Why Church? God’s Groups – What Is The Secret Of Life? Love is the secret of life. Not the physical jump into bed at the first opportunity kind of love shown in movies and TV shows. Not the love of … Continue reading
Fifth Communicators Newsletter
Welcome to the fifth Communicators’ newsletter for Brethren pastors and church leaders. The newsletter designed to help Dunker pastors and leaders communicate more with each other. Well, we are past the first ever video only Annual Conference and begrudgingly into … Continue reading
What kind of visison?
Acknowledging all the good things that came out of the recent compelling vision process the vision statement to be offered at this week’s first all virtual Annual Conference isn’t one of them. “Together, as the Church of the Brethren, we … Continue reading
Retired pastors we need you!
Retired Pastor You’re needed, really! I know because you are suffering from Old Fartitis you probably find it hard to believe you are useful for anything. Especially to God. I know this because you are like me. Too fat, too … Continue reading
It’s Community Stupid!
Drawing on former President Bill Clinton’s election campaign’s famous statement “it’s the economy stupid” we church leaders concerned with congregational growth should focus on “it’s the community stupid.” During this year’s all video streamed Annual Conference church leadership consultant Tod … Continue reading
Doing Church As The Great Banquet
The New Testament reports Jesus’ parable of the Great Banquet in two different gospels through two different accounts, Luke 14:15-24 and Matthew 22:1-15. Most of us are familiar with the Luke account because that’s the one we preach from. Matthew … Continue reading
A Former Fathers Day Aventure
The father-son major league baseball outing, almost as much a part of American myth as George Washington cutting down his father’s cherry tree. I can not tell a lie. This father-son baseball outing thing is way over advertised. Keep your … Continue reading
Successful Ministry Is Team Ministry
Successful ministry is team ministry. Small church pastors especially are always tempted to go it alone. Team building takes extra energy both for learning skills required for team leadership and for developing and resourcing other leaders in congregation. But I … Continue reading
Annual Conference Or A Year Of Netflix? We are now about a week away from the first all-video Annual Conference and guess what, a video conference cost about as much as an in-person conference for delegate and non-delegate registrations. Thankfully, … Continue reading
Living In The Age Of Faith, Myth and Lies We live in an age of “fact, myth, and lies”. Much of the angst we face in everyday living comes from trying to discern which is which. My own method born … Continue reading
Brethren Patriotism
American patriotism and the Church of the Brethren aren’t two subjects which are usually linked together. After all, we schedule our Annual Conference on the Fourth of July. Remember when Richard Nixon was president, he included our denomination in one … Continue reading
The God Of Gift Love
I became acquainted with John Claypool through his book “The Preaching Event,” while attending Bethany Theological Seminary in 1984. “The Preaching Event,” was actually a collection of lectures of preaching which he delivered at the Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale … Continue reading
Successful Ministry Is Team Ministry
Successful ministry is team ministry. Small church pastors especially are always tempted to go it alone. Team building takes extra energy both for learning skills required for team leadership and for developing and resourcing other leaders in congregation. But I … Continue reading
Church of the Brethren Leaders’ Newsletter 2
This is the second issue of the Church of the Brethren Leaders Newsletter. My name is Monty Keeling, I was an ordained minister in the COB 34 years. Some of you might know my father Calvin Keeling who was also … Continue reading
April’s Moderator’s Town Hall: Today’s Headlines, Yesterday’s Wisdom
I’ve been a Paul Mundey fan for a long time. When Paul was elected moderator several years ago I thought he would do a good job. He hasn’t proved me wrong. While I was in seminary 36 years ago Paul … Continue reading
Church In The “Whatever Era.”
“Whatever,” is one of my son’s favorite fall-back responses to observations by his old man he either doesn’t agree with or downright dislikes. “Whatever” is a good description of this era of multiple major societal problems and changes we live … Continue reading
Churches Please Don’t Begin In Person Worship Yet
Greetings Fellow Dunkers The president of the United States has no authority over state governors about what organizations and businesses, including churches, can stay open or closed. How useful a congregation is depends not on any secular authority but on … Continue reading
Why Church? No One Should Be Alone
Why Church: God’s Groups – No One Should Be Alone No one should be alone, but many are. Without God’s presence in our lives we walk alone no matter how many friends, no matter if we are married or single, … Continue reading
Why Church? Because God Works In Groups!
Greetings fellow Dunkers. This is the second in a series of blogs about the importance of church as a group in people’s lives. As always you are welcome to use it in your own ministry as may prove helpful. This … Continue reading
Why Church – The Group Is The Thing
Why Church? Because throughout our history humanity’s advancement has depended on our excellence in group organization. Groups are the vehicles by which we have traveled to dominance on planet earth. When I was pastor of the now defunct Rocky Ford … Continue reading
