thinking through the Complexity of Navigating Vocational Discernment during these strange and wonderful times.  If you’re like me and have a poor sense of direction, it’s very easy to get lost.  But finding one’s…

In her lifetime of dispensing wisdom, Maya Angelou was fond of saying: “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.”  What is at stake right now is our need to invite hope to occupy the space of imagination about who our…

We’ve been talking a lot the past few weeks about “what’s at stake.” As a reminder, here are some things not at stake.   God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. That you are fearfully and wonderfully made. The long arc of God’s perfect justice. The soul’s…

In mid-December, the outdoor clothing company Patagonia announced that it would be closing all its stores, warehouses, and offices from Christmas through New Year’s Day. For a company that does over $220 million in annual sales, a week off is no small thing. So, why…

Over the next several weeks, as a follow-up to our recent Roundtable Podcast (Check it out if you haven’t already: What’s at Stake?), we will be reflecting on the question, “What’s at Stake?” We are surveying our experiences over the last several years to unpack the…

Over the next several weeks, as a follow to our recent Roundtable Podcast (Check it out if you haven’t already: What’s at Stake?), we will be reflecting on the question, “What’s at Stake?” We are surveying our experiences over the last several years in an…

I subscribe to lots of church newsletters, emailed weekly.  With these subscriptions often come daily advent devotionals.  You know the drill:  miscellaneous members and pastors and staff write a short devotional, usually on a Biblical text (that may be referenced in the devotional…or not) and…

It’s official the great resignation is upon us, but you don’t need me to tell you this. Newspapers, blogs, political pundits, and your own life experiences tell the story of the masses of employees who are collectively refusing the low-wages, absent benefits, and dangerous working…

What does it take to be resilient? Popular opinion has it that resilience is the result of mental toughness, tenacity, grit, discipline, strength, and/or thick skin. There’s some truth to this, but each of these answers assumes that resilience is primarily about enduring through a…

“Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” Yeah, right. There’s been no shortage of ink spilled, thoughts spent, and lectures given over the course of the pandemic on how we can all be more “resilient.” That’s all fine and good. I’ve…

The word ‘contentment’ carries for many of us a negative connotation of complacency and ease that is the enemy of progress and productivity, so we’ve been disciplined to resist it.  We are driven, motivated, accomplished, and busy.  There is always something more to do, another…

Last week, I had the chance to spend some time with a large group of ELCA pastors from the Midwest. Despite being from the heart of Lutheran country they, like the rest of us, are facing the full litany of declining things: members, attendance, budgets,…

We are fast approaching the American holiday that will launch thousands of tweets, posts, and photos with largely the same theme:  a crowded table of people and food and some sentiment on how the person posting is “feeling grateful.” Culturally, that may work.  Biblically, it…

When I wake up in the afternoon Which it pleases me to do Don’t nobody bring me no bad news ‘Cause I wake up already negative And I’ve wired up my fuse So don’t nobody bring me no bad news   When you’re talking to…

Vocation is not so much what we do, it’s how we do it. It’s not so much a question of occupation but of operation and orientation, the way in which we do things and the posture we take. One of the best ways of summing…

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does…

Do you know what that sound is?  It’s the sound of too many voices in your head. The voices of people arguing about masks, vaccines, and policies for in-person worship. The voices of people offering more opinions than support. The voices of faith working through…

Can we talk? Depending on your age and social location when you read this question you may think of the popular Tevin Campbell song of the early 1990’s of the same name and the infectious chorus: Can we talk for a minute? Girl, I want…

On a recent podcast, political strategist Paul Begala was commenting on the strident forms of conflict expressed in the political sphere, especially on social media.  He admitted that he was deeply involved on Twitter, with thousands of followers.  Almost as an aside, he said: For…

An old saying among black folks is that we laugh to keep from crying.  We sing and dance in defiance to the dreadfulness of our days.  Our joy protests the persistent suffering and instability that has so often shaded our path.  Frustratingly, it has left…

