The Presbyterian Mission Agency announced today the creation of two newly configured organizations, Communications Ministry and Funds Development Ministry. Terri Bate will serve as Senior Director for Funds Development Ministry. Recruiting will begin for a Senior Director for Communications Ministry. The new structure, upon GA approval, will replace the previously consolidated structure: Communications & Funds Development.

The real job of Christians and their communities is “to entice people into the kingdom [of God] mission,” James Bryan Smith told the PC(USA)’s Disciple-Making Conference here today (Jan. 24). “not by guilting or shaming, but by convincing them that this is the most exciting thing they can be involved in. If we do this, it’s unlimited what God can do.”

Praying, worshiping, listening—anything but judging. That seems to sum up the Blue Jean Church ministry best.

This casual, contemporary service includes live and recorded music, speakers from the community, and whatever else the Spirit inspires—and in no particular order. What some may view as chaos, others see as transforming. Include Bob Armstrong, at least, among the latter.

Armstrong is a member of First Presbyterian Church in Selma, Alabama, and a local judge. As the church session brainstormed ways to increase attendance and reach out to the community, Armstrong decided it was time to think radically.

When she was eight years old, Sara Hayden had narrowed her career choices to three ― dolphin trainer, Olympic gymnast gold medalist, and catcher for the Oakland A’s baseball team.

The persecution of Christians “vastly rose” in 2012 as radical Islamists consolidated power in Africa, according to Open Doors, a Christian missionary organization that publishes an annual list of offending nations.

Christians (and others) must “ruthlessly eliminate hurry from their lives” in order to establish “margins” that will allow them to take better care of their relationships with God, themselves and others, James Bryan Smith told the PC(USA)’s Disciple-Making Conference here today (Jan. 23).

The Thoughtful Christian marketplace and resource center has recently released a brand new downloadable study for Lent. The study, titled “An Acceptable Fast: An Adult Lenten Study,” was written by Old Testament scholar and teacher Patricia K. Tull and designed for use over six weeks.

As the disciples of Jesus were told to lighten their loads for the journey to follow him, believers today are called to shed the burdens they carry and follow Christ, the Rev. Sara Hayden told worshipers at the PC(USA)’s Disciple-Making Conference here this evening (Jan. 22).

A presidential inauguration is by tradition the grandest ritual of America’s civil religion, but President Obama took the oath of office Jan. 21 in a ceremony that was explicit in joining theology to the nation’s destiny and setting out a biblical vision of equality that includes race, gender, class, and, most controversially, sexual orientation.

We are thankful for the tens of thousands of volunteers who have offered themselves in service helping to clean, repair and rebuild homes of families affected by numerous disasters throughout the United States. 

While it has been three months since Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey and New York; thousands of families are still homeless and the recovery – like Hurricane Katrina – will take years. As with Hurricane Katrina, many families will need the faithful witness and service of volunteers to help rebuild their homes.

Therefore, as an act of solidarity with families affected by Hurricane Sandy and other disasters throughout the United States, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is asking that you designate February 17, 2013 — the first Sunday in Lent (and beginning of the One Great Hour of Sharing offering promotion) — as “wear your blue PDA T-shirt Sunday”. We know there are thousands of you who have ‘earned’ a PDA T-shirt through your faithful service of ministering to survivors of other disasters.