by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Dec 14, 2021
As our awareness of different cultures and traditions grows, it’s good to remember that woven right within our Christian traditions are older, more diverse practices. Jesus, for example, is Jewish. Some of the traditions and practices that Jesus experienced as a...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Oct 19, 2020
George Bullard’s pivotal work, The Life Cycle and Stages of a Congregation, reinforces what the author of Proverbs once said, “Without a vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV). It turns out this proverb holds true for churches, too. Bullard demonstrates that...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Feb 27, 2020
As the United States slides toward authoritarianism, and the United Methodist Church slides toward schism, it’s easy to be resigned. What can I do, anyway, you might ask? Don’t “they” have all the power? How can I create a divine partnership? I...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Feb 13, 2020
As United Methodists face General Conference 2020 and the potential of forming new church bodies, it feels as though the denomination is at a significant crossroad. It’s as if we are doing something we have never done before. If only that were true. Let’s...
by Rebekah Simon-Peter | Jul 16, 2017
Why do good churches die? I’m not talking about churches who have an apparent fatal flaw like mean or nasty people, terrible location, clergy sexual misconduct, uninspiring worship or the like. Churches can and do recover from all of those things. No, I’m...