That word, "clique" - people don't like it. And they don't like being described with it because they associate it with cattiness and backstabbing. But that's not the way I mean it here. When I say "church clique," I'm simply referring to a group of Christians with a shared history whose culture (often unintentionally) is more insular than inclusive. [Click title to read more.]
Tag: church life
Sometimes God’s Grace Weighs Heavy On Me
It's true that Christianity is simple, in the sense that it's easy enough to grasp and apply. But oh, sometimes it is hard: not to apply the good news to ourselves, but to live in the light of grace as it impacts others. [Click title to read more.]
Making Room For Discomfort In Church
We as believers need to make it possible for people to express, to discuss, and to interrogate their discomfort without punishing, ostracizing, or condemning them for doing so. [Click title to read more.]
Speaking With Christian Authority Requires Special Consideration
When people with authority speak, their words carry a lot of weight. An insult or a slight can crush. A discouragement can stop a growing ministry in its tracks. A baseless criticism can wound a tender soul. [Click title to read more.]
How To Handle The Easter Aftermath
It's true that people need a rest after the emotional intensity of Easter. But it's also true that "rest" shouldn't mean "take a vacation from God until fall." [Click title to read more.]
The Solitary Easter
Easter is a wonderful holiday to celebrate collectively. But we should celebrate Easter on our own, too - by ourselves. [Click title to read more.]
On That Whole “Don’t Criticize The Pastor” Thing
The key is to understand what "criticism" really means before we tell people not to do it to the pastor. Because when we simply toss out "don't criticize the pastor" as some unquestioning edict without thinking through the nuances of what it actually means, we create a space where corruption, sin, darkness, false knowledge, and destruction can grow unchecked. [Click title to read more.]
Ask Hard Questions, And Learn From The Silences
Awkward silences are always going to be endemic to church activities that involve question-asking. It'll happen sooner or later. The trick, I think, is not to ignore that silence or what it might portend. [Click title to read more.]
The Significance of the Letter
The breaking-down of difference simply to celebrate a shared Christian mission, or to work together, is I think much rarer than it used to be. [Click title to read more.]
Marking The Seasons of the Christian Life: A Meditation on Ash Wednesday
For me, the turning of the seasons in Christian life functions the same way the turning of the natural seasons do: it's a reminder to shift focus, to regather my thoughts, to start anew. [Click title to read more.]
Samaritan's Song 