Lost in the hoopla surrounding this past weekend’s kick-off to the NFL season is one of America’s great sporting events: the US Open tennis finals. This year was spectacular. In the men’s final, the two top seeds squared off with a Grand Slam bid on…

“I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 Our lives are full of constantly shifting circumstances, disruptions, and potential distractions.  The one thing that is likely never to change is the reality that everything will…

Is it true that, if you were stranded on a desert island and could only eat parsley, you would die of starvation, since the effort to eat it is more than the nutrition you would receive? When I ask about the presence of parsley on…

Dear God, Right now I’m sitting in a quiet room in my home. My dog snores beside me. A cup of warm tea and a laptop, my phone, a prayer book, a novel, gifts from my nieces and nephews surround me. On my run this morning,…

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.  Luke 9:62 Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:32 One of the greatest things I ever learned from running in track meets in grade school…

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:4 My prayer today is simple: “LORD, allow my words to be seasoned with both truth and grace; may they build up and not tear down; may they heal…

Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! 2 Corinthians 4:15 Sometimes when you are born into dysfunction, you just learn to live with things.  Sometimes when you are confronted with…

The greatest commandments are these: Love the LORD with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31).  I used to think that hate was the opposite of love, but I’ve since learned that hate is the absence of…

We often face circumstances that don’t make sense – situations that challenge both our faith and our rationality.  The longer I live, the more often I find myself confronted with these types of things.  One might think that this would leave me discouraged and broken,…

My husband Josiah, a cheerful, relational sort of person, loves to comment on “that good old Nakamura pessimism.”  I, of course, prefer to think of myself as a realist than a pessimist… but I’ll definitely own up to being a “prepper.”  Not quite to the…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”  – Hebrews 12:1 Picture a church…

A few months ago as vaccines were becoming widely available, one of my biggest encouragers in the faith community I pastor, suggested I make some time to go away and rest. Pretty soon, she imagined, “we will hit the ground running.” On the one hand,…

“Here am I Lord; send me!”  Isaiah’s call, one of the lectionary readings for Trinity Sunday, captured my attention again when invited to preach on that Sunday.  We will not go into the heaviness of his call – I will save you from the sermon…

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.  ….These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: …. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven…

One of the great paradoxes of our age is that while we’ve never been more connected to one another on social media, we’ve also never felt more alone. More than a third of Americans over 45 report being lonely. Feelings of isolation are especially acute…

“The rush back to normalcy is aggressive. Give us a minute.” Unknown This morning as I began my day and clicked onto Instagram, this was the quote that greeted me. I couldn’t comment “Amen” fast enough and I wasn’t alone. Within an hour hundreds of…

37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Matthew 26:37   Life is hard. Ministry is difficult.  These are perhaps the understatements of the year.  But life and ministry are even more difficult when we…

For about the 20th time over the past 6 weeks, it happened again this morning. I got on the phone with an extraordinarily gifted, sharp, experienced, faithful pastor who recently began to gently nudge his congregation on some culturally controversial issues (you know what they…

Getting an ending right is not easy. Just ask the writers of popular TV shows like Dexter, Game of Thrones, The Good Place, or Seinfeld. The last episode of each of these series left fans confused and disappointed, muttering to themselves, “Wait, what? That can’t…

The Easter accounts in the gospels feature a lot of running.  Resurrection may cause that in people.  In John, the women and the disciples are practically running a relay race from and to the empty tomb.  In Matthew, the followers of Jesus are told in…

“When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” Matthew 28:17 At the beginning of the pandemic, a friend was asking me about my thoughts on quarantine life. I told her I didn’t think it was going to be as quick or easy as…

There’s been no shortage of reflection and conversation over the past year about what’s been revealed by our multiple societal crises. So many dynamics – economic, social, political, cultural, and indeed ecclesial – that lay under the surface suddenly came to the fore in jarring…

We’ve just celebrated Easter 2021. We’ve endured a full year of this pandemic, political and social unrest, and likely an untold number of personal struggles that accompany these external pressures. We have had to discern a new way of being in a world that feels…

