holiness in the modern world
This post is part of a nine-part year-end giving series on organizations we love. We're Scott and Elizabeth Drury, and we've put together a list of seven organizations we love and directly support financially that are doing important work around the world. If their efforts resonate with you, we'd be delighted if you'd consider giving …
After a challenging year in 2024, Scott and I didn't have big bags of money to give away, but we were excited about the season of giving and had hoped to share about some of the organizations we love. This year, we have the courage to share more openly. We'll try to keep it real …
Continue reading "Poured Out and Well-Watered for Giving in the Desert"
My brain and textbooks don't always get along, especially when the subject is history--and even when it's about the spread of the church from Galilee to Antioch to the ends of the Earth. For me, textbooks have a way of sucking the humanity right out of a great story. Can you relate? If I feel …
Continue reading "Friday Nights: Christian Missions through the Movies"
Two years ago, I had the blessing of being part of an ideal study group to examine the biblical basis of a contentious doctrinal question: Does God intend for men and women to share leadership equally within the church and home? As some brief background, "yes" answers to this question indicate an egalitarian position, though …
One year ago, my husband and I found ourselves in a crisis, and we needed to sing. Acutely troubled with a single enormous decision and with the cascading effects of the secretive actions of others, we were also extremely isolated, unable to discuss almost anything with almost anybody (other than our lawyer) for 73 days. …
Continue reading "We Did Not Despair: Singing into a Place of Grace"
"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."Psalm 143:10 I recently had the bittersweet privilege of delivering the eulogy for my cherished father-in-law at his memorial service. As I pieced it together, I listened as the family filled in many details, and those …
I used to believe that every church should be multiethnic, but my first day of seminary teaching in 2011 showed me the limits of that view. One of my students was ministering in a hamlet truly lacking racial and economic diversity. Another served in an urban center where diversity was already the norm, and another …
Continue reading "Should Every Church Be Multiethnic? A Border-Crossing Perspective"
Love . . . bears all things,believes all things,hopes all things, andendures all things.(I Corinthians 13:7 NASB)[i] always protects,always trusts,always hopes,always perseveres.(I Corinthians 13:7 NIV) [ii] In the oft-cited passage nicknamed the “love chapter” of the New Testament, one tiny phrase has always forced me to pause. Like a spot on a familiar garment where …
Continue reading "Non-Profit Boards: Love May Be Free, but Trust Must Be Measured"
I've been trying to diagnose an illness in my denominational body for quite some time: an observable failure to thrive among many women who are called, prepared, and robustly fit for ministry. Just as doctors sometimes seek to define the nature of a suspicious lump by examining a limited sample through a biopsy, I understand …
Continue reading "Biopsy of a Suspicious Mass: Diagnosing a Problem in the Affirmation of Women"
Over the years, as I have taught about the social and cultural dynamics that limit church diversity, I have often heard thoughtful resistance from people I respect. They care about their Christian responsibilities and love people, but they are not convinced that the demographics of their congregations and communities really matter. Ministry is demanding enough, …
If your church wants to welcome poor or working class families, have you considered providing nutritious food along with your activities for children and youth? A few years ago, I was listening to the child of an immigrant family recite Bible verses during AWANA on a Wednesday night. She had studied at home. She was …
Continue reading "Accessibility for the Poor: Veggies, Protein, and the Bread of Life"
Ever been priced out of church? We have, and we’re not even poor. My husband and I used to live in the DC suburbs with four teenaged boys. In that affluent region, we both worked in ministry occupations, so although margin was pretty thin in our monthly budget, our income was sufficient for our needs. …
Continue reading "Accessibility for the Poor: Priced Out of Youth Discipleship?"
How well does your church welcome and retain working-class or poor people? If you have tried, you know that it takes more than compassion and good intentions. In this series about accessibility, I’ll offer suggestions related to transportation, student ministries, and food for crossing that socioeconomic border effectively. The topic of this first post is …
Continue reading "Accessibility for the Poor: Getting to Church Is Half the Battle"
"Will you come preach at our church?" the pastor asked. "Sure!" I answered. "What's the topic or passage you'd like me to cover?" Well, let's just say the answer surprised me! You can find out more on how that conversation went in the recording at the link below. Even better, this sermon suggests answers to …
Pastors typically want to build people and programs, not to break them, but it happens sometimes. Although ministry calamities occur for all kinds of reasons, sometimes there's a fairly straightforward cause: a leader who is unable or unwilling to strengthen his or her emotional intelligence (EQ). Unlike the other leaders covered with powdery debris and …
Continue reading "The Low EQ Leader as a Ministry Wrecking-Ball"
My husband and I used to receive credit that we didn't deserve, especially when it came to generosity, and it bothered us. We both grew up in church. Our families both had ministry commitments spanning generations. We had ample opportunity to learn the Christian-life basics early, including those about generosity. Traipsing along behind our parents …
Continue reading "Lessons in Generosity from the Believing Poor"
This post is part of a nine-part year-end giving series on organizations we love. We love this Wesleyan church, its tenderhearted and talented staff, and Pastor Josh Ratliff! Crosspoint is an actively learning, thinking, and serving church. With Liberty and several other universities in town, many people who are drawn to Crosspoint place a high …
We are well-acquainted with GP, a Wesleyan hub for sending and supporting Christian workers around the world. Two specific needs that GP coordinates are especially important to us. This post is part of a nine-part year-end giving series on organizations we love. GP: Kevin and Cindy Kevin and Cindy with our son Pete in the …
This post is part of a nine-part year-end giving series on organizations we love. We've known several people over the years who have faced unbelievable difficulty navigating the US immigration process. We've witnessed how difficult it can be even for the most vigilant people to follow the steps without becoming disqualified, confused, or stuck because …
With its network of US partners, HAU tops our list of trustworthy favorites for 2025. This post is part of a nine-part year-end giving series on organizations we love. Hope Africa University in Burundi, East Africa, is important to us because it is making a transformative difference in the poorest country in the world and …
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