BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Discipleship training wheels
I taught my boys how to ride bikes recently, and I was pretty pumped about it. I was beaming. Natalie was bragging on them. (I was slightly jealous I didn’t hear more bragging on me.)
Easter was made for a time like this
Just when we think the low-grade stress of trying to hide from an invisible enemy is getting unbearable, we hear of another cancellation of an event we had looked forward to for months. We know it is the right thing to do, and we might even feel guilty for wishing it wasn’t so, but we mourn our old lives nonetheless. As a parent, I am joining moms and dads all across the world who have to explain to their kids why their favorite spring activities are canceled. But as a pastor, I am joining pastors all across the world explaining to their congregations that Easter is not canceled.
Virtual resurrection witnesses
To put it simply, every day should be a day that our actions and speech announce the resurrection. That being said, with the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting the world in a way that has produced massive shutdowns, limiting human physical interaction, the question becomes, How do we do we bear witness to Jesus’ resurrection now?
Parenting during a pandemic
When I was pregnant with our first child, I read various parenting books, like many other first-time parents. However, there was no parenting book for “How to Parent Your Children During a Pandemic.” These are uncharted waters. As schools across America shut down due to the COVID-19 virus, many parents found themselves unexpectedly left to homeschool their children while simultaneously working from home. I am a stay-at-home mom, so I’m used to being home with my kids on a regular basis, but being quarantined at home with nowhere to go is hard for me! Here are some ideas that will hopefully help as you are at home with your kids.
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?
Cultivating a team spirit in crisis
There is no doubt that during a crisis, teams – even church leadership teams – can fall apart. However, God requires His church to come together to see a change in the community, to accomplish something more significant together that we cannot accomplish alone. Here are some critical elements that are essential for teams to win together during a crisis. Try incorporating them in your church!
Three steps to responding well in a crisis
Like most people, I have lived through my share of crises, both personal and on a broader scale. And if I’m being honest, I haven’t always handled them well. (Practice doesn’t make perfect in this case.) Thankfully, if we are willing to be intentional, there are a few steps we can take to handle crises more like Christ.
Kids these days: How culture affects Gen Z’s mindset
“Kids these days!”
It’s an expression many of us have either said or thought. They seem so different from the way we were at their age. And usually, it’s not in a good way. (Although if we’re honest, we probably need to question the reliability of our memory of our teenage lives.)
Open your eyes
I wear trifocals. I joke that this means I cannot see in any direction! But there is seeing and there is “seeing.”
Pestilence: A timely sermon I never expected to preach
In a lifetime of ministry, I never imagined I would ever preach a sermon about pestilence. But I’ve changed my mind. People everywhere have riveted their attention to the Coronavirus epidemic and I don’t know what subject could be more relevant right now. I have a hunch that other preachers agree. So here is a short sermon I never expected to preach.
Get your church online this weekend
We’ve been getting a handful of questions about how to get your church services online in the quickest, cheapest way possible. So I wanted to send out this quick guide to help any church with any budget get online.
Celebrating victories as a ministry wife
Victories come in all shapes and sizes. A victory to one pastor’s or planter’s wife may be a quiet afternoon with no appointments or ball games or piano practice. Another might find a victory in a text from the lady down the street that she has been praying for and trying to build a relationship with. A different person may feel it a victory just to get out the door and have the kiddos to school on time.
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?