“… for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people.” (Matthew 2:6, Micah 5:2) Shepherd my people? In light of the rulers and ‘kingdoms’ of Jesus’ day and ours, this sounds like a contradiction in terms. Yet, a shepherd was the ideal of kingship according to Old Testament writers (e.g. Psalm 78, 2 Samuel 5:2). God’s …
I’m a total Sci-Fi fanatic. Most of the sci-fi post-apocalyptic movies or books that come out get me all jazzed up. I’m fascinated with the concept of how humanity survives when the existing structures previously depended upon on are no longer dependable. The Western World is changing. Many of the cultural structures that formed the church for centuries are disappearing. The images …
Sometime around 1410, Andrei Rublev painted an icon of the Trinity. The image depicts the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit gathered around a table. As they are seated they are positioned with an openness to the viewer inviting each person who reflects on the image into the communal moment they are sharing together. Thomas Merton reminds us that “when we …
‘Collaborative’ is a particularly popular descriptor that excites ministry leaders today. Like its cousins ‘missional’ and ‘incarnational,’ it attempts to capture a unique temperament of the ministry enterprise. Namely, the desire to seek partnership in mission and values through the contribution of a number of uniquely different voices. But what are we saying and what are we doing in our …
Welcome to a new year filled with incredible potential. Here in Seattle the sun is shining, the Olympic mountains are covered in snow, and it is not hard to believe that only good things lie ahead. By the end of summer, the snow will be gone and the hope and promise they offered may be gone too. Unfortunately, our new …
Okay, it may be true that sometimes, female church planters think a little differently and come up with different metaphors than their male counterparts. Yesterday was just one of those days. I was sitting in a classy hair salon in Walnut Creek, California, when a woman who seemed quite underprivileged walked by. I relished watching her be pampered, cared for, …
Last week, in light of the recent events in Ferguson, New York, and Cleveland, our youth pastor decided to have some open conversations with our youth to help them process all that was happening. Though our church is multiethnic, the majority of our youth are African American. Many of the youth shared common themes that black youth are voicing all …
mulThe deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown impacted all of our lives. Hopefully, it has made many of us consider the great divides that separate us from people of other colours and ethnicities. I wonder if in the roar of the protests what real changes we are willing to make to our lives. Are we really prepared for the …
Sociologists say that people group themselves together in three ways: Affinity— Similar ethnic, socioeconomic, education, language, etc. background Kinship— Extended family, tribe, band, tight-knit relationships. Geography— Same neighborhood, block, apartment complex, etc. These same categories also function as organizing principles for people who start various kinds of churches. Affinity For several decades, the predominant approach has been affinity. We have …
How might a person on mission learn to read the book of Acts? As might others, I’m swept up into near uncontrollable emotion when I recall the little nativity set erected with sacred precision every Christmas in my childhood living room. That pristine manger transcended my suburb existence; it had a blissful quality akin to magic. The scene still sits …