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ruminations, fulminations, and cogitations on the spiritual life

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Christian Life

We Need School-like Churches.

As a kid, I was bookish.  I loved sports.  I took piano lessons.  I participated in 4H.  I liked to hang out with my friends.  But I also loved to read.  Sometimes I got so absorbed in what I was

Stephen Rankin January 18, 2021 Christian Life, Doctrine/Theology, Religion, The Church 9 Comments Read more

May We See the Unseen

  A blessed Christmastide to you and Happy New Year.  This time of year always brings on a taking stock frame of mind.  Recently mine has revolved around pondering the dual aspect of reality – seen and unseen.  How does

Stephen Rankin December 30, 2020December 31, 2020 Christian Life, Religion No Comments Read more

The Transformation of Congregational Culture

In Hosea 2, we find a beautiful promise of restoration immediately after God’s judgment against Israel’s infamous infidelity. The language in the promise is that of the New Creation. “On that day” God will reclaim the adulteress Israel.  The Lord

Stephen Rankin September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 Christian Life, Ministry, Religion, The Church, United Methodism No Comments Read more

Guest Blog: The Purpose of Youth Ministry

(The following essay comes from the Rev. Wendy Mohler Seib, a PhD candidate in practical theology and Director of Faith Formation for Youth and Young Adults at the Institute for Discipleship at Southwestern College.  The American church needs to re-think

Stephen Rankin August 20, 2020 Christian Life, Emerging adults, Ministry, Religion, youth ministry No Comments Read more

The Church Needs a Gestalt Shift

“Gestalt” – a word some of us academic types use on occasion.  Gestalt has to do with perception, of seeing the whole, all at once, rather than parts.   Many more have surely seen the image of the woman/women that illustrates

Stephen Rankin July 21, 2020 Christian Life, Doctrine/Theology, Ministry, Religion, The Church 4 Comments Read more
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Meet Steve

I serve as Executive Director of the Spiritual Maturity Project, a ministry some of us have recently started.  For 25 years I worked in higher education as a professor and chaplain and before that as a pastor.  I love to help people grapple with big and basic questions to grow into real ,grown-up Christian discipleship.

I ruminate on all manner of theological, biblical, historical, and cultural topics. I believe followers of Jesus need to be more like members of Issachar’s tribe, able to read the times. Read more

 

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