Ministry Matters - Practicing attention in the digital age | Missional characteristics of an adept church

How are we to work against inattentiveness and toward practices of attention on what matters? Practicing attention in a digital age by Deanna Thompson   How do we negotiate the constant barrage of information and messages that infiltrate our lives? Many of us likely have developed some self-imposed guidelines for keeping at least some of the distractions at bay. Whether we pledge to look up from our devices and into the eyes of our children and our spouse when they talk to us, or to attend a weekly yoga class, or to commit to keeping our phones out of sight while driving, we are aware of our growing distractedness and growing need to resist all the opportunities for distraction. Read here

What does it mean to be an incarnational or contextual church? Missional characteristics of an adept church by F. Douglas Powe, Jr.   Understanding the four key characteristics of missional congregations can help a congregation that wants to move forward and live more missionally. Missional congregations are incarnational, sacramental, creational, and eschatological. Translating these theological terms in everyday language, we can say that missional congregations are contextual, communal, innovative, and visionary. As congregations become more adept at living out these missional characteristics, they become more like canals. Read here

How are our present divisions related to the evangelical church’s roots in systemic and biblically-justified racism? Gradualism, false unity, and incompatibility's history by Wesley Bros Comics   Biblical literalism is still every bit just as married to biases and context as evangelicals want to accuse liberals of remaking the Bible in their own image. We all bring our experience to Scripture, and it's important to interrogate that dynamic. This week we look at more of our history, and the interactions between gradualism, false unity, and modern evangelicalism's rise. Read here

Standing in a turbulent world and preaching this Sunday Resources for engaging children in worship this week

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