Baptist Churches in Belarus
Baptists living in what is now Belarus have experienced war, shifting borders, persecution and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Their history gives them a unique perspective on what it means to follow Christ and suffer for him.
Universal Design for Worship
Barbara Newman shares how the entire worshiping community benefits from worship services that are designed and led with the goal of including everyone.
Eric Washington on God’s Sovereignty and Slavery
Sometimes it’s awkward for Christians of different cultures to talk together about God’s presence in slavery. Eric Washington provides a way forward.
African American Worship Treasures
Six church musicians and scholars explain why treasures and challenges in African American worship traditions apply to churches in any cultural context.
Young R. Kim on Learning from a Fourth-Century Saint
Catholic and Orthodox Christians consider Epiphanius of Cyprus a saint because he was pious and opposed heresy. Protestants can learn from him as well.
Reconciling with the Church
Pope Francis recently said "Christians are not made in a laboratory, but in a community called the church." But what about those people for whom the church has been a source of pain?
Jerry Sittser on Growing through Adversity and Spiritual Practices
You probably gather for worship with both lifelong worshipers and those new to the Bible. Jerry Sittser mines the history of Christian spirituality for nuggets that give life to all levels of worshipers.
How Visual Arts Move Us from Brokenness to Beauty
Visual artists can help us start talking about major life issues that we don’t often acknowledge in worship.
How Churches Link Art, Faith and Life
People who know how to make beautiful things with their hands are being welcomed to use their God-given gifts in worship and congregational life.
Colleen Kwong on Using Art to Include Shut-ins
When strokes, illness or other challenges keep people from attending worship, they often fall off the congregation’s radar. Here are ideas for using visual arts to reconnect and include such people in worship and church life.
Peggy Goetz on Churches and Stroke Survivors
Stroke is a leading cause of disability in adults around the world, so your congregation probably includes—or will soon include—stroke survivors. And about a third of stroke survivors suffer from some form of communication impairment. Peggy Goetz researches the experience of stroke survivors in their church communities.
Peggy Goetz on Planning Worship with Stroke Survivors
Peggy Goetz is a communication arts and sciences professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Observing her speech pathology students in Calvin’s stroke clinic sparked her to research the experience of stroke survivors in their church communities.