Death, Funerals, and How to Pre-plan, on Called Ep. 10
Pre-planning funerals give you a chance to talk (and live) the Gospel. Here’s how to help church members pre-plan, plus a bunch of advice on funerals and burial in general.
I’m an exvangelical, and I was born again (twice). video + transcript
I grew up in a conservative Evangelical home and had two born again experiences as a child. Now, I’m a progressive Christian and work in a progressive church. This summer at my church, we had weekly testimonies from church members and staff about times that we had experienced God in our lives. When it was …
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Old Hispanic Chant with Emma Hornby, on Music and the Church Ep. 42
Learn about: the Old Hispanic Chant, methods for analyzing music we can’t hear, and what we can learn from medieval processions. Here’s the Big Why: “I think these artifacts that we have – these musical and liturgical artifacts – are as valuable as a Gothic cathedral. And in a way even more valuable, because a …
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Great Church Meetings (Yes, They’re Possible!), on Called Ep. 9
How can you lead a great committee or staff meeting? And how can you influence a meeting for the good when you’re not running it? Bill and I talk about purpose, organization, and most importantly, energy – with a side of fried chicken and social connection. (Plus the important question: should you forward this episode …
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Music and Faith in a Post-Secular Age with Jonathan Arnold, on Music and the Church Ep. 41
Music and faith, music and belief – what’s the difference, and how can music illuminate our lived experiences of faith?
9 Benedictions My Choir Is Singing This Year
Does your choir sing a Benediction every week? Mine does during the program year, although it’s called a “Benediction Response,” since it comes immediately after the pastoral Benediction. It’s been surprisingly challenging to find pieces that work for my choir, since the pieces must be a cappella, as well as relatively short and easy. For …
The One Thing You REALLY Need in Ministry (That You Didn’t Learn in School), on Called Ep. 8
Spoiler alert: it’s flexibility! Why you need it, how to develop it, and how to encourage your congregation toward it – plus an ear toward the Holy Spirit’s leading. Click on the player to listen to the conversation, or scroll down to read the transcript.
10 Introits My Choir Is Singing This Year
Does your choir sing introits? My choir sings one almost every week during the program year, and I love how they can highlight a service theme and set the mood. Plus, they’re a great way to teach new congregational hymns. What is an introit? In the broader sense, it’s a short choral piece sung at …
An Easy Way to Create Hymn Sets (plus 10 Sets to Get Started)
I’ve been holding out on this post because…it seems obvious? Like making a hymn set should be really straight-forward, and why didn’t I try it sooner? But maybe you’re like me just a few months ago: I thought creating hymn sets – also know as medleys and song sets – would be tricky. And I …
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