I want to tell you a story about a guy named Vlad. First, you need to know that Vlad is not this man’s real name, it’s an alternate identity he crafted for himself as part of his hard rock lifestyle. Vlad is a guy from Kentucky who found the Facebook page for the church I…
Tag: Ministry
An Open Letter to Pastors Still Having In-Person Worship Services
Dear Brothers and Sisters: First, you need to know that this comes from a place of deep love in Jesus Christ. My intention is not to start a fight or to bash you. However, I need to have some real talk for a minute. If you’re continuing to have worship services with your congregation in…
Hello, Americus Parish (Pleasant Hill UMC and Salem UMC in George County)!
Greetings, Saints of Pleasant Hill UMC and Salem UMC! I’m Jonathan Tullos and I’m thrilled that I’ve been appointed to serve the Americus Parish beginning in June. My wife, Jessica, and I are eager to meet you all and to start getting to know you. Currently, I serve the Druid Hills-Lost Gap Charge in Meridian….
To Pastors and Churches Having Online Worship Today
Dear Pastors Leading Worship Online Today: I see you. More importantly, God sees you. I’m in this boat with you so I’m experiencing this “new normal” with you. And, like you, I will get the experience of leading prayer, proclaiming scripture, and preaching a sermon in an empty worship space (minus two musicians and our…
Got a Smartphone? You Can Stream Your Service
With COVID-19 causing many congregations to shut their doors to the public, there has been a lot of discussion of streaming worship. There have been articles about everything it takes in order to stream, several of which includes a laundry list of expensive equipment to buy. I’ve been streaming my sermons since 2015 and when…
Pastoring in a Pandemic
This has got to the most challenging time for ministry so far, at least in my short career. When I began candidacy and seminary, I never imagined that I would find myself ministering in the midst of a global pandemic. There were no classes offered on how to manage a congregation in the midst of…
The Clergy-Laity Disconnect
When Methodism was getting on its feet in the 18th Century, the movement was largely one spread by… wait for it… the laity! That’s right, it wasn’t ordained or licensed pastors who were out beating the bushes with the good news of the gospel for all people who the church either couldn’t or wouldn’t reach…
Women, Preach! A Response to John MacArthur
John MacArthur telling Beth Moore that she and other women who preach ought to “go home” has been well documented. He further insisted, “There is no case that can be made biblically for a woman preacher. Period. Paragraph. End of discussion” (something I believe is a load of bunk). Except with those whom also espouse…
#NextMethodism? What About #MethodismNow?
Another day, another UMC-related hashtag. The hashtag flavor of the week is #NextMethodism. Some of the United Methodist Church’s brightest – mainly on the conservative side but a few moderates – have been engaging in conservation about their visions, hopes, and dreams of what may come out of any split of the United Methodist Church….
HIPAA and the Church
When I first became an EMT, I worked for an ambulance service that was based at a hospital in rural Mississippi. As it was a hospital-based service, I was required to sit through the same new employee orientation as nurses and others who worked within the hospitals. A large chunk of the session was spent…