As we enter the Lenten Season for the next few weeks, The Ministry Collaborative staff will be inviting you into conversation with us on topics that we’ve seen bubbling under the surface of our work and experience as ministry leaders. Our goal is to use…

We’ve all heard it before, and probably even have said it ourselves: The church is dying. This diagnosis is based on troubling symptoms we’ve seen in recent years. Worship attendance is down, fewer people are participating in church programming, and an alarming number of congregations…

As we enter the Lenten Season for the next few weeks, The Ministry Collaborative staff will be inviting you into conversation with us on topics that we’ve seen bubbling under the surface of our work and experience as ministry leaders. Our goal is to use…

We have heard it said that adversity brings out both the best and the worst in who we really are. The times are telling on all of us, as we’ve had plenty of opportunity to reckon with ourselves over the last year. The compounded crises…

As we enter the Lenten Season for the next few weeks, The Ministry Collaborative staff will be inviting you into conversation with us on topics that we’ve seen bubbling under the surface of our work and experience as ministry leaders. Our goal is to use…

As we enter the Lenten Season for the next few weeks, The Ministry Collaborative staff will be inviting you into conversation with us on topics that we’ve seen bubbling under the surface of our work and experience as ministry leaders. Our goal is to use…

“Seminary didn’t prepare me for this.” I hear this sort of statement all the time, from senior pastors to newly minted MDiv grads. These are really talented folks who have gone to great seminaries and who care deeply about the church and the world. Yet…

If you’re reading this, then congratulations, you have successfully navigated almost one whole year in the pandemic. One year ago we were all bracing ourselves for the onslaught of fear, pain, death, anxiety and grief that none of us could’ve foreseen. In some ways 2020…

Among the top three questions we are getting these days from pastors and congregational leaders:  How can we plan for our ministry in the next year?  Or, do you have strategic planning tools to recommend? In every office I have moved into upon starting a…

In all my work as a pastor and alongside pastors over the past 12 years or so, I’ve never witnessed a time when clergy were feeling more stuck, beaten down, conflicted, exhausted, and, for some, simply hopeless, than I have over the past nine months….

My mother used to tell me that, “If you lie, you will cheat, if you cheat, you will steal, and if you steal, you will kill.”  She would follow by telling me that there’s nothing worse than a liar.  “You can guard yourself against a…

It’s January, and that means one thing: New Year’s Resolutions. Eat better. Exercise more. Spend less. Make it through one of those read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year programs. Whatever the goal, New Year’s Resolutions produce two contrasting impulses in me. The first is hope. January heralds the possibility of…

Dear friends and colleagues, At the outset of this new year, we wanted to express several pressing things to you. First and foremost, thank you.  Thank you for the faithful, inspired, life-changing work you’ve given yourself to over the past year. You’ve been sharing in…

Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com revealed their “word of the year” last week.  Unsurprisingly, that word was “pandemic.”  More interesting were the words that were “runners-up”- including “bubble,” “pod,” “social-distancing,” “face-masks,” and “lockdown.”  There was another set of runners-up that dug deeper into how this year has…

The Birmingham 2.0 Cohort of The Ministry Collaborative have transitioned to the next phase of our journey together.  Our official time together ended this month, but the relationships that began over three years ago have been deepened and our commitment to support on another has…

One of the things we’re learning during COVID-19 is that many in our communities are longing for “thirdspaces.” Thirdspace is a term used by sociologists to describe where we spend time when we’re not at home (“first” space) or at work (“second” space). Thirdspaces can…

As I sat down to write today’s article pondering the prompt, “What have we learned?” I immediately began pulling up emails, and scouring studies, and statistics. I then turned to several bloggers I respect and read their brilliant think pieces. I even logged onto some…

As we enter the last stretch of 2020, we want to share what we’re seeing and learning about pastors and congregations across the country.  I’m sure we’ll get into to some nuts and bolts analysis of these themes in the coming weeks, but I simply…

