Preserving unity, pursuing the mission
Churches are often confronted with tough situations and agonizing decisions. Opinions and preferences clash. Feelings arise. Conflicts emerge, and we struggle to resolve them....
I’ve changed my mind
Thirteen years ago, the U.S. Conference of MB Churches (USMB) started a process that led to changing Article 13 of the Confession of Faith....
Long-term faithfulness
Ginger Skillen: Beautiful blessings in horrible pain
Before Ginger Skillen contracted COVID-19 in the fall of 2020, she was a busy homeschool mom, pastor’s wife...
Are you too sure?
Assurance is not the first word we think of when it comes to conflict. We are more likely to think of the hymn, Blessed...
Virtual worship
Some of my favorite YouTube videos are clips originally broadcast on network TV in 1995, the year the internet became widely available. The internet...
Parenting an anxious child
As we pulled into the school parking lot, my 5-year-old said, “I’m scared of kindergarten.” My heart sank. I wanted to say, “Don’t be...
Who is my neighbor?
My son Matt gave me a Christmas present last year purporting to trace the origins of my personal DNA. Based on family stories, I...
When friends disagree
A client recently detailed her complicated feelings about something a loved one posted on social media after a mass shooting.
“She is like a grandmother...