BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
How long should a sermon be?
There is great debate on how long a good sermon should be. Personally, I am not a fan of sermonettes that sound more like feel-good devotional thoughts than meaty sermons one can wrestle with all week long. But I am also not a fan of sermons that are so long that no reasonable person can remain focused on what is being taught. Here are some ideas to help you find the sweet spot of crafting a sermon that’s neither too long nor too short.
Rhode Island: A small place of small places
An easy way to annoy a Rhode Islander is to ask him if he is from Providence. Don’t get me wrong. If you ask me that question, I do appreciate that you know Rhode Island is a state and that you can name our capital and largest city.
Why the International Mission Board?
Editor’s Note: BCNE churches that give to the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering support more than 3600 missionaries around the world. Two of those missionaries are Matt and Shelby Meyer, members of Rivertown Church in Brattleboro, VT, who have been serving in Poland and were recently appointed as career missionaries.
In my time preparing to go overseas as a missionary and during the past three years of living in Poland many people have asked me, “Why did you choose to serve with the International Mission Board?” My first response is to say that this is the path the Lord led us to, and we want to be obedient to the Father. However, when we dig deeper there are many reasons to serve with or support the IMB if you are looking to reach the nations.
Thoughts from the white mother of a Black son
As I write this I am nervous. I’m nervous because some people can take words and twist them, misrepresenting the author’s intentions and using them against him or her. They do it with Scripture, they do it with tweets. There are very few safe outlets, so I want to be very clear about the things going through my mind right now.
BCNE board of directors issues statement on racism
In response to recent events in our nation, the Baptist Convention of New England Board of Directors issued the following statement after its quarterly meeting on June 4, 2020.
Our first steps toward a unified future: What Anglo pastors can do to build bridges with Black and brown Christians
This last week for me has been mentally exhausting, to say the least. On one hand, I have been pastoring during a global health crisis for the past three months. On the other hand, for last month or so I have been trying to shepherd black and brown people as we handle a myriad of emotions from seeing our people murdered in their homes and in the streets.
It has not been easy.
“Never waste a crisis”
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, as shelter-in-place mandates were decreed and churches were scrambling to make sure they stayed firmly connected to one another, a wise friend reminded me of these words by Sir Winston Churchill. His statement, given in my title above, was borne out of World War II, when his nation suffered terror and suffering beyond imagination for those of us who did not live through it. As we survey the loss of life and damage done by the pandemic, his words ring true. And yet, if we are not careful, in the hurry to get back to a normal—new or not—we run the risk of neglecting the lessons taught in this season of trial and heartache. We do so at our own present, and perhaps future, peril.
The poison of deflecting credit while shouldering blame
Everything that could go wrong did. It was bound to happen at least once during COVID-19, and the Sunday before Memorial Day was our day.
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.
Shepherding during this crisis
Pastors are facing the challenge of shepherding well in a time when social distancing is required. The biblical mandate remains in spite of the current restrictions imposed as a result of this pandemic.
The passage of John 21:15-17, in which Jesus exhorts Peter to care for the flock, is a guideline for all pastors to follow. Jesus uses boskō in verses 15 and 17, and poimanō in verse 16, which are consecutively translated as “feeding” and “tending.” These are important instructions for pastors to keep in mind as we care for people.
Observations on preaching to an empty room
While many pastors are becoming adept at preaching to an empty church auditorium during this COVID-19 pandemic, I had my first experience recently. Let me share a few observations that may encourage you. (Or maybe YOU will want to encourage me!)
COVID, contentment & the Kohathites
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” (Psalm 37:3)
That has been my go-to verse in many situations: being a church planter’s wife in New England, mothering three kids to adulthood, navigating difficult relationships. But a global pandemic? Never in a million years would I have guessed it would need to be applied in this challenging and confining time.
Going in circles?
Feel like your church is going in circles? Feel like your church is just treading water or going round and round in a holding pattern?
This isn’t the way we would choose to do things – stuck in our homes, maintaining social distancing. Pastors are preaching to camera. Small groups are “meeting” via Zoom. This isn’t how church is supposed to be!
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?”
Crisis, faith & my work
6:30 a.m. My alarm goes off. I get out of bed, get up, read my daily devotional and get ready to face another day at work. 30-minute drive there, 35(ish) minute drive home. Today’s a long day; not home until about 6:35 in the evening. The long days have indeed been long; little did I know how long those long days would come to be.
Using illustrations well
Whether preaching a sermon, teaching a children’s class or leading a Bible study for teens, using a powerful illustration can really drive home the point. Jesus often used illustrations in His teaching. Illustrations help the audience connect the Word of God with everyday life.
Dispatch from the COVID front
Editor’s Note: Josh Abetti is a registered nurse and pastor of Concord Community Church in Concord, VT. He is temporarily working with COVID patients in a Bronx ICU.
Many people have asked me, "What's it like to work with COVID patients?" This is my attempt to answer that question from my limited experience. It’s long but I ask you to read the whole thing. In this post I attempt to share my observations and those of other coworkers. I’ve tried to restrain myself from making definitive conclusions because there is still so much about this disease we don’t understand. I’ve also written this from the perspective of a nurse.
Reentry plans: Strategy is a great start, but strategy alone is not enough
I have spent untold hours over the last couple of weeks reading through numerous reentry plans and guidelines offered up by church strategy consultants, a wide-variety of denominational bodies and churches who are further along in their bell curve than my local community. As a pastor who is now beginning to work with my teams on planning our own attempts at returning to public gatherings, I’m thankful for those who are a few steps ahead of me and have not only spent time thinking through an endless list of issues and considerations to arrive where they have, but also have made their work available for others to learn from. I believe that each of these offerings has been fruitful to me and worth my time. I have also learned three very clear things:
Wineskins and new wine: Preparing for our future
As I mentioned in a previous blog, pastors and leaders (and, frankly, all Christ-followers) will not have the post-COVID-19 luxury of returning to pre-COVID-19 ministry norms...the "old wineskins." Contrary to what common sense would tell us, however, neither will we have the luxury of combining our pre-COVID and during-COVID practices to chart our way forward; pragmatically stitching two old wineskins together will result in the tearing of the skins and the spilling of the new wine given by God.
This realization forces the question: What should we be preparing for? We can't even plan because we don't fully know what is ahead, but we can prepare so when the future becomes the present, we have been thinking critically and anticipating what could be.