Orangeville United Methodist Church & Parsonage

Why we will no longer be a welcoming church

We’ve decided to quit being a welcoming church. No kidding. We’re giving it up. Like so many congregations, we’ve sunk an amazing amount of time and energy into becoming a welcoming church. We changed worship styles, trained greeters and ushers, wore name tags, brewed coffee, went to workshops on hospitality and put our friendliest people …

Why Homosexuality Is Not Like Other Sins

Homosexuality is not the only sin prohibited in the Bible, but it is different from all the rest, at least right now. And we have really good news for homosexuals.

What alcoholics can teach churches

Daybreak Fellowship blends language of addiction recovery with Christian worship

If We Can Worship Anywhere, Why Go To Church?

It doesn't just matter that we worship Jesus. It matters that we worship him with other people.

Should We Still Dress Our Best for Church?

I’m a millennial and I still think it’s best to wear our best to church. Recently my brother (Jonathan) and his wife (Vera) launched an online tie store called French Thread (shameless …

10 Traits of a Great Church Member

What kind of members does God use to build a great churchAs a pastor, I have noticed some trends among church people who help move the church forward. The following is a list of characteristics of those type of people. Not everyone will have every quality, but it’s the combination of each of them in people that builds a great church.Great church members:Believe and love God’s Word.Joshua 1:8 “Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day…

On Religion: Doing the global United Methodist math

For more than 30 years, the Reconciling Ministries Network has openly opposed United Methodist teachings that marriage is the “union of one man and one woman” and “the practice of…

Nine Technological Trends Every Church Should Consider

For too long, many churches have not only been technologically deficient, but technologically averse. But many churches are now catching up.

To those who are contemplating leaving the United Methodist Church

I write this letter with an aching heart. I have heard the pain in the voices of so many of you, wondering if it is time to “shake the dust off” and leave your local church. As your bishop, I cannot ask you to stay in a place where your soul cannot be at rest. However, I will share with you why I, a

How a small church can build a big marketing plan

Learn how small churches with limited resources can dream big and achieve their goals for local visibility.

Seven Things that Aren’t Reasons to Leave Your Church

While leaving a faith community should never be done on a whim, there are good, valid, theological and philosophical reasons for leaving a church. The reasons below are not any of them. You donR…

Is God Visible In Your Church?

Learning from Precocious Methodists

Dr. Chuck Kelley recently advanced my education. While that is not a difficult task, I remain most grateful to him. In my late teens, I read a couple of books on preaching by the Methodist scholar, W.E. Sangster. Imagine my chagrin when the learned Dr. Kelley pointed out a Sangster volume about which I was unaware. He

What St. Francis can teach United Methodists

The people of The United Methodist Church are putting our faith in action by making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.