BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Learning to feed yourself
When I was little, my grandfather would let me feed myself whenever I was at his home, a welcomed change from my mother feeding me. It was messy as I was still learning to do it correctly. But eventually, by doing it myself, I mastered it. It is not strange for a baby to be fed, but that must change as they grow and mature.
The chronic Gospel
One in 3,200. That's the statistic: for every 3,200 live births in the US, one sweet baby will have a rare, incurable, progressive disease called cystic fibrosis. On July 1, 2020, my daughter arrived in the world as the one.
3 pieces of advice from my spiritual mentor
I have been fortunate and blessed to have tremendous mentors in my ministry who have guided me, warned me, coached me, prayed for me, and were selfless enough to even watch me flourish. I would like to tell you about one of these men and encourage all of us toward some shared action steps.
What baseball teaches us about change & growth
I love baseball but can barely watch the sport these days. At some point, teams began to shift infielders from traditional positions on the field to these lopsided defensive positions based on hitters’ tendencies. With a left-handed batter, like David Ortiz when he played for the Sox, a team would have three fielders on the first base side and one hovering just away from second base on the third base side of the field. Because of these calculated alignments, batters have a completely open opposite side of the field to which they can hit the ball. And that’s where I start getting annoyed.
Working through your feelings while pastoring in a pandemic
The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought to the surface many difficult emotions and feelings in people, and pastors have not been immune. Depression, anxiety, fear, frustration, anger, feelings of loss, and loneliness are just a few things that people are dealing with during these unprecedented times.
As pastors, we are often the ones that the people in our churches turn to for spiritual guidance and advice. But what do we do when we are feeling the exact same things while carrying the responsibility of our congregations on our shoulders?
Growing through the unknown
We are all experiencing unprecedented times. We may be asking ourselves many questions that we can’t fully answer. But one thing we can be certain of is the sovereignty of our God.
Meditating on Scripture
Meditate on Scripture. It’s the command in Joshua 1:8. The practice of the wise in Psalm 1:2. It’s the source of praise in Psalm 119:97. So, not surprisingly, it’s a common point of application in sermons on spiritual growth. But still someone recently asked me, “How exactly do you meditate on Scripture?”
Incubator for the soul
We've had to adapt to a new normal almost overnight, learning to operate at a distance for the well-being of the community. Goodness knows periods of isolation can cause significant stress, but I'd like to submit an alternate perspective: what if this time shut inside could be one of the single greatest instances of potential for kingdom empowerment we've seen in this generation?
Who’s influencing you? (Or five reasons to read a missionary biography this year)
Have you recently put together a creative charcuterie board? Traveled to an unusual vacation spot? Have you donned a casual hat, some new hipster eyeglasses or matching family pajamas? Begun a new health or beauty routine? If so, it may be due to the influencer who shows up in your social media feeds on a daily basis. I opened a new set of resistance bands for Christmas, because, hey, if they work for Tom Brady and Kira Stokes, maybe they’ll work for me, too.