Over the past week, many of us have held our breath as we awaited results from the election. In the agonizing period between Tuesday and Saturday, I must have hit refresh on the blue-and-red map a thousand times. Never have four days felt longer. Yet,…

One of the strong impressions this year has made on me is the growing distrust – or disdain – of words.  There are active attempts to undermine the words of those in positions of responsibility.  But there is something more personal involving so much hard…

Growing up my mother always warned us, “There’s no safe place down here.” Whenever we went to her for an explanation of something crazy happening in the world she reminded us that this world is not our home and safety wasn’t hers to give. Yesterday…

2020 is one for the books for sure.  We have all been riding this ridiculous rollercoaster for months now and are likely worn thin by worry and anxiety.  Our souls are disquieted by the uncertainty of the times.  But amid these crises, I offer you…

Half-hearted ministry is killing us. Every bit as much as half-hearted living leads us into dead ends, half-hearted ministry is leaving congregations adrift and clergy and other church staff looking for, as more than one pastor has said to me lately, “a ticket out.” This…

“The antidote to exhaustion is not rest, it’s wholeheartedness.” – David Whyte. This simple yet profound statement has captured the imaginations of The Ministry Collaborative (TMC) staff since we discovered it last spring. At that time, we were all new to pandemic life and experiencing…

“The antidote to exhaustion is not rest, it’s wholeheartedness.” – David Whyte. This simple yet profound statement has captured the imaginations of The Ministry Collaborative (TMC) staff since we discovered it last spring. At that time, we were all new to pandemic life and experiencing…

“The antidote to exhaustion is not rest, it’s wholeheartedness.” – David Whyte. This simple yet profound statement has captured the imaginations of The Ministry Collaborative (TMC) staff since we discovered it last spring. At that time, we were all new to pandemic life and experiencing…

Dear friends and colleagues, Your continued support for one another from coast to coast is inspiring. We have the privilege of being able to observe how you all are connecting, communicating, encouraging, and challenging one another in this truly remarkable time of ministry, and we…

“The antidote to exhaustion is not rest, it’s wholeheartedness.” – David Whyte. This simple yet profound statement has captured the imaginations of The Ministry Collaborative (TMC) staff since we discovered it last spring. At that time, we were all new to pandemic life and experiencing…

Everyone loves a superhero. At least I do. There is something about the way ordinary people, with ordinary lives are transformed by some hidden ability allowing them to do extraordinary things. We recently lost a beloved actor, Chadwick Bosman, who gave us King T’Challa in…

The pain, grief, dislocation, and uncertainty generated by this pandemic feel endless.  As it turns out, so do the lists. Top Ten Comfort Foods in Quarantine Fifteen overlooked movies of the 1980’s Essential TV shows to Binge Today (yes, it is time to watch The…

  A member of Macedonian Ministry’s Atlanta 4 Cohort, Matt serves as Executive Pastor at The Living Room Community Church in the Tri-Cities of Washington where he architects structures and processes that support the vision and mission of the church. He leads change, builds culture,…

Is it me or does it seem like we are stuck in the movie Groundhog Day? For some reason the past couple of weeks feels oddly like the first weeks of quarantine life back in March (April or May depending where you live). Although we’ve…

In recent weeks, I’ve begun hearing people talk about social justice fatigue. This refers to the physical, mental, and/or emotional toll incurred through advocating for social change. There’s no doubt, standing up against racial injustice or any other form of violence and marginalization is exhausting…

“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” ― Frederick Buechner  In this moment, there are a lot of variables that seems out of our control, and a lot of variables that simply aren’t going very well. But we can make a…

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  Matthew 11:28-29 The…

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For…

A recent post by my favorite daily blogger, Seth Godin, contains a great deal of complexity in its few lines: When you talk about your last job, your last vacation, the things that happened when you were 12… What do you lead with? Do you…

Over the past several weeks, I’ve found myself reflecting on Richard Rohr’s notion of “The Edge of Inside.”  Being on the edge of inside means being connected to an established system but not being beholden to it or reliant upon it. Sometimes, being too far…

