Ministry Matters - From trouble to hope—and the silence in between

A Word from the Editor Somewhere around week three of Eastertide, the Easter energy fades. The lilies are gone. The attendance has settled back to normal. And the news cycle has not gotten any better. This is where Jim Harnish's series does its most important work. Jim has been weaving together two unlikely conversation partners: the intimate resurrection stories of the Great Fifty Days, and the wartime sermons of Harry Emerson Fosdick, a pastor who preached hope to congregations whose sons were not coming home. Fosdick was preaching through a world war. The headlines were catastrophic. And week after week, he got back in the pulpit and preached the resurrection anyway—not by ignoring the darkness, but by insisting the light was real and older than the dark. These three pieces follow that same path. One sits with the disciples on the Emmaus road, walking toward a setting sun with nothing left to hope for. One asks the question most pastors have thought but few have said out loud: why is God so quiet when evil is so loud? One answers with the oldest claim in the Christian tradition—that the light has already proven itself stronger than the darkness, and that the question is only which one you are giving your allegiance to. That is not a small question for a week like this one. It may be the only question that matters. —Cameron The light that no darkness can put out by Jim Harnish "We don’t need to cramp Jesus’s metaphor with rigid literalism or smother it with syrupy sentimentality to sense the light that shines in the darkness. The purpose of biblical images of life after death is not to provide detailed knowledge of the chemical composition of the pearly gates or carat weight of golden streets, but to provide orientation for life before death." Learn More Why is God silent when evil rages? by Jim Harnish "Why doesn’t God get down here and do something about the ghastly mess we’ve made of things? If Christ is risen and goes before us, why doesn’t he get busy making some rough places plain and crooked ways straight?"  Read Now When have you found yourself asking God, "Where are you?" — and what did you do with the silence? Starting with trouble and ending with hope by Jim Harnish "The great news of the resurrection is that the Risen Christ still finds us on the road from the past, walks with us through the present, and gives us fresh hope for the future." Continue Reading

The second volume in a landmark three-volume collection, this meticulously annotated gathering of Charles Wesley's personal letters (1750–1765) brings together correspondence never before collected in print, complete with scriptural references and hymn citations. In Becoming a Friendlier Church, Matthew D. Kim calls attention to the crisis of unfriendliness that prevents many churches from welcoming new people into their community. Using concrete examples, Kim shows how even churches that think themselves friendly can unintentionally communicate insularity, apathy, busyness, prejudice, and the pursuit of comfort. Michael Carpenter makes a timely, pastoral case for recovering the Four Alls—the grace-centered framework that once sparked a movement—arguing that these nearly forgotten convictions about salvation's accessibility and transforming power are exactly what today's Methodists need to reclaim their identity and strengthen their witness.

Ministry Matters - The Ascension Is Easy to Miss. Don't.

Yesterday was Ascension Thursday. Most people didn't notice. It always falls on a Thursday, and Thursdays are not exactly prime church-going days. But this weekend, something worth your attention is waiting. Jim Harnish has published the final article in his Great Days for Great Living series, and he saved one of the best for last. In Week 7, Jim asks what it means to experience Christianity not as a form, but as a force. Drawing on Harry Emerson Fosdick's wartime sermons, Karl Barth's theology, and a story from a recent march for immigrant justice in Washington, D.C., he makes the case that the Ascension is not the end of the story. It is the launch pad. This Sunday, many congregations will observe Ascension Sunday. Jim's reflection is the perfect preparation. READ THE ASCENSION ARTICLE HERE This week also marks the end of a seven-week journey through the Great Fifty Days of Eastertide. From Mary weeping at the empty tomb, to Thomas's honest doubt, to the disciples on the Emmaus road, to this week's Ascension, Jim Harnish has woven together lectionary texts, Fosdick's WWII-era wisdom, and the very real challenges of ministry in 2026. If you missed any articles in the series, you can find all seven at the link below. READ THE SERIES HERE Thank you for reading. Thank you for the work you do. It is, indeed, a great time to be alive. The MinistryMatters Team

Ministry Matters - What is Lent actually for?

