2016

You’re Not Always Right

We all have biases that affect the way we interpret the Bible.
You’re Not Always Right

There are Christians who have very strong opinions on just about everything: how to vote, how to raise children, how to date, how to stay married, and how to interpret Scripture. Often, Christians back up their opinions with Scripture. But how many of those subjects are truly addressed in the Bible? We might be surprised to find that some of the values we hold most dearly ...

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Lead with Your Whole Self

Great leadership begins with leading yourself well.
Lead with Your Whole Self

“It’s just a busy season. I promise I’ll be home more when I finish this project.” I apologized to my husband as I raced out the door for an early-morning meeting that would be followed by a full day and a late-night event. When I snuck into bed later that evening hoping I wouldn’t wake him, he sighed and quietly said, “It’s not just ...

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Subtle Discrimination in Churches

Who are you unintentionally leaving out?
Subtle Discrimination in Churches

Carla* fit the exact demographic our church endeavored to reach: hip, smart, and culturally relevant. She also regularly volunteered in the local prison. So when she told me that she was declined membership, I shook my head in disbelief. The reason? She was unable to commit to a weekly fellowship group due to her schedule as an actress.

Membership offers definite advantages ...

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Why I See a Counselor

Counseling helped me discover my dual nature: the put-together leader and the afraid and ashamed woman.
Why I See a Counselor

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” wrote Maya Angelou in her novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In over 25 years in ministry, I've seen this to be true in the lives of so many, including my own. It is why I see a counselor.

One of my very favorite passages in Scripture is the story of a woman who is invited by Jesus to ...

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Lead Like Your Introversion Is a Strength

Because it is!
Lead Like Your Introversion Is a Strength

Hello, my name is Angie, and I am an introverted leader.

I confess that it took me many years to make that statement with boldness. For years I thought that to be a good leader, I had to be an extrovert. Most of the leaders I knew seemed to have boundless energy for people, and to be energized by them in return. I, on the other hand, would get tired, irritable, and impatient ...

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The Legacy of Women in the Black Church

I stand on the shoulders of the strong black women who have gone before me.
The Legacy of Women in the Black Church
Image: Kheel Center/Flickr

I am a pulpit preacher. I do not come down to the floor in an effort to connect better with the congregation. I do not wander around the sanctuary with anxious energy meandering through my sermon, like a child in a corn maze. No, I stand firmly in my pulpit. Because when I am preaching from the pulpit, I am standing on the shoulders of women who are the propagators of the ...

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Don’t Take “No” for an Answer

When God calls, he'll help you find a way to fulfill that calling.
Don’t Take “No” for an Answer

Editor's Note: February is Black History Month, and that's important for all of us. Together we celebrate, especially in February, the amazing contributions African Americans have made to our society. Julia A.J. Foote is a perfect example. She was a trailblazer for all the women God has gifted to lead. Enjoy this reflection on her life and what her legacy means for ...

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Lent for Leaders

In our effort to help others observe the season, we can fail to consider what we need.
Lent for Leaders

Many leaders have mixed feelings about Lent. Perhaps you’ve noticed that some of your congregants use Lent as a way to gain God’s favor rather than repenting of sin and consecrating themselves to God. Such misguided theology can make Lent a burden rather than a tool to make us more Christ-like. What about you? Have you lost sight of what Lent is all about?

For ...

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On the Road to Racial Reconciliation

Valuing reconciliation is not the same as actively engaging in it.
On the Road to Racial Reconciliation
Image: Jazmin Quaynor/Unsplash

I used to belong to a church that no longer exists. We were founded on a vision of being a multicultural worshiping congregation that was empowered by the Holy Spirit to do innovative outreach in the community. For me it was a dream come true. However, after I had been a member of this thriving church for 12 years, it folded. It’s hard to pinpoint the ultimate reason ...

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Women, Calling, and Guilt

Is seminary a waste of time?
Women, Calling, and Guilt

For the first year and a half that Marcy* was in seminary, she struggled with guilt. Marcy was a full-time student at an evangelical seminary, but she was also a staff person at a para-church ministry. She worried her financial supporters wouldn’t understand, and she described their skepticism this way, “They think I’m wasting my time frivolously doing ...

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