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:29 When we think about naming and labeling, recall how God gave Adam the job of naming what He created. That naming was not just a vocabulary challenge, but it…

“Anger and tears create the space for the work of the Spirit. They are the groaning of the Spirit for renewal of creation and an expression of compassion thus revealing a deep spiritual well. To fear our tears or to suppress our anger is to…

This past weekend I participated in a protest here in Atlanta, Georgia organized by my daughter and some of her former classmates at The Lovett School. The small group of college freshman and sophomore’s decided to hold a protest in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta,…

Christian Conscience in Crisis: A Statement About The Most Recent Painful and Poignant Examples of Racial Injustice In Our Society.   The Ministry Collaborative has long been committed to creating spaces and processes for nurturing deep, trusting relationships across perceived barriers in communities, especially between…

To assume that peace exists or can be maintained simply by remaining silent, is a misrepresentation of what peace is. To remain silent in the face of oppression or violence, is not “peace,” and that silence is not “golden.” This false peace is more akin…

Over the past two months, we’ve been listening and learning alongside pastors and lay leaders from all over the country, from a broad diversity of backgrounds and contexts, about the complexities of ministry right now. Below, we’ve attempted to compile a list of quotes, questions,…

Our Advisory Board here at MMF is an amazing group of women and men  who are engaged in ministry from many different angles in diverse places around the country.  On a call with them last week, we were talking about all the challenges facing pastors…

Last December I read the book, “Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose” by Jean Case who uses compelling storytelling to illustrate how bold decision-making and acts of fearlessness have changed the world. I remember it as a decent read, but…

  And actually, the question is about a question. What do you think are the most important questions that pastors in congregations can be asking right now? Click here to respond. Our aim is to gather as much information as possible from ministry leaders everywhere…

“Joy is resistance to disorder, cynicism, entropy and despair. It is not simply resistance but courageous resistance that, I suspect, transcends reason. Most miraculous experiences baffle reason…”  ~ Toi Derricote, African American Poet As Christians, our joy is rooted in the living hope we have…

Last week Mark Ramsey wrote a thought-provoking article titled “Timing,” wherein he challenged us as clergy to open our thinking to the wondrous things that Jesus is doing “out there” in the world. He stated that the resurrected Jesus had gone ahead of the disciples and their…

Last Friday afternoon – Good Friday – I talked with three pastor colleagues, all of whom had “finished” their work for the weekend.  They had concluded recordings of their Good Friday and Easter services.  Now, they were contemplating what was usually the most stressful weekend…

Matthew 28:6–8 ESV 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to…

To all you pastors, lay leaders, volunteers, and congregation members who are rapidly adjusting, adapting, and trying new things, some of which are going well and others which aren’t going well at all, don’t forget… God is rejoicing over you! In the midst of an…

In faith communities all over – large and small, rural and urban – church leaders are wrestling with the challenges of Easter Day. Many are trying to figure out how to do it online, in a way that captures the “specialness” that has usually accompanied…

We’ve been in awe over the last couple of weeks witnessing the extraordinary resilience, creativity, and faithfulness of pastors and lay leaders all across the U.S. and the world.  It’s amazing to see how quickly we can interpret the circumstances and adapt when necessary.  It…

Join us for a nationwide Zoom call on Wed, 2pm ET, at https://zoom.us/j/173865252. No registration required. Just click and join us! As the COVID-19 global health crisis continues to expand, we are in a rapidly increasing number of conversations with pastors all over the country…

For the past couple of weeks my colleagues Adam Borneman and Mark Ramsey have been posting our reflections, observations and findings from a recent gathering we held on the economics of ministry. The fact that we are still mining nuggets of wisdom is proof of…

Last week in Atlanta, we convened about two dozen pastors, lay leaders, and other church leaders from around the country to talk about the pressing challenges of ministry economics with a focus on property, space, and buildings. Now if that doesn’t get you amped up…

9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:9 In our previous post, Rev. Jennifer Watley Maxell, used the phrase ‘shared consumption’ as a form of collaboration.  It stuck with…

  “The hard thing when you get old is to keep your horizons open. The first part of your life everything is in front of you, all your potential and promise. But over the years, you make decisions; you carve yourself into a given shape….

