Worship God. Form Faith. Live Love.
Unless we experience love for our authentic selves from others, we cannot fully experience God’s unconditional love. Our communities of Christ must be based on a web of authentic relationships. Doubt, Vulnerability, and Authenticity This is the third and final … Continue reading
We all wear masks to help us fit in and keep ourselves safe. But we cannot experience meaningful relationships—even God’s unconditional love—without vulnerability. How can you create a safe space where people can be vulnerable in our faith communities? Doubt, … Continue reading
Understandably, we in the Church put a big focus on belief, the acceptance of certain teachings. But doubts are natural and inevitable. How we approach doubt can make a big difference in the lives of youth, adults, and children. If … Continue reading
It is Pride season. Marsha P. Johnson, Bayard Rustin, and Maya Angelou are all queer activists who lived out their faith. Check out this post for ideas on how to talk about them in CYF programs. Faithful Queer Leaders June … Continue reading
Though the Holy Spirit has always been here, God gave Jesus-followers the gift of the Spirit’s indwelling on the Jewish festival of Shavuot. Living by the Spirit is to serve others. Living contrary to the Spirit is to serve only … Continue reading
Paul seems to be critical of the Law (Torah). But perhaps it’s not the Torah he is negative about, but the way it was being misused: to create a wall between Gentiles and Jesus. It’s a bit hard to believe, … Continue reading
Must Gentiles become Jewish before being included in the Church? Paul gives an impassioned NO! While bad theology cannot separate us from God, it can obscure our relationship. This week in the Narrative Lectionary, we move from the narrative of … Continue reading
The early Church encountered a real, understandable, and serious controversy: Did non-Jews need to become Jewish to follow the Jewish Messiah? While Scripture seemed to say “yes,” the experiences of the believers said a resounding “no.” The Birth of the … Continue reading
It is getting more difficult to staff Children, Youth, and Family Ministry positions with full-time professionals, but there are other creative ways to make sure this important ministry continues to thrive. A Downward Trend I have served as a Director … Continue reading
While the story in Acts 8 is about Philip teaching an Ethiopian official, it is impossible, especially in diverse settings, to not learn something in return. I think that Philip learned something about God from the Ethiopian, too. The Birth … Continue reading