Pruning branches on a living plant helps it to be more productive, grow better fruit, and sustain the plant for the long haul. As churches have become dispersed because of COVID-19 it has revealed the fruit of our labor when times felt much less complicated. The lessons we are learning in order to be church today can help us to …
The Covid-19 pandemic is disrupting life as we have known it. It will take radical social distancing for us to flatten the curve. What does it mean for the people of God to be a blessing to their neighborhood and networks in a time that feels chaotic and unpredictable? In this webinar we will be drawing practical, on-the-ground, missional lessons …
Last Wednesday, I went to Costco for my usual fortnightly visit, arriving early to avoid the crowds. Or at least, I thought I was. The place was crowded and people were loading carts with what looked like a year’s supply of toilet paper, rice and other staples. Over the weekend, it was even worse and when I went this week …
A 4-week Immersion to begin and build a social good enterprise for the sake of missional presence in your neighborhood w/ Hugh Halter About this Immersion There is a seismic shift in American culture, the church now finds itself in increasing irrelevance in its “come to us” posture. The Church is invited to break down the sacred/secular divide by creating …
There’s a story from American folklore that Henry Ford, after launching the Model T, declared consumers could pick any color they wanted…so long as it was black. To me this sounds like the same approach Christian worship has taken. It comes in basically one color. There are two main versions: sing songs and listen to a preacher, or follow some …
If you’re following along with the ministry of Jesus, He spoke of seeking — searching for with all your might and with urgency — only two things. He tells His followers to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) which feels like a given since people are wanting to participate in the good and powerful rule and reign of …
At 57 years old, a lot has changed in my perspective of things. Life looks different, the future takes on the priority of legacy-leaving, and my idealism has taken on more grace. The other thing that has exited my priority list is the need of a title. I often have people ask me what I do and so I have …
A couple weeks ago I woke up, ate breakfast with the family, and walked my son to elementary school. From there, my 3-year old daughter and I walked to the local cafe, as we usually do. After properly caffeinating, I responded to a few emails, texted a new friend to hang out, and got to know the person sitting next …
The year was 250 CE and Rome found itself facing, invaded even, by a different kind of enemy. It was not an army it could simply defeat on the battlefield, but a plague that swept through parts of the empire. Most historians think the invader was akin to Smallpox or Bubonic Plague, based on the early descriptions of symptoms. Whole …
In a previous post I discussed why new plants (or any church for that matter) should have neighborhood presence as a central identity piece. Easier said than done. There are challenges to make this reality including: leaders who are figuring it out themselves, no active connection to the neighborhood, superficial relationships, or unrecognized activity. Sometimes we need help to turn …