One of the traps we see ministries falling into revolves around this set of assumptions: We have the youth ministry lane, the worship lane, the adult education lane, the missions lane, the communications lane, and so on.  And then an individual, group, or committee is…

These two charts (among many others!) have been very helpful to me for understanding why so many ministries struggle with collaboration even while rightly naming it as a priority. Simply put, we tend to talk a lot about collaboration without describing what we actually mean…

For many of us 2020 has started the same as any other year with an endless list of task, chores, errands and to-do’s. No matter how we ended 2019, 2020 demands that some things must be done. As for pastors and church leaders, there are…

Most of us learned a certain way of doing chores:  we were told to get through with all the “compulsory things” and then we would be “rewarded “ with something fun or meaningful. First the mundane, then the meaningful. I think we’ve imported this approach…

This year has been amazing! To each of you who has joined us in this wonderful work of supporting, equipping and transforming pastors and congregations, we say thank you! Whether you have served as a facilitator, a cohort member, a presenter, a conversation partner, a…

What are your church’s biggest problems?  You know – the ones that have people talking in meetings, in the hall, in the parking lot… Chances are that if you’re a leader in your congregation, you could make a list of problems in a quick minute. …

I am a life-long Presbyterian who loves the church. I went to a Presbyterian seminary, where I was formed by Presbyterian theology. It has been Presbyterian pastors and lay people who have shaped me, and it is a Presbyterian pension and medical plan that secures…

“Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them…” Philippians 4:5a – The Message I’ve been in Alabama for twenty years now and perhaps one of the most annoying things I…

Sometimes we find ourselves trying to win at church. We don’t like to admit it, but since we’re among friends, we can be honest in this space. We track all kinds of data attempting to paint a picture of positive progress and success in ministry….

In a recent post, Seth Godin retells what he terms a “magical story.” A Gurkha rifleman escaped from a Japanese prison in south Burma and walked six hundred miles alone through the jungles to freedom. The journey took him five months, but he never asked…

  What do people in your community care about? What are their values? What are their aspirations? What are their hopes? What are their goals? What are their needs? What are their interests? What are their challenges? Where do they experience joy? Where do they…

Because, contrary to all evidence, we treat disruption as the exception rather than the rule. While life experience overwhelmingly indicates that attaining perfect stasis and equilibrium is a myth, we continue – often unconsciously – to relentlessly pursue such conditions. On the other hand, we…

Today, the demolition of our congregation’s kitchen begins. It’s going to be a major disruption—let’s be honest, it already has been. The conversation about the kitchen was alive well before I arrived five years ago to Christ on Capitol Hill (Saint Paul, Minnesota), my fourth…

It looked like a weed – the tiny sprig of green that sprouted in the crack of my front walkway. I passed it for days as I rushed out the front door headed for work. With each passing, the growing leaves reminded me to add…

“God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” For years the words from 1 John were the crescendo of my well-crafted wedding homily, where I proclaimed to a couple that because they were in love, God…

Several years ago, when our kids were still pretty young and wiggly, we had a particularly bad Sunday in worship. They rattled papers, squirmed, and dropped more than one Matchbox car. We were still fairly new to the community, so we were especially uncomfortable to…

Macedonian Ministry welcomes pastors from throughout our program and broadening network to contribute to our weekly articles. This week, our thanks to Rev. Jim Truesdell, for his reflection.  After nearly 20 years of pastoral ministry in Presbyterian churches, God issued a disruptive call. Away from the…

A childhood friend of mine shared with me this past week, about an incident with her child and one of his friends. Her child told his good friend that he and his family was moving away. Welp, this good friend decided to post, his thoughts…

Disruption comes in many forms. There is the disruption that we plan and manage. And then there is the disruption that comes unbidden and unwelcome but often brings unexpected gifts. I’m mostly talking about when things go wrong. There was the Sunday the toilets overflowed….

