Ministry Inspiration

Whenever I find ministry inspiration out in the wild, I link to it here. Enjoy!

I try to look for inspiration from non-Christian sources, because it is forever the preacher’s job to find the internal logics of ‘secular’ society and convey the Gospel in relevant ways. I’ll leave it to you to connect the dots between the inspo and God’s love!

I don’t own any of this content, and I link to every source I use.

Also: I tend to play fast and loose. If it catches my attention, I post it. Please don’t consider this a complete endorsement of the organizations (or a particular political party or candidate) that produced these.

 
 

The Homefulness Project

An indigenous-led solution to homelessness in Oakland.

EdX for Online Learning

What if seminaries offered this? (Do seminaries offer this?)

“Religious Landscape Study” (Pew)

City-specific data on a wide variety of religious beliefs.

Building Resilient Organizations (The Forge)

Maurice Mitchell offers mic-droppingly good insight on current community organizing culture.

Upward Mobility Framework (The Urban Institute)

24 evidence-based predictors of the strength for long-term prosperity in our communities.

Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Childhood Development (Georgetown University)

Surprising no one, excessive screen time is not great for young kids! But This article also describes potential benefits and opportunities for parents to care about their child’s screen time.

Understanding Cancel Culture (The Forge)

A helpful exploration of intra-movement dynamics of ‘cancel culture.’

Justice Outcomes Explorer (University of Michigan)

A tool designed to ‘help answer fundamental questions about law enforcement, criminal courts, and correctional supervision and their impact on society.’

Project 2025 Tracker

Remember when they came out with Project 2025? This tracks how that’s going.

Creation It Rings (Album)

Let the record show I would be a fan of this even if I wasn’t married to the musician…

“Erica Chenoweth illuminates the value of nonviolent resistance in societal conflicts” (Harvard Kennedy School)

Dr. Erica Chenoweth of Harvard discovered 4 ingredients to successful nonviolent movements.

The Decline of Christianity has slowed (Pew Research)

Deep generational divides on spirituality remain.

Illuminating Spiritual Innovation (Sacred Design Lab)

4 trends in how people all over the world are approaching spirituality.

Aligning for Power: A Case Study of Bargaining for the Common Good in Minnesota (Georgetown University)

In 2023, Minnesota [my favorite state] had what some consider the “most productive and progressive legislative sessions that any state has produced in decades.”

Emotional Solidarity (Social Movement Studies)

Emotions as a ‘moral battery’ that fosters action.

Climate Change in the American Mind, 2024 (Yale)

Includes research on how Americans think climate change will effect the world’s poor.

Global Flourishing Study

Emerging research on human flourishing from the perspectives of many disciplines—psychology, theology, economics, and more.