Posts Tagged: God

Hopeful Church

What did we expect? Expectations can sabotage ourselves and ministry by N. Graham Standish She was disappointed and deflated as she reflected on three years of pastoring her church: This isn’t what I thought ministry would be like. Trying to be as gentle as possible, I asked, “What did you expect?” “I don’t know,” she replied,… Read more »

Barn Boots and Blessings

Bellowing cows and closed gates God is offering a new field of opportunities by Donna Frischknecht Jackson   My neighbor’s cows were bellowing the other morning. Curious as to what was causing the ruckus, I went out to the porch and, looking over at the field bordering my pasture, I discovered the problem. There was… Read more »

Hopeful Church

Spiritual experiences in church A ‘no’ or a ‘yes’?   by N. Graham Standish For years, when leading retreats and seminars on spiritually transforming congregations, I’ve often asked a revealing question: How would we react to someone who told us on a Sunday morning, “Hey, I want to share an amazing experience I had the… Read more »

The B-Flat Christian

God is good Yes, but God is definitely not safe.   By Rebecca Crow Lister Several months ago, I had the pleasure of purchasing a used copy of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis. Bargain hunter that I am, I was thrilled, as it is it was only $3.50. It is my favorite… Read more »

Step by Step: Faithfully Seeking Climate Justice

A turtle’s gift of grace by abby mohaupt   On June 1, 2018, I left the headquarters of the PC(USA) with about 20 other people, people who were committed building a fossil free PC(USA). We didn’t get into our cars and we didn’t call a Lyft. Instead, we walked. We walked about 15 miles that day. And the… Read more »

B-Flat Christian

Psalms: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Experiencing all of the emotions By Rebecca Lister   A friends and I have been meeting regularly to pray, share, laugh and read.  We decided to try reading the Psalms together, underlining certain verses or phrases that reach out to us, wondering at their sheer beauty and… Read more »

Hopeful Church

Does the Church really need to be fixed?   by N. Graham Standish    I recently spoke with a pastor about a church from his past. He had felt called to go there, believing he could fix it, but then felt defeated, lamenting that it was just too broken to fix… or was it? He’s… Read more »

The B-Flat Christian

And the Walls Came a Tumblin’ Down What ‘walls’ do we need God to tear down in our lives?  by Rebecca Lister  And the walls came a tumblin’ down. These words came to me the other morning as I was listening to an interview by the author of a book entitled The Line Becomes a… Read more »

Wisdom Journey

Which Is It? Science or Religion? by N. Graham Standish    A Thought: Faith in science alone is a foolish myth. Faith in myth alone has is a fool’s science. Folly comes when we rely only on myth or only on science. Wisdom grows when myth and science clasp hands and lead us into deeper… Read more »

The B-Flat Christian

Winter’s work Bringing us together for warmth by Rebecca Lister   Let me begin by saying that I am not, in any way, shape or form, a winter person. I do not look forward to the coming of weather that requires itchy sweaters, bunchy coats and hats that make my hair look ridiculous after I… Read more »