I’m trying to help Central’s community become more part of one another’s lives through a Wiiâ„¢ bowling tournament. My friend Todd is putting together a forum on dealing with suburban poverty. Suddenly, I feel like I’ve become the youth ministry major who wants to be a youth pastor because the games are fun. Man, I…
Tag: Church
Church Cults
Well, I promised a “Church Cult” post yesterday, and Chris seems to be waiting for it (how about some trackback love dude?), so I guess I’ll have to get my thoughts out for the world to see. Here’s some statements people make that might indicate that you’re messing with a Church Cult: Of course they’re…
Pastor Cults
“You’re the reason I’m here, pastor.” This one sentence is a good warning sign to be on the lookout for a growing “pastor cult.” Now, if you’ve ever heard yourself utter this line – don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’re worshiping in the local pastor cult (rest assured, I’ve said this line from time to…
We don’t do that any more
When you’ve been part of system where the default stance is to be in hostile conflict for a lengthy period of time, it tends to be bad for your soul. This is because the system sucks in you energy, hopes, and passion and gives back only bitterness, burnout, and anger. This is not a good…
Signs of Life
One of the great struggles in pastoring a church that has been chronically shrinking is that people tend to want to focus on their struggles and frustrations than on trying to find ways to be faithful to our shared calling. This creates a vicious cycle which accelerates the very decay that is contributing to the…
Religious Brand Loyalty
When I was growing up religion was of minor importance to my family – both nuclear and extended. While it was recognized that being “politely religious” was something that good people were, it was also true to say that being “politely religious” meant you show up to worship once and a while and expect people…
