Tag: Christianity
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Life in the City: Why not Give Up?
A lot of people were shot to death in Chicago this holiday weekend. A whole lot more were shot and survived. I won’t mention how many suffered because the numbers are obscene and the individuals who died deserve more than our passing obsession. Even a city that is accustomed to violence and death feels this…
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How to Care
Our friend Esther Kang has written about the recent ferry disaster in South Korea. On Wednesday, a South Korean ferry carrying 475 passengers—mostly high-school students on a class trip—capsized off the coast of the peninsula. As of this afternoon, the families of about 300 victims were still waiting to hear the fate of their loved ones. A…
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The Strangeness of Being a Pastor
Being a pastor isn’t the hardest job – not by a long shot. I can think of many, many jobs that seem far more demanding. Even so, it is a strange vocation without much cultural equivalency. It’s only after ten years in the ministry (as we pastors call it) that I don’t dread the What do you…
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The View From Here
I spent portions of last week with new church planters who had come to Chicago for training with our denomination. On Sunday evening Maggie joined two other church planter spouses to talk about their experiences and what the pastors and their families should consider as they go into this unpredictable work. She was, of course,…
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The Church Is Dying?
The Church is dying. Or maybe it’s the churches that are dying. I’m not sure which it is, but a consistent and dire theme within the literature written about church would have one believe that it’s all but over: Churches are closing their doors; Young people are choosing vague spirituality over congregational identity; Christian Faith…
David W. Swanson 