Adam J. Copeland
On that controversial Facebook emotion study
The best controversies are those in which the headlines make you think one thing, but the full article pushes you another way....
Sorry, Megyn Kelly, Jesus wasn't white—and thank God
This week, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, in a segment about the race of Santa Claus, reported a bomb shell. No, it wasn’t that this Christmas, in support of Obama’s socialist policies, not just Rudolph’s nose but his entire face will be painted red.
Why lead? Discipleship as leadership
Leadership is big these days. And I've become suspicious of our emphasis on what looks more and more like leadership for leadership's sake.
Testing the aims of college
College graduates who can discuss the Gettysburg Address and get a job at Google.
That’s the closing image of Jon Meacham’s Oct. 7 Time cover story, “The Class of 2025.”
What's your Facebook profile religious view? Why?
We had an interesting discussion in my Faith and Leadership class this week....
The HRC red equals sign: Share & tell
Not since Kony 2012 has my Facebook feed been awash in such a prolific meme: red Human Rights Campaign equal signs. I’m not exaggerating when I say more than half my Facebook friends (with recent updates) either have changed their Facebook profile pic or shared and/or liked the image. We discussed the fad in my Faith and Leadership class yesterday. After that conversation, I’m somehow both less cynical about social media and more convicted about the power for meaningful conversations face-to-face.
Young adults and stewardship: What gives?
Does Christian stewardship look different for millennials who grew up in our increasingly post-Christian world replete with Facebook, Justin Bieber, and legalized marijuana? Is the sky blue? Is North Dakota cold in winter?
The good folks at Luther Seminary’s Center for Stewardship Leadership and I have been in some conversations recently about young adults and stewardship.
Election-day communion and the sacrament of voting
This election cycle has included enough religion-related bickering for a lifetime of elections — there was “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” Mormon bashing, continued ignorance of President Obama’s Christian faith, and Billy Graham’s surprising endorsement of Mitt Romney (orchestrated by son Franklin?). Even though much election rancor softens after election day, our deep divisions do not simply disappear on November 7. We may take down our yard signs, but we will still be divided.
Theological doctrines, plain speech and the public square
What basic Christian tenet, doctrine or word have you struggled to “translate” into plain speech?...
Reaching out to young adults will screw up your church
I have a theory about young adults and the church. Here it goes. Let me know what you think.
While many churches say “we want young people” they don’t really. If young adults actually showed up and joined their church for good, the change they’d naturally bring with them would be stark, even off-putting. In fact, making a congregation welcoming for young adults necessarily means it will become less comfortable for the current members.
It’s just a theory, but here’s why I’m suggesting it.
Ready, set, speak!
It was late and one chair sat empty when I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach....
A year without a church
It’s been one year since I left my position as pastor of a lovely rural congregation to lead The Project F-M, a ministry that delightfully defies easy categorization but could not be called a church. It’s been one year since I’ve preached regularly, presided over the sacraments, led funeral services, visited shut-ins, taught Sunday school, been to the hospital or responded when someone said “Pastor.” One year.
Pastor friends often ask me, “Do you miss it?” It’s a complicated response.
The glory of repurposing space
Much of the tension in the second season of Downton Abbey has to do with the fact that the great house has been turned into a respite care center for army officers....
Debating religion and the presidency
At last week’s Republican Presidential Debate hosted by CNN in
Jacksonville, Florida, a wonderful question was asked of the candidates:
...
No need for church: Ministry with young adults in flux
Why are there 45,000
young adults in Fargo-Moorhead with no connection to a church? It's not a supply-side issue; there's simply no demand.
Secular sabbath vs. Christian traditions
Do today's main advocates of sabbath (or “quiet,” “rest,” “time away,” whatever you call it) approach it from a spiritual-but-not-religious perspective?
Beyond mashed potatoes
This week at Theology Pub
we discussed Thanksgiving from various angles. I found it an
interesting topic because giving thanks—and gratitude in general—is
certainly not unique to people of faith.
Can one protest corporations while wearing J. Crew and using an iPhone?
One of my more conservative friends posted this picture on his
Facebook page recently, shared under the headline, “It’s funny, because
it’s true.” I get it. Ironic, right? Maybe so. Yes, the captions make a point,
but it’s not one I find compelling.
Young adults are amoral heathens, but what’s new?
This week’s Theology Pub, a gathering of 20/30-somethings The Project FM
hosts at a local bar to talk about God and life, tackled the topic “Is
my truth better than yours?” Though it came out a few days too late,
David Brooks’ NY Times Op-Ed this week, “If it feels right,” would have been great pre-reading.
Muddling through
Leading a church that isn’t a “church,” doesn’t meet regularly, and
has a loose version of itself is all rather tricky. It’s also a lot of
...