By Christine Every morning for the last six weeks, I’ve found myself lying in bed listening to the songbirds gently welcome the morning outside my window. The room is dark and still, except for the soft echoing from the tree planted along the patio wall. And as I lay there and listen, it feels like … Continue reading
By Chris Hughes For Carita Brown, following a calling from God has involved many doors opening unexpectedly—doors that she has stepped through on faith. She describes them as “and suddenly” moments. “I think of the book of Mark when I think about how God moves in my life. It’s always ‘and suddenly God did this’ … Continue reading
Most of our listeners are not in the kind of church that culturally and theological demeans, abuses and restricts girls and women. Therefore, it is easy for us to detach ourselves from the type of congregational contexts we’ve seen uncovered through the work of scholars such as Beth Allison Barr and Kristen Kobes Du Mez. … Continue reading
Journey to the Cross Returns to Passport, Inc.’s Devotion Website Below is a press release from CBF-partner Passport Inc. Journey to the Cross, the devotional series for Lent, returns to Passport, Inc.’s devotional website, d365.org, Monday, February 12th, through Sunday, April 7th. This series features scripture, prayer and meditative thoughts accompanied by gentle music. The … Continue reading
It’s a strange new day and age for funding congregational ministry. We know there are tremendous gaps between generations regarding contributions, with Builders/Silent Generation and Baby Boomers giving the lion’s share. However, people also adjust their contributions based on the trust and impact they perceive about an institution. According to a 2022 Gallup survey, only … Continue reading
By Anna Anderson We did not know what to expect when Woody and Bev Baker began to talk to us about ministry opportunities in eastern North Carolina. They knew that being in an area closer to their aging mothers would be helpful. They knew that they weren’t ready to retire fully, and they wanted to … Continue reading
It seems hard to believe, but 2023 is nearly in the rearview mirror. In many churches, January will bring a reset of the fiscal year, a deep breath after intense months spent creating and approving budgets and encouraging people to pledge, a brief return to “regular” worship after the heightened experiences of the holiday seasons … Continue reading
When we think of social justice, we tend to think of tremendous figures, such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Doris Day, Mother Theresa, Walter Rauschenbusch, Nelson Mandela, and Desmond Tutu. And rightly so. These people are tremendous catalysts of significant change and are inspirational to successive generations of justice-seekers. But for every catalytic … Continue reading
By Dewey Bland, chaplain at the Federal Correctional Institution, Three Rivers, Texas “If you’re a young man and you’re not being admired by an older man, you’re being hurt,” Robert Moore, Iron John: A Book about Men Joshua had Moses (Exodus 32-33) and Elisha had Elijah (1 Kings 19:16, 19-21). I am so thankful for … Continue reading
I have been in the church since the womb and vocational ministry since I was 14. I have experienced a myriad of expressions of church, serving in most of those expressions. Now I am in the unique role of denominational work, visiting even more expressions of church. Despite the moderate or progressive expression, I still … Continue reading