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The demographic reality of California—especially Los Angeles, where most Spanish-speaking churches receive many immigrants—inspired Pastor Francisco Zamora of Modus Church and his leaders, Eunice Soriano and Barnett Quiñones, to launch the "Immigrant Church Project.”
In this episode, Nathan Longfield, pastor of Emmaus Church, a newer worshiping community, talks about their year-long project that explored embodiment and trauma-informed practices to more deeply engage in worship as a congregation and community.
Young adults with intellectual disability (ID) often feel left out, even at church. But schools, churches, and agencies can work together to create a sense of belonging that nurtures everyone. Inclusive postsecondary education increases opportunity for employment, independent living, and sharing God-given gifts.
Churches sometimes ignore or separate children and adults with intellectual disability from general church worship and congregational life. But schools, service agencies, and churches can expand one another’s imaginations about what’s possible for and with people with intellectual and development disabilities. Even small congregations can experience the joy of learning to include all abilities in the body of Christ.
Although Ezekiel’s strange visions and often shocking images perplex readers, Old Testament scholar Daniel I. Block explains why the book of Ezekiel is worth reading. The judgment, grace, and love God spoke through Ezekiel to Israel also apply to the church today.
Many congregations don’t realize that the way they arrange their space, talk in worship, or define giftedness and leadership speaks volumes to people with different bodies and minds. The message is: “We don’t see you as a welcomed and valued member of Christ’s body.”
Many ideas for welcoming and including people with disabilities are remarkably simple. These changes turn out to be good for everyone in church worship and congregational life.
Exploring African Christianity’s golden era and its continued impact on global Christianity helps Black millennials and Gen Zers see themselves in God’s redemptive history. It also provides a needed corrective to all who identify Christianity as mainly a white religion.
Kevin Adams explores the beautiful gifts of framing words for worship—the “conversation of worship”—that are lifegiving and engaging.
Church retreats, church governance meetings, and church small groups require honesty, vulnerability, and transparency to collectively draw closer to God. Psychologist Keith M. Douds explains how and when to step in with grace and preserve safety so that everyone has a chance to share and be listened to.
Christians sometimes believe that because God forgives our sins, we should always appear happy and should not talk about pain and anger. But Christians involved in the Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations ministry of reconciliation explain how inviting the Holy Spirit to surface our wounds can eventually lead us to see more facets of God’s glory.
As in many denominations with a single ethnic majority, the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH) is working to be more welcoming to other cultures. As leader of the RCH Roma Ministry, Szabina Sztojka focuses on reconciliation, health, and hope to nurture Roma gifts and leadership in churches and schools.
