General

The Missing Piece

By Phil Maynard February 3, 2017 I have been a fan of Alan Hirsch since early in his work with the missional movement in America.  In his book, The Forgotten Ways, Alan describes the 4 P’s of Incarnational Ministry: presence, proximity, powerlessness, and proclamation.  I think this is a terrific insight for both the missional [...]

The Missing Piece2024-05-10T14:42:04-04:00

Star Wars Liturgy

By Eddie Pipkin December 21, 2015 Much has been written about the younger generation’s disaffection for the church.  They report being disconnected from a tired message, stale programs, and language that isn’t relative to their daily experience.  They are unengaged and unenthusiastic, bored with the way we do worship.  They can’t relate, and they are [...]

Star Wars Liturgy2024-05-10T14:42:07-04:00

‘Tis the Season

December 11, 2015 By Eddie Pipkin Here we are – all of us in the business of ministry – hurtling non-stop through the busy season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, liturgically referenced as Advent, but colloquially known as Survival Mode.  Every ministry has dozens of extra events: special worship, seasonal outreach and mission projects, children and [...]

‘Tis the Season2024-05-10T14:42:07-04:00

One Stop Shop

November 18, 2015 By Eddie Pipkin Don’t you love going to Ikea?  They have it all.  You tour the showroom, plop on the furniture, hold things in your hands, see a completed vision for what a room is supposed to look like, then follow the maps to pick up everything you need and take it [...]

One Stop Shop2024-05-10T14:42:07-04:00

Repurposing the Tried and True

November 12, 2015 By Eddie Pipkin I have a friend named Shari who hates to throw things out.  She is environmentally attuned, composts and conserves, recycles and repurposes.  The folks at her church wait to throw things into the dumpster until she’s out of town.  That’s because she has been known to climb into the [...]

Repurposing the Tried and True2024-05-10T14:42:08-04:00

Membership to Discipleship: Defining the Terms

November 6, 2015 By Phil Maynard As we approach the release of my new Membership to Discipleship book in late November, I want to continue to give you some insights into how this book came to be.  It has been an organic outgrowth of decades of ministry work.  For years, both as a pastor of [...]

Membership to Discipleship: Defining the Terms2024-05-10T14:42:08-04:00

Membership to Discipleship: How a Book Was Born

November 2, 2015 By Phil Maynard I am very excited to share that on November 20th, we are officially launching a new book, called Membership to Discipleship.  This book is the product of many years of work with the leaders of individual congregations across the United States—it is, in a very real sense, the culmination [...]

Membership to Discipleship: How a Book Was Born2024-05-10T14:42:08-04:00

Let’s Talk

October 27, 2015 By Eddie Pipkin In an expansive essay in a recent New York Times Sunday Review, “Stop Googling and Let’s Talk,” (a preview of her new book, Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age), professor and author Sherry Turkle shares her research and conclusions in the field of online connectivity [...]

Let’s Talk2024-05-10T14:42:08-04:00

Accountability Dinner

October 14, 2015 By Eddie Pipkin Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks to play the game of football.  In his 17-year career, he has thrown for more than 70,000 yards, and just a few weeks ago became the record holder for most NFL touchdown throws (at 538 and counting).  He is most widely [...]

Accountability Dinner2024-05-10T14:42:08-04:00