by Starlette Thomas | Nov 13, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
I preach the raceless gospel now, but initially, I didn’t even want to preach. While in seminary, I told God that I wasn’t interested in being a clergyperson and I certainly would not pastor. Conflict-averse, I wasn’t up for the fight. I told God where I would serve...
by Jakob Topper | Sep 29, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
Inclusion, diversity and tolerance are worthy ideals that many churches publicly affirm, but they often come with some unexpected baggage. My church’s mission statement begins, “We are an inclusive community.” It’s one of the things that drew me here in the beginning...
by Mitch Randall | Sep 21, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
I recently attended the 2023 Nevertheless She Preached (NSP) conference in Austin, Texas, sponsored in part by Good Faith Media. Revs. Kyndall Rothaus and Natalie Webb are its founders. NSP’s mission “is a collective of innovators who curate an annual conference that...
by Amy Butler | Jul 12, 2023 | Feature-, Opinion
Lectionary preachers were assigned Genesis 22 recently, the story of Abraham’s almost-murder of his son Isaac, as a text for worship. If you recall, the story goes that Abraham heard a voice the text calls God’s voice, telling him to take his son Isaac on a hike, to...
by Mitch Randall | May 19, 2023 | Feature, Opinion
The 2023 Festival of Homiletics theme was “Preaching Hope for a Weary World.” Preachers from around the world descended on Minneapolis, Minnesota, this week to hear inspiring sermons and discuss the craft of preaching. After congregations endured a global pandemic –...