004 What Kind of Community Are We Becoming? Reflections on faithfulness within and beyond the church You Give Them Something to Eat In Mark 6, the disciples are tired. They have been teaching, traveling, healing, and ministering among the crowds. Jesus recognizes their exhaustion and invites them away to a quiet place to rest. Yet …
003 The Anxiety of Becoming Faithful Discernment in a Time of Institutional Change Acts 15 and the Work of Discernment In Acts 15, the early church faces a crisis of becoming. Gentiles are entering the community in ways that challenge inherited assumptions, long-standing practices, and deeply rooted identities. The tension is not merely theological. It …
002 People Before Process Preparing for ministry without losing the center When something important is approaching, ministry teams often become consumed with the work around the work. Messages need answered. Materials need gathered. Food must be arranged. Schedules tighten. Last-minute problems appear. None of this is wrong. In fact, much of it is an expression …
Peace in the House A Conversation Among Multiple Churches Peace as the First Move Before we read Scripture, let’s name what’s happening in this room. This is not a time to solve every problem, and it’s not a time to trade best practices like comparing programs. This is a space to listen for a faithful …
When the Work Does Not Stop Holding Limits, Call, and Compassion Together Mark 6 reminds us that faithful leadership begins with telling the truth, making space to rest, allowing compassion to surface, and only then asking what we are called to do next.
Sabotage and Ministry When Anxiety Disrupts Faithful Work Natural Responses In the parable often referred to as the Prodigal Son, the older son responds to his brother’s return by standing outside the celebration, resisting the joy his father has begun, and in doing so, disrupting the moment meant to restore the family. All of the …