It’s that time of year when the church sanctuary is transformed into downtown Bethlehem circa first century AD, and the parking lot may or may not host some sheep.
A View from the Pew: What Is Your Church’s Website Saying?
October 24, 2023 by
By now even the most stubbornly resistant to technology among us have navigated the World Wide Web and have expectations of how it should work.
A View from the Pew: AI Sermons
September 26, 2023 by
It should come as no surprise then that overworked ministers tasked with preparing multiple sermons, devotions, Bible studies, and articles each week would find AI a useful tool.
A View from the Pew: Together or Separate?
July 26, 2023 by
There are many ways to structure Sunday school, and one of those methodology questions I have been dwelling on lately is this: Should Bible study be co-educational or separated by gender?
A View from the Pew: Outdoor Spaces
June 27, 2023 by
I have been reflecting on church’s outdoor spaces more lately because I find myself chairing an ad hoc committee to address our grounds.
A View from the Pew: The Budget
May 30, 2023 by
Our church recently approved a budget for the new fiscal year, which for us begins July 1.
A View from the Pew: Church Coffee
April 25, 2023 by
At some point in the past 20 to 30 years, we reached the tipping point of churches first allowing, then serving coffee every time the doors are open.
A View from the Pew: Maybe Our Neighbors Would Rather Serve than be Served
March 28, 2023 by
In recent weeks I have begun to wrap my head around the possibility that my approach to church outreach has been backward.
A View from the Pew: Senior Adult Ministries by Any Other Name are Just as Sweet
February 21, 2023 by
What a church calls its senior adult ministry says a lot about who they are as a church. The names can be playful, serious, spiritual, frivolous or just plain corny.
A View from the Pew: Imagining Church Without Responsibilities
January 18, 2023 by
With Christmas and New Year’s days falling on Sunday this cycle, I had the unique experience of attending church back-to-back weeks where I just participated in worship, caught up with my church family, and went home.
A View from the Pew: Dilemmas of Christmas on Sunday
December 14, 2022 by
Every five to 11 years, depending on leap years, Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, and church-going folks, especially those with small children, face tough decisions.
A View from the Pew: Our Prayer Requests Speak Volumes
October 25, 2022 by
From my childhood to today, the churches to which I have belonged have all engaged in the ritual of voicing prayer concerns. This occurred most frequently and meaningfully on Wednesday nights in what we called “prayer meetings.”
A View from the Pew: Shall We Gather at the Picnic
September 7, 2022 by
Like everything churches suspended during COVID, our church picnic has grown in value and meaning during its absence.
A View from the Pew: The Blessings of Youth Sunday
June 1, 2022 by
This is a season of transitions for young people marked by graduation and awards ceremonies. Churches complement these secular rites of passage with graduate recognition and youth day services.
A View from the Pew: Resetting the Church Habit
April 27, 2022 by
We’re a few days removed from Easter, and many formerly faithful church attenders find themselves at a crossroads. Rather than lecture about the importance of showing up to church, I’m moved to offer a few ideas on getting back to church consistently.
A View from the Pew: Breaking Out of a Slump
March 23, 2022 by
If we’re honest, we all have slumps. Forgive the overuse of sports metaphors, but no matter the game, slumps are real, observable, and unavoidable.
A View from the Pew: Deconstruction is Only Half of the Job
February 23, 2022 by
A friend and mentor I quote often liked to say he was “unencumbered by a theological education.” That joke has always resonated with me.
A View from the Pew: Bible Totin’
January 26, 2022 by
In more ways than I care to count, I am old-fashioned. Add to that growing list my habit of carrying my Bible to church.
A View from the Pew: Watch Night Services
December 29, 2021 by
We could use a Watch Night service right about now. If ever a New Year’s Eve called for a Watch Night Service, this is it.
A View from the Pew: Lighting the Advent Wreath
November 24, 2021 by
With the exception of that time one of the deacons set the church lawn on fire while trying to get rid of fire ants, I don’t remember much fire at church during my formative years.
A View from the Pew: Trunk-or-Treat vs. Trick-or-Treat
October 27, 2021 by
Last month I explored the concept of fall festivals as church events and how to think about them in the current context. This month, I’d like to spend a little time unpacking a specific form of the fall festival known as “trunk-or-treat.”
A View from the Pew: 5 Questions to Help Plan Your Fall Festival
September 22, 2021 by
In the “before times,” when pandemics were far-fetched movie plots, churches looked for ways to gather for fellowship outside of Sunday worship. It was an added bonus if it could involve people outside of the church because then you could call it “outreach.”
A View from the Pew: How Long Should the Sermon Last?
August 24, 2021 by
I’m a preacher’s kid with two preacher brothers. I’ve grown up around preachers and spent 10 years of my professional career working in close proximity to preachers at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
A View from the Pew: What Did You Learn at Children’s Church?
June 22, 2021 by
What a church does with children says a lot about its focus and its future. I’ve seen a variety of approaches to the faith formation of children. All methods have their strong and weak points, defenders and detractors.
A View from the Pew: Is the Children’s Sermon for or by Children?
May 19, 2021 by
I miss children’s sermon. Our church hasn’t had one since March 2020.
A View from the Pew: Resurrecting Churches after the Pandemic
April 14, 2021 by
The strains of “He Lives!” still echo in my mind as the joy of my church’s outdoor Easter worship brought home the reality of the Resurrection and the work ahead for our church in a post-pandemic future.
A View from the Pew: Upsetting the Congregation: What to do Next
March 24, 2021 by
Last month I laid out six circumstances when it’s okay to upset your congregation. This month, we’ll look at what to do at such a time.
A View from the Pew: Upsetting the Congregation
February 23, 2021 by
I grew up in a pastor’s home, so I deeply understand the need to keep the peace in a church. Most of the time, it’s counterproductive for folks to be riled up over this or that.
A View from the Pew: Pancho and the Christmas Play
December 22, 2020 by
If you’ve ever performed in a Christmas drama you know the truth of the old show business maxim attributed to W.C. Fields: “Never work with children or animals.”
A View from the Pew: Looking at Your Phone During Church
October 20, 2020 by
A question that has surfaced in my mind during these strange times is “When is it okay to look at your phone during church?”
Lockdown Sunday School: How to be Together When You’re Apart
September 16, 2020 by
Very little feels normal about church these past six months, but one of the most consistently meaningful weekly meetings we have maintained is the Bible study my wife and I lead for young adults.
A View from the Pew: “Hollywood Squares” Prayer Meeting
July 21, 2020 by
I can’t help but think of “Hollywood Squares” every Wednesday night when my wife and I log onto our church’s midweek prayer time and devotion via Zoom.
A View from the Pew: ‘Tis the Season for Missionary Speakers
December 4, 2019 by
Missionary speakers at church are as much a Christmas tradition as Christmas trees, Advent wreaths, and Nativity scenes.