by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Nov 12, 2019
At Shepherd of the Hills Church, it’s been a long time since the cries of children interrupted worship. That’s okay with this aging congregation. Although they miss younger people, they appreciate less commotion. If only they could get some responsible families,...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Sep 21, 2019
Last year, I had the opportunity to hear Ed Wingfield, one-time Executive Director of the former Denver Urban League speak on leadership. “Using our current models of leadership, if we’re not careful, a few heroes will rise economically in our community. But no one...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Sep 14, 2019
At one church I visited recently, a long-time member confided that the church was going to have to split because the two pastors had differing views on human sexuality and the Bible. Why can’t our differences live side by side? They do in the Bible. ...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Jun 19, 2017
Renewal is an elusive quality in most congregations. It’s also widely misunderstood. Congregational renewal is not created by more people in pews, more bible studies or more outreach. It’s not a function of working harder or even smarter. It doesn’t come by getting...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Nov 28, 2016
What’s the main reason people leave the church? It’s not politics. It’s not traditional worship. It’s not talk of money. It’s not unfriendly or overbearing people. It’s not the appearance or age of the building. It’s not generationally-imbalanced...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Feb 15, 2016
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic 1937 book, The Cost of Discipleship, describes cheap grace as the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline and communion without confession. It’s the sort of grace that allowed...
