Dispatches from an impossible ministry situation

Rev. Dr. Laurence Hesser is the pastor of a mid-sized United Methodist church in rural Tennessee.  His own quest to understand his congregation’s needs led him to quickly learn how to make quality video, and has seen his online numbers surpass his in-person worship numbers as a result.

After years of serving congregations, Rabbi Jill Zimmerman launched out into the world of online community-building ten years ago.  Her thoughts about our current situation are informed by history, theology, and years of practical experience, and you won’t want to miss what she sees for the future of faith.

Rev. Rachel Cornwell is the pastor at Dumbarton United Methodist Church in the Georgetown community of Washington, DC.  She took this new appointment in July of this year after serving as a fundraising consultant for churches and non-profits.  She quickly adapted to a new set of preaching skills in this time of social distancing, and…

Rev. Isaac Collins began working at his current congregation in June. He’s one of several pastors I’ve interviewed here that faced the challenge of establishing themselves in the midst of the pandemic.  Isaac was part of a community in Charlottesville, VA, that was part of his formation in a prophetic ministry that he sees as…

Relying on a Facebook-only strategy for streaming your worship services is risky.  With all social media, you are not in control; a better way to go is outlined in my latest webinar.  You can find it at https://lakelandsinstitute.com/social-webinar.  I hope to see you there!

Word spread quickly that Facebook is blocking churches or removing videos of music that was pre-recorded.  I called CCLI, the music licensing company, and my belief that Facebook is inherently unreliable was reinforced by what I heard.