Category: church
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“Crowds are a worse danger, far worse, than drink or sex.”
I’m finishing up Eugene Peterson’s wonderful memoir, The Pastor, a book I’ve anticipated eagerly since I first learned of it last year. About halfway into the book, in a chapter titled “Company of Pastors,” Peterson includes a letter he wrote to a colleague who was leaving his church for one “three times the size of…
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Church Planting Lessons: Ask Dumb Questions
New Community Covenant Church in Bronzeville is quickly approaching our first anniversary of weekly Sunday services. Michael Washington suggested that I capture some of the stories and lessons from this first year before they retreat too far into the past. Good idea Michael. Over the next couple of weeks, in no particular order, I’ll post…
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Preparing a sermon with Post-it notes
One of the upsides, I’ve been told, of not (yet) having been to seminary is that I’ve been forced to find my own ways to prepare a sermon. Most of the time I’m OK with this, but occasionally I wonder, “Is there a right way to do this?” I have enough education and preaching mentors…
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Weekend Reading
How about another video edition of this weekly post? Have a great weekend. Our local CBS station ran a story, “A Talk of Two Black Churches,” that highlights a trend I’ve heard folks talk about in Bronzeville, where our new church is located. Many in the African American community are alarmed that congregations of older…
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Reconciled To The Roots?
As you might imagine, or know firsthand, multi-ethnic church ministry can be quite confusing at times. It’s worth the effort and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but my brain can tire thinking about even of a few of the complicating factors. As a very young church we are beginning to prioritize some of these…
David W. Swanson 