Time and talent sheets are surveys that ostensibly present opportunities for service in the congregation and invite people to get more involved in church life. By and large they are a waste of time. Congregations are rarely poised to activate all responses in a timely…

There are numerous factors and forces that disrupt the life of the church – everything from conflicts and situations unique to a specific congregation to the whole North American church in general navigating an indifferent, secular culture and we have been exploring disruption in this…

Disruption has gotten a bad rap.  It’s almost like “the name that shall not be spoken.”  We spend a great deal of time and energy trying to avoid disruption and reinforce status quo.  This is remarkable, because disruption is our friend.  Disruption is the friend…

Have you seen this diagram? It may look complicated at first glance, but it’s actually rather simple, and understanding it can be enormously helpful to anyone leading an organization, including ministry leaders.     I first encountered this diagram in a book called, The Practice of…

Macedonian Ministry welcomes pastors from throughout our program to contribute to our weekly articles. This week, our thanks to Rev. Cassandra Henderson of The Breakthrough Fellowship and MM Atlanta 4 cohort member, for her reflection.    “But now more than ever the word about Jesus…

One of the realities of congregational decline is that many church buildings – built to accommodate double or quadruple (or more!) the number of people who now attend or support – are consuming an inordinate amount of the church’s financial resources, and attentive human devotion…

Macedonian Ministry welcomes pastors from throughout our program to contribute to our weekly articles. This week, our thanks to Pastor Mark Honstein of the Watford City Area Lutheran Parish and MM Watford City, North Dakota cohort member, for his reflection.  I am told by parishioners that life in…

Macedonian Ministry welcomes pastors from throughout our program to contribute to our weekly articles. This week, our thanks to Rev. Dr. Katie Hays from Galileo Church and our Ft. Worth, TX Cohort, for her reflection. I spent my childhood in two bedrooms that I remember….

“If the church is inconsequential to the very place it is located, it cannot call itself church.” – Dr. Willie Jennings In this 5 minute video excerpt from the 2015 Macedonian Ministry Leadership Conference, Dr. Willie Jennings reminds us that the place in which we…

This is an important question for congregations to ask, and it can be framed in several different ways: …. as a question about the congregation’s ultimate purpose or aim.  … as a question about the nature of assembling as community of faith and what that…

  From its birth, our community of faith (The Well at Springfield) decided to make acquiring a permanent meeting space optional. We wanted to avoid the financial burden facing so many churches. As time has gone on though, we are discovering some unexpected gifts of…

“The Space Always Wins” Guest Reflection By: Glenn Stallsmith   “The space always wins.” That paraphrased summary of the conclusion was arrived by James F. White, a liturgical scholar who taught for many years at Notre Dame. White meant that no matter what theology or…

Space has an important relationship to faith, but “space” does not automatically equal “church building.” I have served six congregations over 30+ years in ministry. Each was an established church which had moved into its current building as early as 1892 or as recently as…

“At this church no borders divide. No walls exclude.” So reads the website of First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles. The words are apt because the church meets in a parking lot. Started in 1853 as the first Protestant church in the city, First…

As I followed the coverage of the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral a few weeks ago, one element that stood out to me was how deeply grieved people were all over the world by the extensive damage to this place. This building. These walls. These spires….

We invited Macedonian Ministry pastor, Keith Grogg, to reflect on “road signs” he’s seeing in his ministry and here’s what he had to say: “Beware of Sudden Icing” Reflection by: Keith Grogg     On a gorgeous, sunny spring morning recently I was headed to…

We invited Macedonian Ministry pastor, Marthame Sanders, to reflect on “road signs” he’s seeing in his ministry and here’s what he had to say: Share the Road Reflection by: Marthame Sanders     In my Atlanta, car-centric context, these periodic signs are helpful reminders that…

We invited Macedonian Ministry pastor, Jennifer Maxell, to reflect on “road signs” she’s seeing in her ministry and here’s what she had to say: NO U TURNS! Reflection by: Jennifer Maxell     I remember one of the first parsonage’s my family ever lived in….

