It’s the literal meaning of the Greek New Testament word for hospitality: loving the stranger – and its implications for building healthy congregations are huge. Dr. Christine Pohl, an Asbury Theological Seminary professor, author, and student of hospitality says most congregations aren’t persuaded about the importance of this ancient practice. In this interview, Dr. Pohl [...]

When Derek Penwell began serving the struggling Douglass Boulevard Christian Church in 2008, the church board decided to reach out to its local neighborhood – an LGBT neighborhood. Little did Derek know this would bring him to places of leadership in the community and in his Disciples of Christ denomination to champion LGBT rights. In [...]

Prolific author, speaker, and devout follower of Jesus, Marva Dawn, who’s written a lot on suffering, sabbath, and sharing, says the counter-cultural practice of sabbath-taking can change your ministry and your life. She started doing it in graduate school, and says she could never get as much done as she does if she didn’t take [...]

Every week North American churches are the beneficiaries about one-third of all charitable giving, taking in nearly twice as much as the next closest charity. But when people die and donate their estates to charity, churches rank fourth. What gives? Why don’t churches receive more? Doesn’t the Church need it? The plain truth, says church [...]

Common wisdom says focus on what we need to do to get on with God’s work. But Phil Snider says vibrant churches become obsessed with what God wants – and this makes all the difference. Phil is an amazingly gifted author, teacher, and pastor serving the people of Brentwood Christian Church in Springfield, Missouri. In [...]

It’s a lament often heard in churches: where are all the kids? And Princeton Seminary‘s Kenda Creasy Dean says we often not need look further than parents. An abundance of research points to the direct link between religiously active adults and religiously active children – so the best place to start – is with parents. In [...]

Cranks, bullies, and nags – does your congregation have one (or more)? Relax, you’re not alone. Churches can be magnets for these kinds of people and behaviors. But acclaimed author and consultant Peter Steinke says there are ways churches can live into health and vitality, especially with a knowledge of Family Systems Theory.

Stan Ott, seasoned consultant with the Vital Practices Institute, says helping leaders get past the tyranny of the immediate is the most common challenge he sees in today’s churches. Ott and his team pull together groups of churches and walk with their leaders for three year stretches. During that time he says most leaders can [...]

Engaging in regular interaction with at least one economically challenged person can have quite an impact on both Christians and their churches. Renowned author, teacher, and evangelical voice Ron Sider, founder of The Sider Center, is encouraged to see American Christians embracing a more holistic framework, of right belief as well as right action. However, there’s [...]

Assistant professor Heather Daugherty approaches worship with two questions: who is God? and who are we called to be? This energetic worship arts instructor at Trevecca Nazarene University says knowing why we do what we do may be the biggest challenge congregations face when it comes to that all important Sunday morning service. In this [...]

Every month 1,500 pastors leave their positions. Burnout for church leaders is well-documented and the reasons are legion.  That’s why Lance Witt started Replenish Ministries – which is aimed at helping church leaders stay healthy. In this interview, we will look at the common pitfalls for leaders – as well as the healthy habits that [...]

Don’t be afraid to fail gloriously, says Episcopal Bishop Andy Doyle, of the Diocese of Texas. He’s all about planting new churches in unexpected places, and reinvigorating older congregations through diocesan-wide activities that encourage faith sharing. In this interview, Bishop Doyle talks about the skills today’s Christian leaders need to build healthy congregations, as well [...]

Few people would argue that a central focus of Jesus’ ministry was (and is) healing. His life clearly illuminates God’s mission to restore wholeness and unity to all people and all creation. This mission is recognized and supported by many Christians today, and Reiki, a spiritual healing method, offers an effective and complementary addition to [...]