Pastoral Scarcity: A Poem
Pastoral Scarcity: A Poem (c) Copyright 2016, by Matthew R. St. John For all the pastors everywhere For whom material sustenance is truly scarce I pray for you to be strong this day And rest well in God's sustaining grace
The Power of a Single Sigma
The Christmas story portrayed in Luke 2:1 and following is well worth the read (or re-read!). It begins, of course, with the famous decree of Caesar Augustus, prompting Joseph and Mary to make their way from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It proceeds to her giving birth to this most unusual child---Jesus---and…
Five Reflections from the Story of Ruth
New Hope Church has enjoyed a rich season tracking through the Old Testament book called "Ruth." It is the beautiful, dramatic, and yet simple story of two widows seeking to find their way past hopelessness, despair, and grief. If you have not done so, let me urge you to read…
Reflections on the American Church and Global Ministry
At a global ministry conference in Beirut, Lebanon, I was asked to share my reflections on the state of the American church and the implications of my observations for global ministry. Here is a survey of what I shared: First, evangelicalism, which is a rich theological construct, has been co-opted…
My Greatest Challenge
Leaders face no small measure of challenges. A country's president faces rogue nations and squirrelly economics and profound social schisms. The CEO of a company deals with troublesome investors and complex HR dynamics and products that sometimes fall short of consumers' expectations. Moms have to contend with defiant toddlers and…
The Mark of a Disciple
It is rather simple, really, this defining mark of a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus, of course, sums it up quite well with his pithy imperatives nestled within Mark 8:34. Here is what he says: And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone…