Exuberant Hospitality at First Baptist Church @NJShorePatch

Exuberant hospitality. That’s how I’d describe Sunday morning worship at First Baptist Church of Manasquan. The worship band was playing before the service began July 17 and soon after I sat down Rev. Joseph Gratzel came over and gave… Read More

Faith at Work, Part 4: Turning Corporate Leadership Upside Down @TheHighCalling

Ken Melrose is well known for employing a model of servant leadership to turn around the Toro company when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. Earlier this year, he returned to Princeton University, his alma mater, to… Read More

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: July 11-15

Foreclosures Hit Churches Hard: A troubling increase in church foreclosures, especially among African American congregations, has us wondering whether too many churches have jeopardized their witness for the sake of an extravagant new building. Was Slavery Better for Black… Read More

Faith at Work, Part 3: Uncompromising Ethics @TheHighCalling

Jimmy Dunne is, by his own admission, a man who sees the world in black and white. In a time when shades of gray are increasingly admired, this is not always a popular perspective. But Dunne’s singular vision became… Read More

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: July 4-8

It was a short work week because of the Fourth of July holiday, so even though I wrote three posts for Urban Faith, only one was published this week, and perhaps that’s appropriate given that it’s a bit… Read More

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: 6/27-7/1

New Laws, Shifting Demographics: Whether the issue is gay marriage, the ‘war on drugs,’ African American marriage prospects, or the plight of undocumented immigrants, Americans are confronting the issues. Michael Tait: ‘Living Integration’: The dc Talk veteran and current Newsboys… Read More

Faith at Work, Part 2: Avodah & the Faith at Work Movement @TheHighCalling

When Laity Leadership Institute Senior Fellow David W. Miller was studying biblical Hebrew in seminary, he discovered a concept that would come to define his work. “As I was slogging through Hebrew vocabulary, I came across the word avodah…. Read More

Faith at Work, Part 1: Personal Journey Becomes Professional for David W. Miller @TheHighCalling

Laity Leadership Senior Fellow David W. Miller was flourishing in his career as a senior executive and partner at a London bank, and felt called to that career, but he seldom, if ever, heard clergy talk about how to integrate… Read More

Family Recipe & Entrepreneur Program Help Baker Bounce Back after Lay Off @NJShorePatch

Seannee Harris combined a cherished family recipe with education to launch dessert business. Seannee Harris comes from a traditional family that places a high value on education, but when she was laid off from her auditing job at… Read More

Globetrotting toward a Spiritual Center and a Sense of Shared Humanity @NJShorePatch

 Dean Fengya’s accidental adventure evolved into a business with a spiritual core. If you’ve driven the stretch of Route 88 where Point Pleasant Beach meets Bay Head, you’ve probably noticed Dean Fengya’s colorful collection of ceramic pots at… Read More

A Fitting Tribute

Over the weekend, my niece and I joined 2000+ suicide survivors for the 18 mile Overnight Walk through New York City. A record $2.5 million was raised for suicide prevention, research, and survivor support services. Our team contributed… Read More

Ginger Ice Cream Spices Up Dessert Wars for the Win @LongBranchPatch

Mr.Green Tea Ice Cream Company takes top prize. It was a packed house last night for Dessert Wars at Branches Catering in West Long Branch. The event was hosted by 94.3 The Point with proceeds going to the Food Bank of Monmouth… Read More