We invited Macedonian Ministry pastor, Sherrad Hayes, to reflect on “road signs” he’s seeing in his ministry and here’s what he had to say: “Buckle Up!” Reflection by: Sherrad Hayes     “Therefore, girding up the loins of your mind, being sober-minded, set all your hope…

We invited several pastors to reflect on “road signs” they’re seeing in their ministry and here’s what they had to say: The Stop Signs Always Comes Reflection by: Amy Miracle   I confess that I get nervous every time I see a sign indicating that…

We invited several pastors to reflect on “road signs” they’re seeing in their ministry and here’s what they had to say: There’s something happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear… Reflection by: Mamie Broadhurst About a month ago, Mark Ramsey wrote, “The work of ministry…

We invited several pastors to reflect on “road signs” they’re seeing in their ministry and here’s what they had to say: “What if we aren’t supposed to drive cars on paved roads with orderly signs?”  Reflection by: Jim Truesdell   “Pictured above are trail markers…

We invited several pastors to reflect on “road signs” they’re seeing in their ministry and here’s what they had to say: Runaway Vehicles Only Reflection by: Ben Johnston-Krase   “You’re speeding downhill with more weight than you can possibly manage. In a death-defying moment, you…

We all know the signs we must pay attention to on the road – speed limits, curves ahead, school zone.  There is one, however, that most of us probably ignore – the one that tells us the slowest speed we should travel. So much emphasis…

I have two young children, and one thing I deeply and truly envy about them is their ability to play in just about any circumstance, no matter the context, time of day, who else is present, or what the objects of play might be. Their…

Two weeks ago, Adam Borneman opened up the idea of road signs and ministry. We’re going to follow this fruitful idea for the next several weeks. “WATCH FOR FALLING ROCK.” If you drive in the Rocky Mountains, you will certainly see this road sign. From…

Last week, Adam Borneman opened up the idea of road signs and ministry.  We’re going to follow this fruitful idea for the next several weeks. Any journey of more than a block brings an encounter with a multitude of signs.  While at any given moment…

There are all sorts of ministry traffic signs that we need to pay attention to, point out for others, and obey.  Here are a few: No U Turn. I’ve found that one of the most liberating things I can say to a pastor or congregation…

Word Matters Part 5: And the Word Became Flesh As I mentioned in my first article on the general theme of Word Matters, I worked on this series on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Later that evening, we heard again the magisterial words from the…

Pastoral leaders are in the communication business. Whether preaching or listening, communication is at the heart of pastoral ministry because it had to do with people – knowing them, caring for and about them, organizing them, influencing them, blessing them. And that requires words. Most…

Words matter in preaching. But words matter even more when you’re not the one speaking them. Listening is the other side of the communication and it is essential to pastoral leadership. The late Peter Drucker, whose work in leadership and management continues to ring relevant,…

Perhaps nowhere is the use of words more publicly on display nor more consequential that in the preaching moment. Preaching is really a remarkable event and almost unparalleled in human society. Think about it. Week after week preachers open an ancient text and, through it,…

Word Matters Part 1:  Words Matter “Toxic” was the Oxford English Dictionary’s “Word of the Year” for 2018. Toxic. Imbued with poison. Given the climate of our national discourse, this is no surprise. Meanwhile, on the other hand, The Christian Science Monitor reported recently that…

Refocusing the Christmas Lens With most pastors and congregations thinking about upcoming worship services and other ministry opportunities that seize so much of our attention this time of year, I want to help us think broadly about what the priorities are, what they aren’t, and…

Refocusing the Christmas Lens With most pastors and congregations thinking about upcoming worship services and other ministry opportunities that seize so much of our attention this time of year, I want to help us think broadly about what the priorities are, what they aren’t, and…