Featured Poll

Masks, no masks. Don’t worry about it, just like a bad flu – or the end of the world. Opinions run a broad spectrum. So does the suggested goverment response.

Has your state (probably led by the governor) chose the best course, in your opinon?

Feel free to opine, and, if you wish, mention your state.

Mine is Indiana, and I have a pretty positive assessment.

Poll Results

Has your state been handling the COVID pandemic well?

IS YOUR CHURCH CONSIDERED DENOMINATIONAL?

A recent postings article from SI documented a significant drop in the SBC (Souther Baptist Convention). At the same time, a link article (available HERE —link is external)) document growth among non-denominational churches.

In our area, some of this growth has come form UMC going independent.

Sometimes taking a break gives us a new perspective. The COVID quarantine might be such a perspective changer.

Will we want to do less church after COVID? As humorist Will Rogers put it, “The government taxes us to build roads, and the Baptists wear them out going to meetings.”

Or will we have a surge of activity as soon as possible.

Will your church become simpler or more complex? Or will it eventually return to what it was before the corona virus hit?

Our church’s mission statement is summarized in three words….. reaching, connecting, deepening. As the COVID quarantine continues, the challenge is to stay connected. We are doing this by having everyone receive a phone call every other week from an elder, emails, and our weekly e-church service.

We are considering other options, like an interactive Bible study. We may eventually use zoom in the process, though we are not right now.

Does your church use something like this now?

Poll Results

I know Romans would probably lead the pack if we included longer epistles in our choice list, but we are not.

We all have our favorites. Feel free to share WHY you made the choice you did.

Poll Results

What is your favorite SHORTER New Testament Epistle?

I know some states have not been hit much with COVID-19. So you may end up canceling your vote and changing it, who knows?

By work status, we mean, “Where do you work from…or are you working?”

Poll Results

What is your work status?

By normal life, I mean no more quarantined areas or states, no more restrictions, and plenty of toilet paper in the stores. Some things may never go back to the way they were (for example, our entire society might go germ-phobic).

Poll Results

When Do You Think We Will Get Back to Normal Life? This is about guessing, not knowing.

Some churches in some countries and regions of the U.S. have canceled their services because of the Corona Virus outbreak. The Virus in now spreading throughout the U.S. If you area is affected and you are advised or constrained to cancel church gatherings, what measures would you be prepared to take?

Note: “Keeping in touch by email” would include possibly phone calls for those who don’t have email.

Alos, please comment — especially if you have suggestions. This post might be a wellspring of ideas that could prove helpful.

Poll Results

This is a difficult question, but with Aaron’s post about this being his last year leading SI, it has caused us to reflect.

Our hope and prayer is that another individual or group would be able to continue SI and its unique niche in our lives.

SI has blessed me in so many ways, and you probably have the same testimony.

Is there anything that stands out ahead of the pack, even slightly?

Please comment as well.

Leaders get a lot of criticism. Sometimes people try to engineer them into being what they are not.

I remember a pastor friend who saw two people the same day in his office. One man said he was leaving the church because his preaching wasn’t emotional enough. The second man later said he was leaving the church because the preaching was too emotional.

People read a book about humility, and they want to humble their leader. Then they lead a book about forceful leadership, and they want a leader who is not afraid of conflict or ruffling feathers.