Appreciative Itineracy
You want me to go where??? One of the distinguishing characteristics of pastoral ministry in the United Methodist Church is itineracy. Pastors within United Methodist structures are “appointed” to churches Continue Reading
Tag: United Methodist Church
Sowing the Seeds of Friendship: Cultivating Hospitality Across Class Lines
How can an affluent congregation build friendships with persons living in poverty in their neighborhood? First United Methodist Church serves the mission field of Monticello, Arkansas, a county seat town Continue Reading
Behind, In, In Front of
Behind, In, In Front of A Study in Communal Hermeneutics Introduction Upon taking the reins as the pastor of a small United Methodist congregation in Westfield, NY, I quickly Continue Reading
Campus Ministry Sustained
Today’s Class Will Meet on Zoom What the New Arms Race in Higher Education Means Believe me, before I entered the doctor of ministry program at Emory’s Candler School of Theology Continue Reading
The Power of Mourning: Creating Spaces of Vulnerability for Black Clergywomen to Lament & Holler
For years, I have followed the career of Dr. Miranda Bailey on ABC’s medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy. I have always been amazed by her intelligence, her leadership, her work ethic, Continue Reading
STARVED TO DEATH FOR LOVE
I was not surprised. It occurs often enough when one is in ministry. There is a question that bothers many people who are not connected (or are loosely connected) to Continue Reading
resilien·city: a resurrected, resilient community
a pastor’s vision for transforming a dying church into a resurrected, resilient community When I first came to Old West Church from Georgia, I was told it was a Continue Reading
Out of the Box Church Renewal
The Albatross Countless midsized churches experienced a rapid increase in numbers in the late ’90s. In their excitement, they built big buildings taking on large mortgages, believing their growth and Continue Reading
Encountering Violent Texts in Scripture: A Study in Communal Hermenutics
Introduction One Sunday I was in worship at Christ United Methodist Church in Franklin, TN watching our children perform the musical, “Moses and the Freedom Fanatics”. I wasn’t in the Continue Reading
Finding Christian Community in a Constantly Distracted and Networked World
“Men hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they are often separated from Continue Reading