BCNE News
The latest news from our network of New England churches. Looking for our New England Perspectives Articles? Click here.
Prayer brings peace
J.I. Packer once described prayer as “finding our way through duty to delight.” What an apt description of the journey that prayer leads us into. The path of prayer will always lead us away from anxiety and toward peace and delight.
A tale of two cups
An invisible cup was handed to me on the occasion of my first breath, filled with a story I'd sip one day at a time until kingdom come. The taste of this narrative fluctuates—periodically sweet, often tangy, frequently bitter.
Jesus lived, Merry Christmas!
Christmas is right around the corner! We as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as God coming, crashing into our world, in history and clothed in flesh. There is a growing objection to Christmas that goes something like this: “We don’t even know if Jesus was a real person. He may have been a myth made up by the Church.” The good news is this is a question we can answer without too much difficulty, since our faith is a historical one, rooted in God’s work within time and space.
Christmas: God with us
We are getting close to that time of year when our social media and photo apps will offer up our “Year in Review,” allowing us to see the highlights of one year all in a few minutes. I love being reminded of the good days, the moments of laughter, and of the Lord’s faithfulness stretching out over another year of my life.
Light of the world
I love living in New England. I love the history, the ocean, the people. But there’s one thing that I just do not like. I hate that in the winter the sun goes down so early and the days are so short. I find myself really looking forward to the Winter Solstice. It may be the shortest day, but I know from that day forward each day will get a bit longer and include a little more daylight. It’s a bit easier to face the shorter days, when I know we are one step closer to spring and sunshine.
When staff become stuck in church revitalization
Staffing issues in church revitalization can be frustrating. There are seasons when your staff can become stuck and set in their ways and thinking. This can result in barriers that stop the church from moving forward. Typically, when a new staff member joins a church staff team, there is a sense of excitement. They are fresh with lots of new ideas, but over time that excitement can begin to wane.
Preparing your family to savor the Christmas season
We are just days away from gathering with our family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. Many will probably enjoy the meal and then quickly launch into the Christmas frenzy! Let me suggest four practices that you could incorporate into the four weeks leading up to Christmas in order to bring your focus back on the meaning of Christmas and give your family an opportunity to bond in a special way and savor the true meaning of Christmas.
Preaching lessons
After having just finished a lengthy series through the Epistle to the Romans, which took over a year, it is a good time to reflect on the ministry of preaching. Here are some practical tips I have found helpful that other preachers might find helpful as well.
Bells and whistles
When I was serving as the pastor of a local church, I remember how exciting it was to see a young family come into the church. I recall one family that came to us with a lot of challenges. For two years, we poured into their lives and helped them overcome financial hurdles, marriage struggles, challenges raising their kids, and past trauma. Over time, they gradually shifted from being our perpetual mission project to becoming fully devoted followers of Christ. It was exciting to watch.
Living thankful
Sounds easy—a prayer before your meal, a “#blessed” tag on social media, a bumper sticker, a t-shirt, or a thankful post a day during November. When done with a reflective heart, these point to gratefulness. Living in thankfulness day in and day out is most often another matter.
A song of thanksgiving
It was a Thanksgiving I’d never forget. A few years ago, I stayed home while my family traveled out of state for the holidays. Fresh out of college and wanting to assert my independence, I didn’t let my grandmother, who lived down the road from me, know that I would be home alone. The day before Thanksgiving, I drove home from work in some light snow, thinking it would stop after a couple inches.
New England Baptists celebrate ethnic ministries leading in evangelism
“The mission field has become the mission force” – the theme and phrase heard most at the Baptist Churches of New England’s 40th Annual Meeting on October 28-29, 2022. The phrase, coined at last year’s annual meeting, describes what God has been doing within and through ethnic ministries in New England. It was a historic meeting for multiple reasons.
Learning to feed yourself
When I was little, my grandfather would let me feed myself whenever I was at his home, a welcomed change from my mother feeding me. It was messy as I was still learning to do it correctly. But eventually, by doing it myself, I mastered it. It is not strange for a baby to be fed, but that must change as they grow and mature.
What’s wrong with being old?
In today’s youth-obsessed American consumerism culture, no one wants to be considered “old.” It’s regarded as a playful insult (but still an insult) when a younger person says to an older person, “ok, Boomer,” indicating that the older person is a part of the Boomer population. Using Facebook instead of Instagram or Tiktok is considered old. I recently read an article that said responding with a thumbs-up emoji is now a sign of being old. And only “old people” still write checks for things!
Your church may qualify for (more) government refunds because of COVID shutdowns
Is your church leaving money on the table? Did you know that there are more COVID refunds available from IRS beyond the PPP program? Yes, it is true. And the dollars available in the new program are bigger than PPP!!
5 ways the church can help in the wake of the mental health crisis
There’s a sickness affecting nearly half of the people in our congregations, yet we often choose to ignore it. We don’t understand it. We are afraid to talk about it. I thought I knew about this illness. I’d read about it and known some people with it, but two years ago, when this sickness hit my house like a ton of bricks, I realized that I didn’t have a clue. I’m talking about mental illness.
10 suggestions to keep Jesus first
There are only 10 commandments. God alone makes commandments that can transcend times and cultures. We aren’t so audacious to think we could come up with similar commands for keeping Jesus first in restoring people to Him through outreach ministry. But, these principles have helped us greatly and God has used them mightily in bringing true & lasting restoration to people.
What’s in a name?
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on how long it’s taken me to appreciate my own name. It’s a funny story: When my mom was pregnant with me, my parents were so convinced that I was going to be a boy that they picked out the name Samuel months in advance. Once I was born (and they got over their surprise), a quick search through a Korean name book brought them to Daneem, a variation of the word for “moon.”
From Wales to Vermont
My first connection with Vermont was back in 2011 when Wes Pastor, a member of BCNE and founder of NETS, took a special module at my Bible College in South Wales. I remember him saying that he saw many parallels between the general culture and spiritual climate of New England and Northern Europe; and Wales, in particular. Little did I know then that just over a decade later I would visit him and others in Vermont.
BCNE Board of Directors meeting celebrates a fruitful summer and receives training in sexual abuse response
With eleven board members present in person and six online, the BCNE Board of Directors meeting on October 13, 2022, focused on celebrations of God's work in New England and training in sexual abuse response.