“America the Beautiful” is one of our popular patriotic hymns, sung often at civic celebrations and even before sporting events. But in the church, this hymn is a victim of its own success. Because we associate it with secular gatherings and only remember its first verse, we are often reluctant to sing it in church….
“From the Beginning”: God’s Design for Marriage (10th Anniversary Edition)
The Story Behind the Statement The legal legitimation of same-sex marriage in June 2015 was an important crossroads in American history and the Anglican Church’s witness in North America. I saw this event coming twenty years ago. I felt led to write a tract for the 1997 Episcopal General Convention titled Two Sexes, One Flesh:…
Ministry Spotlight: Online Apologist Jeremiah Short
Following his own path of convergence with this cohort of dedicated online apologists, Jeremiah Short, known widely as “The Black Doctor,” has risen as a significant figure. His young but impactful ministry has had a particular focus on reaching those unfamiliar with the Gospel, including individuals coming from Islam and other faith traditions.
Politics, Perspective, and the People of God
The church’s duty is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his reign, and the coming of his Kingdom. Its primary role is not the advancement of an earthly political agenda.
Is Your Church Suddenly Growing? (Suddenly Surging Part 1)
(Part one of five in David Roseberry’s Suddenly Surging series on church growth.) What is Going On? I first read a series of tweets from church leaders citing tremendous and unexpected growth in attendance in their congregations over the last few months. They were not commenting on Easter crowds but on Easter-like trends. Since their…
Liturgical Church is Weird For People Here…and That’s a Good Thing
Is it possible to plant a liturgical church? This is a question I had to ask myself just over a year ago as we began our effort to plant an Anglican church in Asheville, North Carolina. I had to evaluate whether I was imposing my values on a culture that had no interest in them, that…
Wearing the Collar
In my diocese, there are no policies, rubrics, or clear guidelines on when and where a priest must wear the clerical collar. A troika of local custom (what your fellow priests do), common sense (church services but not church picnics), and personal preference informs that choice. For a new priest, there is a trial-and-error feel…
That’s Not the Gospel
Priests spend a considerable amount of time in hospitals, visiting the sick and praying with and for them. Some of those we visit are young and generally very healthy; they are expected to make quick and full recoveries. They almost always do. Praying for them is “easy” because our prayers for healing are often answered,…
Why the Parish?
It surprises many people entering Anglicanism from other Christian traditions that we use the term ‘parish’. They had always referred to their church as simply “church” or “congregation,” but now they hear the word “parish.” What is a parish? How is it different, and why? Let’s lay out two understandings of what defines a parish. The first is a canonical designation, or how…
