New England Perspectives
A regularly updated collection of articles written by New England leaders and thinkers. Looking for news articles? Click here.
Sunday’s Coming
This year my longing for Easter is greater than ever before. I don’t necessarily mean Sunday, April 9th. I mean a longing for healing and peace for our world that is only made possible through the resurrection. I mean a greater appreciation for Christ’s gift of salvation.
Rejoicing in God’s Work These Last 8 Years
Eight years ago today I began my service as the Executive Director of the BCNE. It is a great joy to serve the churches. From my very first day, my passion has been to help the churches multiply Christ-followers through partnering, equipping, and encouraging. I’m thankful the Lord has chosen to honor my humble efforts with His favor.
Your Family On Mission
What if you went on a mission trip as a family? What if your family partnered with missionaries for a long weekend or week, learning and serving together? A domestic or international trip to experience God at work, in and through your family. Memories to last…well, an eternity.
5 Ministry Ideas to Reach Out to Immigrants in Your Church’s Community
Some churches in our region are partnering with different immigrant groups for ministry purposes. Others are looking to find a way to reach immigrant groups within their surrounding areas. Here are some basic ways churches are ministering to different people groups…
Laser-Focused Mission
Light is a powerful force. When spread out over a room, it is neutralized. It can however be focused to such a degree that it cuts through steel. When it comes to the mission of the church, laser-focus is especially important. The mission of the church is to make disciples.
Knowing Our Creator
One day, our friends graciously treated me and my husband to dinner at a hotel restaurant where one of them works as a sous-chef. As I studied the menu, I found myself feeling intimidated by the cuisine and the use of French words. I nervously joked that I hoped we were “worthy” of the food we were about to eat, but our friend was understanding and patient as he answered our questions.
Read Like It Matters
Excellent thoughts have been captured and communicated by means of the written word throughout history, and life-changing, culture-shaping wisdom is just waiting to be picked up off the shelf. But no one is born knowing how to read, much less how to read well; the practice is a dying art.
Balancing Your Local and International Missions Efforts
I was asked to consult with a historically strong congregation that once had a fully funded ministry and a full-time, salaried pastor. Their perpetually shrinking budget and unbalanced missions strategy required that a new pastor serve bivocationally, which proved to be a wake-up call for the church members. The church’s commitment to international missions came at the expense of its ministry to internationals now living in their own communities.
The Immigrant Reality, Missions, and the Multicultural Church
For the first time in recorded history, the number of people who are being forced to flee their homes has surpassed 60 million individuals (about twice the population of Texas). The refugee crisis is unprecedented in magnitude. And the West is awakening to it because we are realizing that this crisis can affect us. It became relatable when we were gripped by the photo of Aylan Kurdi washed up on the shores of Turkey.
When the Fight Calls: Spiritual Warfare
This article almost didn’t happen. BCNE Staff frequently submit articles for our blog, and as my deadline approached for the month, I felt the Lord wanted me to write about spiritual warfare. Every time I sat down to write, I had writer’s block. I knew exactly what I wanted to say but had the hardest time getting down the ideas swirling around in my head.
Holy Collisions
Have you ever experienced a collision? Two summers ago, a friend and I were on the Cape enjoying a very impromptu day of sightseeing when a car sped through a stop sign and broadsided me. This was the first major collision I had experienced. It certainly ruined the rest of our day!
Transitions and Church Revitalization: Lessons We Can Learn from Tom Brady’s Retirement
Football is an excellent teaching tool for the Church and its leadership. I have said for many years “Sport speaks.” It speaks about transitions, pressures, training, plays, setbacks, comebacks, and tensions. It is no surprise to New Englanders that quarterback Tom Brady is re-retiring from football.
Inviting Jesus
A few years ago, a popular YouTube channel made a series of videos which highlighted the struggles of poverty among the elderly community in South Korea. The host of the show noted that it had been hard to find people to talk to on camera as many feared “losing face,” worried of what their family and friends would think of them following the interview.
Multiply Your Outreach
I am certainly not an expert on outreach. Doubtless there are pastors and churches who are far more effective than me on this. However, I’ve learned a few things, mostly from my mistakes! Let me share a few things that have worked for me, and perhaps they will spur you on to find ways that work for you and your church.
Historic Equity
Living in New England, we are surrounded by the ghosts of history. The Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s ride (though debated), Lexington, Concord, and many other events. Many of the buildings here are historic, too. New England has more locations entered on the National Register of Historic Places than any other region.
Faith Over Fear
A few weeks ago, my friends and I were talking about safety and fear. One friend shared how she is always prepared for a disaster. She’s thinking through safety protocols, searching for emergency exits, and just waiting for disaster to strike. That is definitely not me. I wouldn’t say I’m careless, but I definitely am not consumed by this fear. However, if you could see my thoughts, you might realize that I’m much more controlled by fear than I’d care to admit.
For the love of comfort
Obedience as a navigational tool
It all began with three pastors from Ridge Baptist Association in South Carolina coming to Vermont for a vision trip in February 2022 – yes, major snow season in Vermont. We had so much fun visiting pastors and churches during those few days. There was an emergency pulpit need that one of them covered and God showed His Favor upon this potential partnership in a mighty way during those few days.
Lessons in Legos
I didn’t grow up building with Legos. As a matter of fact, the only thing I knew about the little blocks of plastic was that they really hurt if you stepped on them while walking. But that changed over Christmas break. My godsons received Lego sets, and I got my first glimpse into the building world.
The power behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., delivered his “I Have a Dream,” speech. Though it was not his first speech on racial equality in America, it was the speech that provided a pivotal moment that changed the way people in our nation thought about the issue. As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I think it is worthwhile to take a look at that speech again.