by Deborah Jenkins
 
Three names in Christian history stand, above all, for the great emancipation of the oppressed.  Chronologically they are: Moses, known as the Emancipator of Israel; Jesus Christ, Savior of the world; and Dr. …

by Clarence E. Wright
 
On August 28, 1963 at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered what would become his most famous speech. The speech would come to be known …

by Insook Lee
 
A long time ago, I served a medium-sized church as a seminarian. One day, the associate pastor’s wife came to see me.  I knew that she and her husband had had conflicts with …

by Linda Seatts-Ogletree
 
There are many quotes, interpretations, and axioms on dreams and visions. One very popular quote we often hear is, “Teamwork makes the Dream Work.” When we engage “teamwork makes the dream work” in …

by Larrin Robertson
 
The fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a crucial moment in the movement toward Civil Rights to which King gave himself. King became America’s leading prophetic …

by Janiqua Codrington

Codrington expounds on the mysterious connection between ourselves and God and what it is that keeps us aligned with creation according to the understanding that the Spirit of God is within. Interestingly, Jürgen Moltmann’s insightful metaphor captures the Spirit’s wholeness by calling it the Spirit of Life; the unrestricted presence of God that awakens our life. “Unrestricted presence” precludes any attempt to contain the Spirit that never sought to be confined. The Spirit of Life is available to the whole of creation and forges a connection that extends beyond human limitation and prejudice, thereby forming “spirituality.”

by Linda Anderson-Little

According to Rick Rouse and Craig Van Gelder, certain shifts in identity must be undertaken by a congregation that desires to transform its traditional ministry to one that engages millennials, the “spiritual but not religious,” and “nones” from maintenance to mission; membership to discipleship; pastor centered to lay empowered; chaplaincy to hospitality; self-focus to global-focus; and settled to abroad.

by Kevin Yoho

Being created by God as spiritual beings, life which is sourced by The Spirit is available to all. The community of faith must always remember that the Church and its leaders are called to be authentic, open channels for God’s spiritual energy to flow through us. We ourselves however, are not the spiritual energy as discussed in this article, but rather are immersed and filled with spiritual energy sourced in God. Each of us as followers of Jesus Christ are gathered and sent on the mission to release spiritual energy.

by Moses Biney

This short article interrogates the notion that religious affiliation is of little or no importance to spiritual life. Further, it asserts that religious congregations continue to be very vital for spiritual formation and living. As a starting point, we must problematize the concept of spirituality.

by Carolyn A. Wright

In seasons of Lent, as the Church again invites us to focus our energies and embrace in new and deeper ways the three spiritual practices, prayer is an option. Wright suggests that when choosing prayer, one should ask, “Do we desire God?” or more pointedly, “Do I desire God” Prayer is communication with God, but it is also an excursion to unexplored realms. Wright suggests that we might today employ the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales—a ‘guru’ who can indeed, teach us to keep our eyes on Jesus during our spiritual travel.

by Kathleen Geraty Davis

Spiritual direction has ancient roots in religious communities and among spiritual seekers. Within the past few decades, it has become much more widespread as more lay people are discerning a call and finding access to programs throughout the world designed to teach and form them to be spiritual directors. Spiritual direction is found in multiple faith traditions but the goal is universal. Spiritual directors, first and foremost seek to help others deepen their relationship with God (or however what is Sacred and Holy is named) through regular meetings, ongoing contemplative practice and committed presence to the endless movement of Spirit.

by Jeff Dailey

Dailey introduces us to using other writings to preach the Word of God and illustrate theological concepts, those of John Donne, the “Holy Sonnets.” Eight years younger than Shakespeare, English writer John Donne lived from 1572 to 1631. Donne was one of the greatest poets in the English Renaissance, yet was conflicted. Even living in a violent era where physical well-being was precarious, he experienced more than the usual amount of death and conflict. Donne used poetry to experience God, a relationship that was not always pleasant. But he also used his poetry to reconcile with God, and to come to a greater understanding of the divine.