A Word from the Editor  February brings the Lenten season—which means most pastors are simultaneously planning the most theologically dense worship of their year while personally wondering if they have anything left to offer it. That tension between leading others into the wilderness and feeling like wilderness yourself is real, and we're not going to pretend otherwise.  This month we're asking what Lent is actually for. Not as a logistics question—there are plenty of resources for that—but as a theological and pastoral one. The practices of Lent were never designed to make individuals feel more spiritual in isolation. They were designed to reshape how the people of God live together. These articles take that seriously. And if you're heading into this time running on empty—there's something here for that, too.  —Cameron  Your Lenten Discipline might be the problem by Ministry Matters "Somewhere along the way—especially in middle-class American Christianity—we kept the prayer and the fasting and quietly let the almsgiving become optional. We turned Lent into a self-improvement project dressed in sackcloth."  Learn More Acts 4 is possible. We're living it in Minneapolis by Tyler Sit "But as a United Methodist pastor in Minneapolis, I’m witnessing Acts 4-type sharing all around me. While Minneapolis’ incredible activism—including faith-based witness—is in the headlines of the news, the ways people are supporting each other on the ground is just as miraculous."  Read Now Could the Acts 4 church really exist today? When Lent feels...empty by Cameron Merrill "Nobody tells you, in seminary or in the books about spiritual formation or in the annual call from your conference about Lenten programming, that you will spend entire liturgical seasons on the outside of your own faith." Continue Reading

The General Board of Church and Society upholds the Wesleyan commitment to social holiness through witnessing to just social policies and practices. This 100-year commemorative book will utilize archival materials from the agency’s historic publications to tell the story. Experienced administrator Jana Holiday reframes the spreadsheets, meetings, and daily management tasks of organizational life as sacred opportunities for spiritual growth—showing how the practical work of leadership can become a formative faith practice. Whether you're currently part of a Hub for Innovation cohort or striking out on your own, this workbook helps you translate inspiration into movement. With reflection prompts, vision-mapping exercises, and tools to experiment, evaluate, and evolve, you'll gain clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Ministry Matters - Building for 2026: Strategy and Soul

A Word from the Editor  January brings that familiar tension: the fresh energy of a new year colliding with the reality that you're still tired from December, and your congregation might be too. This is when well-meaning planning retreats can feel more exhausting than energizing, and when "building community" has become such a buzzword that it's lost all meaning.  This month, we're offering tools that acknowledge where we actually are in 2026. Strategic planning needs to be adaptive, not rigid—because none of us can predict what next quarter will bring. And community formation needs to go deeper than programming, addressing the real loneliness epidemic even in our churches. These resources are designed to help you lead with both clarity and compassion as you navigate the year ahead.  —Cameron  From vision to action: Adaptive planning for uncertain times by Ministry Matters "Five-year plans don't work when you can't predict next quarter. Learn how to adapt frameworks like a strategic cascade for church contexts, moving from compelling vision to executable quarterly priorities without getting paralyzed by uncertainty. This practical approach helps you answer: Where will we focus? How will we win? What do we actually need to make it happen?"  Learn More Right Questions to ask as the new year begins by Lovett H. Weems Jr. "Before rushing into 2026 planning, ask the diagnostic questions that reveal what's actually working. Lovett Weems offers seven essential questions about first-time guests, volunteers, community change, glimpses of vitality, finances, and new people that will give you the clarity you need to plan wisely."  Read Now What questions will guide your church's path forward this year? Beyond Christian nationalism by Justin Coleman "Christian nationalism did not arise because Christians suddenly became too political. It arose because Christian spirituality became too thin. That distinction matters. It reframes the problem in a way that neither excuses nor simplifies what we are facing." Continue Reading

Lovett H. Weems, Jr. equips church leaders with field-tested questions organized into 14 categories to navigate personnel challenges, expand ministry impact, and make better decisions in any denominational setting. Leading scholars and practitioners from Duke Divinity School explore how Trinitarian theology provides vital resources for contemporary ministry challenges—from worship and preaching to climate crisis and church renewal—demonstrating that the ancient Nicene confession remains powerfully relevant for twenty-first century faith and practice. Twenty-four ready-to-use sermon series from diverse preachers offer fresh themes, focus Scriptures, sermon starters, and creative ideas for extending each topic into worship, education, and outreach—saving pastors valuable preparation time while bringing meaningful depth to the pulpit year-round.