BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Nimble Church: Part 2
Senior-level pastors of theologically conservative churches seem to be particularly myopic about church revitalization. We tend to see only one legitimate answer to the question, “What do we need to do to revitalize?” We don’t tend to be very inquisitive.
3 big mistakes in follow up
For many, the next few months will be spent on major efforts in summer ministry events. We expend a lot of time and energy making sure that our events connect with our communities. Unfortunately, after the excitement of the event is over, we drop the ball on follow up. Let me unpack three big mistakes often made regarding follow up.
Filled with hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13) Hope. It is a weighty word that carries deep meaning, but it is also a word that is thrown around in everyday language without the true meaning attached to it. “Hope you have a nice day!” “Hope you feel better.” “Hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow!” We find ourselves saying these phrases without much thought and primarily as pleasantries.
Trail blazers
I enjoy walking through the woods. The area I live in has a lot of trails marked with colored “blazes” to keep you from getting lost. I walk almost every morning, so I know the trails well. Many blazes have faded over time and can be challenging to follow, but since I’m familiar with most of the trails, I can find my way even when the blazes are not very clear. But for a hiker new to the area, more clear blazes would be a blessing.
Two great books to use in discipleship
As a Christian and ministry leader, one of my favorite discipleship practices is to give out books that I have read and loved and watch those I disciple be challenged and encouraged as they engage with and apply what they are reading to their lives. Undoubtedly, the Bible needs to be the primary book for every Christian, but as I’m sure you have experienced, reading other books is a great way to invest in your faith and help you grow as a believer.
The importance of rest
I remember one of the first times I read this passage, I had to stop and read it again. “Wait a minute…You mean we have to work to rest?” It seemed like such an oxymoron to me. Rest should come easy. But as I chewed on this passage, I realized how much truth there was here.
BCNE Board of Directors issues statement on recently released SBC Sexual Abuse Report
On Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the meeting of the Baptist Churches of New England Board of Directors, the most prominent topic of conversation was the recently released Southern Baptist Convention report which included a list of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse.
Revitalizing Your Summer 2022
Summer means different things to different people depending on the stage of life you are in. Summer in New England means we get to enjoy sunshine and amazing sunsets, longer nights, gathering opportunities, connections in our local communities, and don’t forget vacations. But in the life cycle of a church, summer is also a clear pathway into the fall.
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly
Like many of you, my heart has been broken to see the Southern Baptist Convention all over the news the past few weeks regarding the sexual abuse investigation. While it hurts me to see the denomination painted in such a negative light, it pains me even more to think of the abuse and suffering that has been allowed to go on for so long.
Generosity is about more than money - it’s personal
When I served as pastor of the Washington Baptist Church, Washington, VT, an older couple living on a limited retirement income came to me distraught about the money they were sending to a national non-profit organization to sponsor a child in an impoverished country. They had been sponsoring a girl for some years and always enjoyed the cards, pictures, and notes they received from her.
Are you celebrating the Gospel?
What would you expect Jesus’ first miracle to be? Healing the sick? Raising the dead? Walking on water? Jesus’ first miracle was to make 120-180 gallons of exquisite wine. Jesus attended a wedding in Cana. His mother was also there and playing an official role when a potential disaster happens—they ran out of wine. That doesn’t seem too cataclysmic, but for the custom of that day, weddings would last a week and to run out of wine would be a serious social embarrassment. Lawsuits could be brought against the groom’s family!
Pastors' wives and women’s ministry leaders meet for fellowship
It is beautiful when women gather to encourage one another and worship Jesus together. The leaders of Iglesia Bautista Casa de Restauración in Lawrence, MA and Iglesia Bautista Dios con Nosotros in Glastonbury, CT, had two wonderful opportunities in April for women in their congregations to meet and fellowship.
Nimble
Authentic church revitalization is extremely difficult to pull off. Frankly, it’s unrealistic. If your church wants to authentically revitalize, you’ll need to 1) thoroughly and impartially analyze what is currently broken, 2) reform your church governance structure to guarantee bold, clear, and accountable decision-making, 3) identify a clear and unique local commission, and 4) make the necessary high-risk changes to your church practice and function.
The encouragement women (actually) need: Part 2
Christian women are starving for encouragement that leads to greater and deeper love of Jesus. We are exhausted of platitudes and cliches. Examining Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well in John chapter 4, we can glean four biblical truths to encourage all women. In The encouragement women (actually) need: Part 1, we discussed the first two biblical truths: Jesus chases after us and Jesus calls us out of hiding. Here, we will look two more encouraging truths from this passage:
A dream is a wish your heart makes
I’ve been thinking a lot about dreams recently. Not dreams you have while you’re sleeping, but the dreams or hopes that you have for yourself. You could also call them desires. The other day in the car my daughters and I were listening to a Disney hits mix and “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” came on. And I had the thought, “what dreams or wishes do I have right now? When was the last time I had a dream?”
The encouragement women (actually) need: Part 1
Messages targeting Christian women, whether from books, podcasts, or even (some) pulpits, are often confusing, contradictory, and sometimes even simply unbiblical. Sometimes light hearted attempts at encouraging women result in vague, silly, or unintentionally condescending platitudes.
Racial reconciliation
History began with one family. There was only one human race. How, then, did racial issues develop? What are the root causes, and why are these issues so prevalent in our nation and the church? A TIME magazine article from 2021 reported that metropolitan cities continue to be segregated, although America is more diverse than ever. With a Black population of 80%, Detroit is the most segregated city in the U.S.
Invisible to God?
“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” (Genesis 16:13)
The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and as I’ve been quietly reflecting and celebrating AAPI authors and creators, I was struck by a viral quote from actor Steven Yeun. He described his own experience as an Asian American in this way: “Sometimes I wonder if the Asian-American experience is what it’s like when you’re thinking about everyone else, but nobody else is thinking about you.”
What is your church’s guidebook? Healthy growth and change part 2
A necessary question for analyzing the health of your church is: “What are the authoritative instructions that are followed by your church?” Every church follows some set of rules or guidelines. Some churches are very committed to careful adherence to their constitution and bylaws. In some churches, Roberts Rules of Order are the ultimate authority. In newer churches, the church might be following a church planting model or the individual church planter’s vision. The rules and guidelines may be an unwritten set of traditions – “the Baptist way” or “the way we have always done things.”
Make an eternal difference in New England
For the past several months at the Baptist Churches of New England, we have emphasized the importance of ‘multiplying Christ followers’ through our weekly evangelism webinars. Without a doubt, our network of churches must constantly be vigilant and intentional in engaging lostness and making disciples in New England.