Barnabas File

“When are we finished being formed as disciples of Jesus Christ? It’s not over until it’s over (in the ultimate sense). We are always a work in progress, with more room to grow. So every congregation needs ways to continue the journey.”—SHIFT I have always loved the analogy of the Christian life as a journey.  The paradox is that each of us begins that journey in a unique place but we all begin at the same place.  Not everyone has a Damascus road experience as the apostle Paul did but this does not make our decision less valid.  Some of us grew up in the church while others came to a commitment to Christ in our maturity.  We brought our own backgrounds, experiences, and God-given gifts into that relationship. At the same time, we all begin the journey as babes, unformed and untested. The wonderful thing about our journey with Christ is that it is ongoing and continuous.  As Mark Tidsworth points out in the quote above from SHIFT:...

During the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in Greensboro last month, I attended a workshop led by Bo Prosser, CBF Coordinator of Organizational Relationships, and Gary Skeen, President of the CBF Church Benefits Board.  They announced the launch of an initiative by CBF to address the economic challenges facing pastoral leaders which is largely funded by a grant from the Lilly Foundation. One of the most striking parts of the meeting was the report of a survey of 642 pastoral leaders on the topic.  Four pressing concerns were identified from this data. First, those surveyed carried a heavy debt load.  Of those surveyed, 67 percent carry a debt that equaled up to two times their annual salary.  Student loans or educational debt made up 41 percent of respondent debt. Second, health benefits are limited.  Forty-four percent of the participants did not receive medical benefits from their employers.  Of this 44 pe...

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” -- Leo Tolstoy We often think about and plan for change in society, culture, and organizations, but ultimately all change is personal.  Whenever something shifts in our environment, we are impacted by the change. On the personal level, it may be entering into or leaving a marriage.  On a family level, it might be the birth of a child, the departure of a young adult to take on a job or pursue education, or the loss of a loved one.  On the professional level, the change may occur due to taking a new position or losing an old one.  These relationship and environmental changes have direct personal implications for us as individuals. We often fail to see that organizational changes also are personal.  When your church decides to add a new worship service and change the Sunday schedule, your world changes.  Extended family may choose to attend another s...