By Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Recently my family moved from one town to another, which meant my son changed schools. A couple of weeks into the semester, the school hosted a Back-to-School Bash on a Friday night. What a great idea! The students would have an opportunity simply to have fun together without the constraints of … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed It is no secret that many churches, once pushing the fire marshal’s maximum occupancy to its limits, are now in numerical decline. I have my pick of statistics that I could cite, but here’s a particularly poignant visual from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research: The pews are no more than 38 … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed Thinking in general, I do not like the application of business mindsets to ministry. The Church, after all, is not out to make money for those who have invested in it. It’s not even about the number of people in the pews. Instead, the Church’s function is to grow disciples and to … Continue reading
By Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Many pastors are taught in seminary that a church should never hire one of its members to serve on staff, for reasons explained below. That said, ministers might enter a new-to-them context where a member is already in the role of Administrative Assistant or Director of Christian Education. And there might … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed I have heard it many times in congregations experiencing stagnation or decline: If we could just bring in more young families… This is an understandable thought. For churches with nurseries that once burst at the seams or with memories of youth choirs that went on tour in the summers, bringing in more … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed Two years ago the world locked down, seemingly overnight, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. Many congregations went from having a website and a minimal social media presence, which sometimes included recordings or livestreams of worship, to creating online community wholly through previously utilized and new-to-them media. Churches pivoted again and … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed Churches are sacred places because they help us feel closer to God. Our spirits are buoyed by the music coming from the choir loft. Sitting in the seats that are just uncomfortable enough to keep us alert, we have heard God’s word proclaimed. We have walked up the steps of the baptistry, … Continue reading
By Laura Stephens-Reed I recently interviewed several pastors about their experiences leading congregations during the pandemic. Specifically, I wanted to know how they handled the initial turn to online worship and the million mini-ministry pivots they’ve had to make in the two years since. Unsurprisingly, all these pastors are exhausted. But not all are discouraged. … Continue reading
Rev. Laura Stephens-Reed Many pastors go into ministry because they love people. They consider your willingness to trust them with your stories a privilege. They want to hold your hand when you have gotten bad news. They celebrate alongside you at milestone moments. Pastoral care is not just part of ministers’ job descriptions. It is … Continue reading
by Andrew Nash It is always hard to take on a new role as a senior pastor in your 20s, but there is an added degree of difficulty when doing so during a global pandemic. There’s even more of a challenge doing so in Flint, Mich., site of a water crisis that has had lasting … Continue reading
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