e-Soundings

How many new year Resolutions have you made and kept?

New Year’s is a time to set goals, even when we have a history of failing to reach those goals. We often lack the commitment, the means, or the time to make those goals a reality. We often get distracted... Read more →

“Hello, I’m_______” ...Are you ready for new worshippers? (An "Extravagant Hospitality" Primer)

The Covid protocols for distancing, masking, and sanitizing are relaxing quickly. Barring any resurgence of the pandemic, live, in-person worship is quickly being re-instituted. As we slowly get back together, we’re finding people are hungry to gather again in worship... Read more →

Why doesn’t the “Easter High” last? ...................Maybe we can change that?

“Every morning is Easter Morning” (by Avery & Marsh) is a song that proclaims the gospel like no other. It's sings out the reality that Easter is now every day. Death is no more. This is the Good News that... Read more →

Easter Changes Everything!... .......or does it?

Easter proclaims the most transformative event in the history of the world.  Billions of lives have been changed because of its truth and power.   Yet today, 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, it’s treated like another secular holiday.  For most people it’s devoid of the power expected the most important “Holy Day” of the year! What if.......during LENT:   We took a small step to turn Lent into the profound preparation for the gateway of Easter it was meant to be. Read more →

“It’s Good Christmas Grief 2021, Charlie Brown”

Are you addressing the widespread grief we are all carrying in your messages this season? Are you being open and honest about your own grief? Back when 9/11 happened, one response was full churches. Grief, along with anger, confusion and... Read more →

Are you Sidestepping the Apocalypse? (...for a "nice" Jesus?)

Do you shy away from the passages that talk of destruction and death, wars and rumors of war, of stone falling away from stone and walls destroyed, of earthquakes and famine? Every year in November, we end the Lectionary year... Read more →

What’s your “Follow up” for after Christmas?

With a little preparation, the covenant community of Christ, the church, can offer a safe and healing place, a place to start over again and incorporate important changes in our lives. It can a place where life can move closer to God’s dream for all of us if we can help it be that way. Read more →

Dr. John Cobb says "The liberal church is dying (1)” ....Will you die with it?

In his recent book “Salvation(2)”, Dr. Cobb asks the penetrating question: “What is the (liberal) church doing that you can’t get without going to church (3)” (and he cites his own son as a example of someone who had a... Read more →

The 21st Century "Tsunami": Church survival with an "Ancient/Future" solution... (pt. 2)

Seven things you and your congregation can do after the quarantine. Last week in this Blog, we explored eleven major, profound changes and one foundational societal shift as part of the “Tsunami of Issues” battering us from every side. They were grouped into three areas:  Digital/Tech/Knowledge Revolution, Personal/Family Struggles and Social/Political/Global Issues.                   (Read that Blog here.) Such times of overwhelming crisis have faced us before.  The church in particular, and “religion” in general, have offered a place to stand, some “holy ground” on which to gain a new identity and to be renewed in God’s Holy Spirit. It is from these ancient roots that the “new” solutions to our challenges will arise... Read more →

E-Z Small Groups – 3 Steps to Starting New Groups & Keeping Sm. Groups VITAL

   It’s no secret: Small Groups take a substantial investment in start-up time, leadership training and “overhead/maintenance time.”  The lead pastor is usually instructed to commit significant time or hire a specialist staff member. ... There are three simple and straight forward that if done enthusiastically, can drastically reduce the amount of overheard needed to keep small groups going.  Read more →