Holy Conversation (Feb/Mar/Apr 2011)

Ministry is a two-way street. The way we counsel, evangelize, lead, learn, and even preach depends on the give and take of both parties in a dance of holy conversation. Learning to speak and listen in ways that encourage this open exchange is essential to fruitful ministry. This issue discusses how we nurture these conversations in various contexts and on various subjects. From counseling and evangelizing in a bar to helping a dying congregation look to the future, we practice holy conversations.

In This Issue

articles Holy Listening
- By Neil M. Alexander
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
He was sitting across from me in our small group gathering, head bowed and hands clasped in his lap. It seemed a bit unusual for him to suddenly move from an intense declaration…
articles Relational Preaching: Conversation and Collaboration in the Postmodern Sermon
- By Mary J. Scifres
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
Preaching in the postmodern world has evolved into an intriguing art form that invites creativity and conversation in new and exciting ways. Whether you preach in a large or small …
articles From Last Call to My Call
- By Jerry Herships
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
After more than ten years of on-and-off bartending, I made the leap and accepted my call to ordained ministry. From the time it was suggested to the time the Bishop placed her…
articles Holy Conferencing: Unity amid Diversity
- By Sally Dyck
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
Conflict is not new to the church. The disciples were arguing as they gathered for the Last Supper, debating who was the greatest among them! Members of Jesus’ rag-tag…
articles The Legacy Conversation: Helping a Congregation Die with Dignity
- By Gil Rendle
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
The numbers are simply against a good portion of our small North American congregations. North American Protestantism has always been a small-church experience. While most of the…
articles Pastoral Care in a Digital Age
- By Sally Coleman
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
I wear two very different pastoral hats. I am a Methodist minister in my late 40s, working a rural circuit in North Yorkshire, UK, where the average age of a typical congregation …
articles Leadership for Introverts
- By Olu Brown
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
As a kid I was pretty normal. I played sports with my friends, enjoying all of the exciting kids’ stuff young people do. As I stumbled through adolescence and into my…
articles Talking about Justice: Tips for Pastors
- By Darlene E. R. Resling
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
Social justice can be an intimidating concept for pastors to address in the local congregation. I recently traveled with twenty-two other United Methodist pastors to learn about…
articles Telling Our Stories and Growing as Disciples
- By Roger Frederick
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
Storytelling has been a staple of human culture since the beginning, but I wonder how many of us today understand the power of these holy conversations for nurturing disciples. As …
articles Interfaith Dialogue (and Trialogue)
- By Mouzon Biggs
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
When I grew up in Panola County, Texas, I knew no Jews and no Muslims. However, when I was a student at Centenary College in Shreveport, La., two of my favorite professors…
articles Angel in a Gray Sweatsuit
- By Brian Erickson
- Posted on February 1st, 2011
June 2008 There is a woman in a gray sweatsuit screaming “At the Foot of the Cross” into a microphone she does not need. The pianist, whose hair resembles something…