“Oliveto’s election is historic in that she is the first openly gay bishop of the UMC. Oliveto faced several complaints over her election violating the Book of Discipline, which states that noncelibate homosexuals cannot be ordained.”   The United Methodist Church’s highest court has ruled that a regional body violated the denomination’s rules when they... Continue Reading

The son of a teetotaling mother and a preacher father who drank occasionally and socially, T. B. Welch had taken his mother’s side in the family arguments and been a teetotaler his whole life. Serving alcoholic wine at Communion bothered him greatly, but no acceptable substitute existed that he knew of. His impetus to develop... Continue Reading

No, the actual church isn’t the church in the stock photos. (Not sure what those guys raising their hands out in the middle of wheat fields are doing but I’m fairly certain it does not resemble what takes place in your worship service.) The actual church is a motley crew of sinners who are more... Continue Reading

These ten reasons are not statements of doom and gloom; they are simply statements of reality. Serving as pastor in a church today has more challenges than it did years ago. But challenges in ministry are common throughout the history from the first church to today. Such is the reason no pastors can lead well... Continue Reading

My hope and vision is to see the community discipled.  Yes, I know neighborhoods need viable jobs; that pay enough to allow families to get off of welfare and make progress.  We need entrepreneurs, new industry, relevant training that translates into work opportunities.  We need good schools; we need good government, better housing, adequate and... Continue Reading

One of the most serious crises facing the church today is the role of men and women in the life of the congregation. On the one hand, there are those who believe that women should have the right to read Scripture or lead in prayer in public worship—some even asserting that women should have the... Continue Reading

Once called “house” or “underground” churches because they were small clandestine affairs, these groups have become surprisingly well-organized, meeting very openly and often counting hundreds of congregants. They’ve helped the number of Protestants soar from about 1 million when the communists took power to at least 60 million today. Of these believers, about two-thirds are... Continue Reading

In the last article, we surveyed the wreckage that a fallen pastor leaves behind him and made some suggestions about how to begin repairing the damage. Part of this involves speaking God’s Word of life to the particular needs of the bleeding congregation. It’s not a time for beating around the bush, for denial, for forgetting, for... Continue Reading

When accusations are made, we need to take them seriously. And we need to respond in a way that affirms the value of women in our personal and organizational lives. There is a middle ground between unchecked acceptance of an accusation and unchecked dismissal. It’s called investigation.   The explosive controversy surrounding Bill O’Reilly has... Continue Reading

Muller’s conviction was that he ought not to have a fixed salary, nor should he ever communicate his financial needs. My conviction is that missionaries, unless specifically and powerfully called otherwise, should strive for a predictable and relatively consistent rate of support. This includes striving for clear, direct, and frequent communications about all pertinent matters... Continue Reading