THE BEST IDEA I HEARD IN THE PHILIPPINES (5/2/11)

As many of you know, I recently traveled in the central Philippines, visiting churches in three annual conferences (and preaching in two), learning from one of the fastest-expanding corners of United Methodiswhat is causing them to plant so many new churches so rapidly.  There are many factors in the growth of the church in various parts of Asia - more than I can enumerate here.  But in terms of practical take-home ideas, the best idea I discovered for American Methodism in the Philippines is this: the pastor's tithes do not go to the local church - in at least one annual conference, they are pooling all of the pastors' tithes in order to support the salaries of mission pastors and to plant more churches.
 

THE CHURCH THAT COWELL PLANTED (3/23/11)

Whatever you think of American Idol, it is the most successful television show in the history of... the world.  It was planted by music producer/entrepreneur/all around obnoxious guy, Simon Cowell.  His rudeness and expertise mixed into a cocktail that millions happily devoured weekly.  Ratings had begun to slip in years recent, and like most planter-characters, Cowell was looking for his next mountain to climb.  And so he announced he was leaving for another challenge.  The denomination, er the network, announced their appointments for a new lead team at Idol... and most of us looked away, embarrassed as if we were about to watch something that had been great die a horrible, prolonged death. 

VOLUNTEER EXPIRATION DATES (1/18/11)

Expiration dates are on all sorts of things these days, and for good reasons! We can find them on loaves of bread, gallons of milk, and egg cartons. Expiration dates are on plenty of other things, too. They are on our driver’s licenses and professional certifications. These dates are put in place to make sure things stay fresh, maximize effectiveness, and give us an opportunity to evaluate the need for change. In the church setting (and any setting that uses volunteers), these are great reasons to put expiration dates on volunteer positions.

FAD FATIGUE (1/15/11)

One of the by-products of endless and relentless denominational efforts to revitalize human beings and their congregations is what we might call fad fatigue. 

From the perspective of the judicatory leader or team looking for a fresh emphasis each year, there may be a common theme from year to year (such as “Vital Congregations”) that causes him or her to believe that the area churches and leaders have a stable sense of vision.  But if we are constantly throwing a new book or process at our churches and leaders, each with slightly different set of ‘3 things one must do’, it begins to get confusing.

A RECIPE FOR A BAD SERMON (12/27/10)

For my last post in 2010, I want to say something about bad preaching.

I regularly listen to Dean Snyder at Foundry United Methodist Church in downtown DC, who is one of the best exegetical preachers I know.  In the last place I lived, I had two of the best preachers in America within a mile of my house: Wesley Wachob at First United Methodist Pensacola and Russ Levenson at Christ Episcopal.  (Levenson is now rector at St Martin’s in Houston.)  So maybe I am spoiled.

THE WISDOM OF ACTING YOUR SIZE (11/28/10)

In 2006, I first met Pastor Cathy Abbott and Arlington Temple United Methodist Church, located in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington DC and the spires of Georgetown University.

THE ART OF FAILURE (AND RECOVERY) (10/23/10)

Ten years ago, Malcolm Gladwell wrote an essay by this title, which he published in the New Yorker.  That essay was recirculated in the last year in a collection of his New Yorker essays packaged under the title, What the Dog Saw.  I am a Gladwell fan, and was glad the latter publication recirculated several brilliant columns.