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...
Confidence in virtually all American institutions continues to decline, a phenomenon augmented by rising rates of loneliness, isolation, economic and geographic clustering, and cultural tribalism. For the church to be a prophetic witness in this milieu is to be a space of radical and unconditional...
In times of stress and uncertainty, the way forward is seldom about more information. Yet it is not surprising that church boards are currently in search of any shred of information to help them make decisions in this stressful and uncertain time. In 2015, researchers from...
Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with the Rev. Starlette Thomas (The Raceless Gospel, Good Faith Media) about Harriett Tubman, Clarence Jordan, and the hope that Baptism should be for the Church....
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. When...
So many congregations right now are awash in uncertainty, haunted by loss, and longing for normalcy or a way back. It is imperative that church boards find ways to talk honestly, truthfully, with sensitivity and with tenderness, about where we are. We think that Tracy K....
Executive Director Mark Ramsey speaks with the Rev. Dr. Jack Fortin (Charity to Change, Christensen Center for Vocation at Augsburg University) about the dangers of self-absorption, God's surprising love for institutions, and Peter the businessman....
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...
Have your ambitions for your congregation changed over the past few years? If so, you are not alone. Among the many things that the pandemic has altered is our sense of ambition for ourselves and for our institutions. Signs of the change are everywhere, from last...