Preparing a Sunday Liturgy: Resources for the Local Church
Our faith can be expressed in different ways. Throughout the history of the church, one of the most important ways of transmitting and capturing that faith that comes to life has been through the liturgy. Of Greek origin, liturgy means “work of the people.” In its classical sense, liturgy was interpreted as a public service. However, when this service was related to the religious sphere, liturgy referred to official worship given to the gods.
Book Review: Sympathy, Solidarity, & Silence
In classic German style, there’s a long word used to describe efforts to work through and overcome the past as the nation reckons with the Holocaust and other Nazi war crimes: Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung. After attempts toward the denazification of the government and other cultural institutions amid the post-war rebuilding and reconciliation, this process of working through the past has included the reappraising of academics, corporations, and others who supported the Nazi regime. Such reflection has also included painful but necessary looks at the actions of church leaders.
The Church and Social Media: What to Do (and Not Do)
Before thinking about the digital platforms for our Church, it is worth reflecting on the virtual space that we want to build, the objectives that we will have for this project and the characteristics that we would like our page to have. If possible, consult with members of the congregation about what type of information they would like to find on the page and in what format (text, video, image).
Witnessing Religious Liberty in Cuba
On a recent visit to Cuba I heard Pentecostal worshippers speaking in tongues and singing coritos, songs that are a part of every Latino evangelical worship service. I prayed the Lord’s Prayer shoulder-to-shoulder with Catholics, Nazarenes, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and others in an ecumenical service attended by hundreds in Havana. I talked openly with pastors about Bible translations with pastors. I worshiped at both registered and unregistered congregations, prayed before meals in homes and restaurants, and nearly broke noise ordinances with loud worship music. When I preached a sermon in the presence of Communist leaders, I felt no threat of harm or silencing.
Building the Spirit of Community: Rethinking Sunday Bible School
I understand the educational task of the Church as a process that focuses on presenting Jesus as the model of excellence that directs our life processes and helps us move towards the mission: the expansion of His Kingdom. This is why one of the healthiest ways to strengthen this experience is through Christian education. We could define Christian education as the interactive process of creating, sharing, and transforming the experience of the gospel of Jesus applied to people's lives.
‘Against All Odds, God's Call Is Irrevocable’: the Ordination of Baptist Women in Mexico
Adriana Reyes Salazar was ordained to the pastoral ministry in the city of Tijuana, Baja, California, Mexico, on October 2, 2022. Her ministry spans more than 25 years in the church Camino de Salvación, which she shares with her husband, José Altamirano, who died in 2021 from COVID. Together they founded a shelter for migrants that has accompanied hundreds of people, especially those from Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and, recently, Venezuela.
A Letter from Our Interim Executive Director
Healing is a powerful, but misunderstood, word. Of course there's a material component. During the pandemic we confronted the fragility of our bodies, realizing how easily our breath, mobility, and energy—even our lives—can be taken from us. But there's a spiritual component, too.
A Time to Heal: Summer Conference 2022 - BPFNA, Bautistas por la Paz.
From August 19 to 28, 2022, we held our Virtual Summer Conference 2022, a week with activities for all ages and groups that make up our family of peacemakers. A week of fellowship and reflection. Weeks before, we had workshops connected to our conference's theme, such as the Liturgies that Heal workshop, which resulted in the collection of liturgical resources on time to heal and resilience.