2013

One Way the Church Can Welcome LGBT People

How our communities might foster love instead of loneliness

In the last few years, we have seen a remarkable shift in church culture's attitude regarding the LGBT community. Churches are wanting to be open and welcoming to these folks. In my opinion, the struggle churches and Christians have is not with "loving the sinner," as it's been said, but with how far that love goes without compromising Scripture.

The greatest tension in the ...

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Ladies, Beware!

Protect yourself from ministry predators

It all started my freshman year of college. It was my first time away from home, and I was excited. I was eager to meet new people and explore the world. I came from a small town, so with great excitement also came naïveté.

I volunteered that fall during campaign season to make some extra money; that's when I met Pastor Brown.* He seemed to be such a godly man. He invited ...

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When Men Misinterpret Pastoral Care

All our interactions should be marked by love—plus caution and wisdom

They met at a professional conference. Valerie was a young pastor, and Charlie was a recent college graduate interning with a campus ministry organization. He mentioned that he was discerning a call to ministry, so Valerie engaged him in a conversation about his vocation. He asked her some questions about seminary. And then he invited her out for ice cream after the conference. ...

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The Ministry of Passion in Marriage

I learned to put my sex life before church life

How many women do you know who are serving in the church, on the board of their children's Christian school, at the local mission serving food, sponsoring prayer meetings—doing mighty kingdom work for the Lord—all while neglecting their husbands, who are at home waiting to make love? Yes, make love—the anomaly of countless marriages.

I know of several women who epitomize this ...

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Embracing Gay People at Church

Sometimes Christians have trouble acting as we say we will

Norman approached my husband, Brad, who spoke at an interdenominational Good Friday service. Brad learned that Norman had been involved heavily in the gay lifestyle and was now suffering from AIDS. In further conversations, Brad found out that Norman's mother was a Christian and had been praying that he would come to Christ before he died. He did.

Never was a man more radically ...

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Meet Sexual Sin with Truth and Grace

How to minister to people caught in fornication

If fornication is sin, why do Christians engage in it? Why is sexually immorality prevalent among the Body of Christ? And what's the appropriate response?

Understanding the Culture

Everywhere we look we see the word SEX. Sexual immorality is not only blatant; it is subtle too. Magazine articles, books, movies, and videogames are enticing us. Even provocative dressing in church ...

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What Intimate Cohabitation Means for Ministry

Should unmarried couples who live together serve in the church?

According to the National Survey of Family Growth, a government-funded study of more than 20,000 individuals from 2006-2010, the last few decades have seen a dramatic rise in cohabitation, or living with a member of the opposite sex in an intimate relationship outside marriage. Given this trend, the church must consider not only how it stands on the moral issue, but to what ...

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Lead Me On: When Confidence Cracks

So you’re an unlikely vessel for God’s work. So was Rahab.

Ever sit in solitude with hopes of drumming up a sound mind—only to be interrupted by inner-voice chatter? As in, "Get up. Go. Do. Come on already."

When did the "still small voice" start sounding so grouchy?

It seems that even beautiful and spiritual disciplines like solitude, silence, and meditation can have a discerning counterpoint that sounds something like "Dude. Get a ...

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News You Can Use: Eyes on Miley, Government Gridlock, Hatmaker Home & Garden, and a Popular Pope

Four recent events that matter to your ministry

Consider these recent events and how they might affect your ministry.

Miley in the News

It's been a few weeks since Miley Cyrus twerked her way into the news with a controversial performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, but the reactions from fans, concerned citizens, and fellow musicians just, well, can't seem to stop.

If you have somehow missed the flurry of open letters ...

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Youth Ministry Myths

An interview with Princeton Seminary Professor Kenda Creasy Dean

Today we're chatting with Kenda Creasy Dean, Princeton Theological Seminary's Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture. Here this wise guide reveals who lasts in youth ministry, why a youth group might not be necessary, and the particular challenges women face in youth ministry. (If you want more, you can find the full interview here.)

Kenda, we'd love to hear about your calling ...

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