BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
The three keys to an effective church
Our presence on the weekend at their church likely reinforces what many church planters, pastors, and church attenders think: what they “do” at their weekend service is the most important thing they do weekly for the ongoing effectiveness of their church.
I’m writing today to tell you I don’t believe that is true.
Keys to a successful church replant
Replanting a church is not easy, especially because it usually follows a revitalization process. But one phrase can help your heart and mind as you replant. If you forget this phrase you will most likely quit or not do much good for the Kingdom. Are you ready?
Lent for the expecting heart
Days swell with the anticipation of that larger-than-life rhythm that has marked humanity since the garden: death and resurrection. The groans of bringing forth new life hang heavy in the future. As I find myself waiting for our first baby this Lenten season, I'm struck by the phrase expecting mother. What am I expecting? Surprisingly, my hopes are an awful lot like those of every other thoughtful heart during Lent, "great with child" or not.
What rugby taught me about discipleship
When I was 23, I stepped into an adventure that I had no idea would shape a significant part of my 20s: I attended my first-ever rugby practice. I knew nothing about the sport except for the single college club match I watched live. Like anyone stepping onto the field to learn a new sport, I was nervous that I would look dumb, embarrass myself and get laughed off the field. But something unique happened – the coach sent the team to practice and spent about 30 minutes with me.
The way God works
Their pastor resigned unexpectedly. They later found out he was having an affair with a church member. Many of the young families had left the church for the cool new church in the next town. The church checkbook was almost empty. By this time there were only six people left in the congregation.
Jesus teaches servant leadership
To lead is to serve. Far from compromising the principle of authority, which results in institutional anarchism, servant leadership strengthens the relationship between leaders and those who are led. Servant leadership is a principle taught in the Old Testament (2 Chron. 10:7), which expands in the New Testament, mainly through the teaching and example of Jesus.
Tell me a story: The case for narrative preaching
The reality is that we are called to shepherd the whole flock, and the flock is not homogenous. One out of seven people are functionally illiterate. Sure, they can read a menu or peck through a few verses if they are pressed in a Bible study, but they do not process information in the same way as someone who is functionally literate.
The three percent
Our family arrived in Charlestown in late 2016 to plant our lives and a church. We took photos, found our coffee shop and grocery store, discovered a park our boys loved and began to navigate Boston driving. But one thing we needed to settle on was how to meet people. If we were going to plant a church, who did we need to meet; where and when would we meet them; and how many people should we meet?
When life gets you down
When it rains, it pours! Each of us has moments in our lives where that phrase certainly applies, and my family recently went through one of these rough patches.
One task pastors must not neglect
The Apostle Paul commanded Timothy to guard the good deposit which was entrusted to him. The good deposit is the sound words (the doctrines) that Paul has handed down to Timothy. This is the calling of every pastor. We are called to guard the truth of God’s Word as we seek to shepherd the flock among us (1 Pet. 5:2). Since this command is a primary responsibility of every pastor, the question becomes, “How do we accomplish this task?” There are numerous ways we can be obedient in this, but I want to offer three suggestions.
Give and it shall be given
I recently dropped my husband and 15-year-old daughter at the airport. They were off to Guatemala for a week on mission in our church’s adopted village of Zacapa. It was an emotional morning, and as I sat and reflected on what God has done in the past four years, tears welled up in my eyes.
The dreaded bubble
After watching historic political events recently unfold and talking to dear friends on both sides of the issues at hand, I am once again reminded of how dangerous it is to live in a bubble of our own making. A political bubble has its obvious challenges, but a spiritual bubble can affect us just as much.
Understanding authority and influence
Good leaders must possess authority and influence. Although closely related, these two leadership roles have clear distinctions. Authority is a position that is given or earned, while influence is a natural force a leader may have because of his respected reputation.
Good theology for bad days
God, You're so good. / God, You're so good. / God, You're so good, / You're so good to me.
I choked the simple chorus out on Sunday morning despite a lump rising in my throat. Weeks of waiting for the results of a major medical test numbed my ability to belt out the lyrics with the same gusto as those around me. Instead a pitiful, broken string of truth fell quietly from my mouth, each word a salty tear.
The generational ripples of sin
Have you ever given much thought to how your life impacts others? I remember the last funeral we had in town for a young life that ended far to early due to self-medication. Seeing the sorrow and hurt left behind after this death crushed my heart.
When relating to folks deeply entrenched in their sin there is a phrase that is all too common: “I am only hurting myself.” This is a lie straight from the father of lies. Have we truly stopped to ponder the effect our sin has on those around us? Have we ever considered the ramifications our supposedly small or inconsequential act of disobedience toward the Father might have for future generations?
Welcoming international students into our lives — and our church
It wasn’t all that different than every other year. My plate overflowed with turkey, gravy, and stuffing, followed by pumpkin pie—and more pumpkin pie. In many ways my twenty-six previous Thanksgivings all blend together into a blur of food, family and football. But this year was different. My twenty-seventh Thanksgiving aligned with another group’s first Thanksgiving, creating a moment that was so much bigger than food or football. It was truly a unique family moment, even though I was not related to a single person in the room.
An almost lost church history
During early 2019, my home church was getting ready to celebrate our 40th church anniversary. As one of the earliest church members, I was asked to put together a church history. At first I was really excited about the challenge ahead. I had this vision of assembling a comprehensive, chronological history that included pictures and all of the notable milestones along the way.
The challenge of those who won’t believe
I had known Calvin for many years. Although he lived in the small community where I served as pastor, he was not part of our church. In fact, Calvin publicly proclaimed he was an atheist.
Narnia and spiritual warfare
We may understand that we face battles, but why does Aslan say to Peter, “And, whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword”? I believe there are two reasons that Christians ought to remember to wipe our sword.
Resting in Christ
As a pastor or church leader’s wife, it sometimes feels like your life is on public display. It’s easy to put pressure on yourself – as well as accept it from others – about what you should look like, sound like, dress like and even how you should decorate your home.