The Exchange

Every pastor who regularly preaches has wondered, “Did that message make a difference? Will anything happen?” We’re all together in this. But maybe our penchant for "excellence" is holding us back.

True orthodoxy is found only in obedience. Period. It is not found, despite the insistence of some, primarily in portentous intellectual agreement to approved theological codes.

To understand what churches can anticipate in 2023, let’s take a closer look at recent financial trends and current forces impacting churches. 

Deconstruction provides an excellent lens through which to identify error, deceit, and corruption. But on its own, it fails to provide a new way forward.

Because politics are so heated, the season we are in presents Christians with a unique opportunity to live counter-culturally to the typical partisan spin and vitriol.

The idea that Martin Luther King Jr. was color-blind is a myth. When we look at the vast scope of his work, instead of taking one quote out of context, we’ll see that King never said that the way to advance racial equality was to ignore our racial differences.

The United Methodist Church currently feels like a war zone. But the way forward is to “beat our swords into plowshares” (Isaiah 2:4) on the anvil of compassion. Here are three principles that can guide us.

In the last two decades, I’ve met countless people who, even though they don’t feel personally called to be adoptive parents, are nevertheless excited about adoption.