The Problem with Being Spiritual but Not Religious
Tom Bandy explains that the rise in the number of people who claim to be spiritual but not religious is a manifestation of a larger…
Browsing: Spirituality
Articles
Methodism as an Experiment in Grace
David McAllister-Wilson sees the distinctive spiritual heritage of Methodism as something uniquely suited to our times — a legacy that cannot be sacrificed as the…
The Lent Challenge
Tom Berlin, pastor of Floris United Methodist Church, challenges his congregation to deepen their spiritual journey during Lent by taking up the disciplines of worship,…
Roadblocks to God’s Future
Alan Roxburgh describes established patterns, habits, and values that operate in the background of every church, standing in the way of renewal. We must, he…
Why Typical Groups Miss Typical Members
Lovett Weems reports on research suggesting that it’s possible for the less engaged to become more engaged in your church, but not by asking them…
The Spiritual Diversity of Congregations
Parishes are a special form of human community. At the heart of every parish is a motley crowd of ordinary people, each with an individual…
Spiritual but Not Religious. Really?
A common phrase used in recent years to describe some people is “spiritual but not religious.” It sounds good and believable given our modern individualistic…
The “Nones” and the Spirituality of Everyday Living
One of the most important challenges confronting the church today is the rise of the so-called “Nones,” that is, the religiously unaffiliated, those who check…
Taking Prayer to the Community
Several recent research efforts addressing the spiritual practices of those not connected to religious communities have found that prayer is a practice that those inside…
What is Your Faith Development Process?
How does someone in your church go from being new to being an authentic follower of Jesus Christ? Many churches provide really fuzzy answers to…
Where do People Find Meaning Today?
The church wonders why regular worship attendance is now being redefined for many churches as once a month, rather than once a week. Leaders are…
Spiritual Lessons from a Vinedresser
Judith Sutera, a Benedictine sister, has spent decades as vinedresser for her monastery’s garden after careful apprenticeship with a mentor wise to the ways of…
Doing Church “as Usual” Is Not Working
The Pew Research Center’s recent report on changes in religious affiliation in the United States received major attention among both secular and religious media. Some…
Fruitfulness for Others
The fifteenth chapter of John’s Gospel contains rich imagery of the vine and the branches, an image that would have been obvious to those who…
Ask Bigger Questions
In June 2011, Steve Jobs made a twenty-minute presentation to the Cupertino City Council to introduce Apple’s plans for a new corporate headquarters, affectionately known…
The Spirituality of Leadership
The church of the future must emphasize spirituality. We traditionally have asked people to come to church simply because it is a good thing to…
Why I go to Church
When I sit in church on Sunday mornings, I sometimes look around at the other congregants and ask myself, “Why are these people here? Why…
Five Practices of Fruitful Living
United Methodist Bishop Robert Schnase, author of the best-selling Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations published by Abingdon Press in 2007, has a new book on…
Review of What’s Theology Got to Do With It?: Convictions, Vitality, and the Church
Many of us intuit that there is a critical deficit of theology in contemporary congregations. Like Anthony Robinson, we have seen the “Pecos River syndrome,”…
Which Comes First — Belief or Belonging?
Lovett Weems considers Robin Gill’s supposition that people tend to belong to religious communities before coming to belief rather than the other way around. Robin…
