Here's a provocative piece that begins by reflecting on the Pew report we mentioned earlier, and then continues with a set of suggestions for changing church practice in welcoming young people. Among the suggestions, author Sam Davidson lists "get social," "marry everyone," "renovate," "new schedules" and "context as text." Check it out and tell us what you think!

There's a new Pew Report out, with clear indication that there is an increase in those who say they have "no religion." Rev. Clint Schnekloth has by far the most interesting response I've seen, arguing that:

As a weird hipster Lutheran...I am, to begin with, happy with the increase in the number of people reporting their status as "nones." I am happy that the nones feel free to be authentic about their religious commitments (or lack thereof). The Pew report states, "These trends suggest that the …

Being present is at once the most basic part of being a pastor, and the hardest. Here's a poem of a day from a sole pastor. I'll give you the conclusion to entice you to read the whole piece:

The truth is, honey, we're all wiping out all the time. There's a little bit of everything every day. Sometimes we can hide it under cute trouser jeans or behind the grace of a hopeful outing. But don't be fooled. We're all in it.

How do we help missional congregations take suffering seriously? How do we help each other to enter into our pain, and the experiences of those who are "the least among us"? We'd love to share examples from your congregations.