Beyond the Ordinary

Gardens of earthly and spiritual delights

2013-05-14T10:23:15-04:00

By David Briggs Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Matthew 19: 21-22 What delights us in this world? Religious teaching encourages followers to discover true happiness in their faith, and in particular in the love of God and one another. A relentless consumer culture urges us to find meaning and satisfaction in material goods. The 2008-2009 U.S. Congregational Life...

Thy sister’s keeper: Breaking the silence on religion and mental health

2013-05-02T11:40:29-04:00

By David Briggs The suicide of Matthew Warren, who fought a long battle with depression, is shining a light on the issue of religion and mental health. His father, Rick Warren, the author of “The Purpose Driven Life” and a prominent pastor, launched a petition "to urge educators, lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and church congregations to raise the awareness and lower the stigma of mental illness … and support the families that deal with mental illness on a daily basis.” Other Christian leaders also have seized the moment to call for an end to the shame and guilt associated with mental...

Praying for Our Country

2013-04-30T14:40:29-04:00

By Ida Smith-Williams Many people may know about the First Saturday of May representing the greatest two minutes of sports, at least in Louisville. It’s the day of the Kentucky Derby! But many people may not be aware of what the first Thursday in May represents. In 1952, President Truman declared an annual national day of prayer and in 1988, the law was amended, permanently setting the first Thursday of May as a national day of prayer. All Americans, regardless of their religious or political affiliation, are encouraged to pray on this day. This Thursday, May 2, 2013 is National...

Ready, Set, Go Green!

2013-04-16T14:31:06-04:00

By Ida Smith-Williams Earth Day originated on college campuses in 1970 as a way to bring environmental issues to the national agenda. Today, more churches and places of worship are joining the movement. It’s a good fit spiritually and financially for churches to emphasize and act as a role model in caring for one of God’s greatest creation, the Earth. Churches are going green in lots of ways. Some are including energy-efficient features in construction projects, recycling printed materials, eliminating use of Styrofoam coffee cups, serving organic coffee and local foods, and opening community gardens, to name a few. On...

How can congregations compete with demands of youth sports?

2013-04-08T08:14:18-04:00

By David Briggs Talk to pastors about youth sports, and few will not have stories lamenting how some children and their parents in their congregations are missing on Sundays due to a child's softball tournament or softball game. The 2008 Faith Communities Today survey found school- and sports-related activities, more than driving distance or work-schedule conflicts or other potential obstacles, were the biggest challenge to regular participation in church. More than a third of congregations said it was somewhat or quite a bit of an issue. In an in-depth study of 16 Protestant congregations, more than half of the pastors...

Key to a spiritually alive church: Support your fellow church members

2013-03-27T14:34:30-04:00

By David Briggs My wife and I had just moved to Fairfield County in Connecticut, and were searching for a church. We were impressed when as visitors to an Episcopal congregation, the priest invited my wife to work with other volunteers at a craft fair. She looked forward to the opportunity to meet people in a new town. Until it was time for lunch, and all of the women from the church working with her went to eat together, leaving only my wife behind to staff the table. We never went back. In a religious world that can often seem...

Egging It On

2013-03-25T14:05:04-04:00

by Ida Smith-Williams Regardless of denomination, this coming Sunday will mark one of the highest attended Sunday worship services nationwide. According to Jim Davidson, a sociology professor at Purdue, church attendance increases about 25% on Easter. Keep in mind that there will be lots of new people visiting in your congregation who may not attend any other time of the year. Recognizing and greeting these new people and following up with them after their visit is important. Worshipers in a sample of Presbyterian congregations were asked about what most impressed them when they first visited their current congregation and what...

The role of congregations in reconciling faith and doubt

2013-03-20T12:52:08-04:00

“Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” - Theologian Paul Tillich “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” - Gospel of Mark 9:24. The wounds of the Oklahoma City bombing were still fresh, and the rescue worker quietly, almost apologetically, admitted to a group of churchgoers that he wondered where God was as he stood amid the rubble where so many innocent lives were buried. Almost immediately, others gathered around the table jumped in to tell the man not to question the sovereignty of God. One minister said he thought the people died for a...

Challenge for next pope: Reaching out to Catholic women

2013-03-08T10:58:34-05:00

By David Briggs There are two gender gaps in many U.S. congregations. One gap is the stained-glass ceiling in many churches. While social and cultural changes have allowed women to reach the top in numerous secular arenas, the 2006-2007 National Congregations Study found women lead less than 10 percent of congregations. The second gap is that women greatly outnumber men in the pews. The 2008-2009 wave of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey found that 61 percent of worshipers were women, the same ratio as in the 2001 survey. Just 2 percent of congregations do not have more women than men....

Five hopeful signs for U.S. congregations

2013-02-22T14:39:56-05:00

By David Briggs The number of Americans with no religious affiliation continues to rise. Fewer young people are going to church. And the effects of recession have placed greater burdens on religious institutions in a time of shrinking resources. How tough have times become? In one startling example, Benedict XVI became the first pope to resign in six centuries. He declared both strength of mind and body are necessary to oversee the church “in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith.” Yet there are also more hopeful...