Dear friends in Christ: This week’s Forward Today is written by Margaret Ellsworth, Forward Movement’s Marketing Coordinator. From time to time, I hope Forward Today readers will enjoy a perspective from others on our team. – Scott Gunn

When I first saw the syllabus for my Intro to New Testament class at seminary, I wasn’t sure what to think. The reading list listed only one book (the professor’s own, obviously). For the rest of the class, we just needed to read the New Testament three times through by the end of the semester. There would be a final exam—full of short-answer questions whose answers would be taken directly from the biblical text. But the professor assured us that if we listened in lectures and read the Bible, the exam would be easy. As a student with a tendency to over-prepare for every test, I wasn’t so sure!

Ten years later, I have forgotten many of the specifics I learned in that class. I’ve lost my lecture notes that called out specific historical facts and literary devices. But I am still reading the Bible, passage by passage, cover to cover. And immersing myself in the Bible has changed my spiritual life for the better.

For nearly two years now, I’ve been starting my day with Morning Prayer. Which I have explained to Episcopal-curious friends as “thirty minutes of basically all scripture.” The way I encounter the Bible in the Daily Office is more like my old professor’s approach to the Bible than the way student-Margaret expected to learn. The lectionary takes me through the Bible, book by book, not to prove a point but to follow the story. The worship service weaves together those Bible readings with songs and poems from scripture. Nearly every day, I end my prayers with some verse or phrase stuck in my head.

Unlike my classmates, I don’t have to use my Bible knowledge on a weekly basis to preach sermons or teach classes. In my regular layperson life, though, I do encounter questions about faith and the Bible. Most often these questions come from my kids, who are old enough now to ask hard questions about love and death and suffering. Lately I’ve also gotten questions from friends who are finding their way back to church, or curious about what Christian practice looks like for me.

In those conversations, I don’t turn to professor-approved answers. I tell the stories that are stuck in my head. I think about the words of hope and promise I’ve come to know so well, and the narratives of calling and repentance and return. I come to understand my own story anchored in the Story I read every day.

The RenewalWorks team’s research has found that “engagement with scripture is indeed one of the most effective catalyst for spiritual growth in congregations.” That deeper understanding of scripture is a gift for all of us—not limited to the folks with fancy collars and seminary training. From Education for Ministry groups to accessible Bible study resources, there are plenty of ways to increase engagement with the Bible. No final exam required.

I wonder what habits of prayer and study will bring you deeper into the Bible this fall?

Yours faithfully,

Margaret Ellsworth
Marketing Coordinator

P.S. We recently released our 10th Bible Challenge book, A Journey through Genesis. To celebrate, we’re giving you an extra 10% off ANY Bible Challenge book through the end of September. Use the code BIBLECHALLENGE on our website for 10% off our (already discounted) prices through September 30.

More from our ministry:

Pray with often-unheard voices in scripture: Bible Women

Follow the narrative of God’s love: The Path

Begin at the beginning: A Journey through Genesis

Join us for Morning Prayer: A Morning at the Office podcast

Dear friends in Christ,

The Gospel isn’t fair. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. One of the reasons I repeat this often is that I need to hear it myself.

We live in a culture that wants us to be very concerned that everyone gets what they deserve. That works, in our cultural message, for those who do good and for those who do evil. In our zero-sum world, it’s important that we keep everything fair – and, again, make absolutely sure people get what’s coming to them.

But Jesus has another way. In the economy of grace, there’s always enough. It’s never too late.

This Sunday’s assigned Gospel reading from brings us the parable of the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20. In the story, someone hires day laborers and pays them all the same wage, whether they worked all day or just an hour. Outrageous, right! Unfair! But wait! The day laborers got paid for their work fairly. Why should they care if the landowner gives someone the same pay for an hour’s work?

It’s not too hard to see this same dynamic play out in our time. I’ve heard long-time, faithful church members complain about the “new people” who haven’t earned their right to express opinions. (Yes, I’ve heard this from clergy AND lay people.) But Jesus’ teaching reminds us that “new people” have the same claim on God’s mercy and grace as long-time members who have put in their time.

Someone who finds their way into a life of faith has just as much a claim on God’s love as the person who grew up in church and never missed a Sunday. Someone who has committed grave crimes and then repents is as beloved as the person who never had to face a judge and go into prison.

None of us can rest on our laurels because of some entitlement that we were there first. It’s never too late for God’s grace and mercy. No one, and I mean no one, is beyond redemption.

It’s shocking. Let’s all bask in the shocking, extravagant love of God. And then perhaps we can be quick to share that love with someone who’s yearning for a word of hope.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

Just announced: Preview the words for AdventWord 2023

Rethink church teachings on wealth and poverty: The Unjust Steward

Share God’s word with others: Share It Forward packs of Forward Day by Day

Recently released: A Journey through Genesis Bible Challenge

Dear friends in Christ,

Tomorrow the church celebrates Holy Cross Day. On one level, this feast day commemorates the finding of the true cross in the fourth century. But at a wider level, this is an opportunity to give thanks for the cross – an awful yet glorious instrument of our salvation.

My sense is that many of us have domesticated the cross at some level. It’s easy for familiarity to tame our shock. I’m not a fan of sensationalist, bloody attempts to depict the cross, but maybe they have a place. For my part, whenever I feel like I’m losing the plot, I imagine an image of Jesus strapped to an electric chair, or standing there in front of a firing squad. It’s repulsive. And that’s not a bad reaction to contemplating the execution of our Lord and Savior.

Of course, horror isn’t the whole point either. Our horror at the death of Jesus Christ for us is a path toward grasping the magnitude of his willing sacrifice for us and for our salvation. It’s only God’s extravagant grace that could do such a thing.

In other words, we’d be missing the point if we just saw the cross as a horrific means of execution. And we’d be missing the point if we treated the cross like an item to add in our Christian décor. This day is an invitation to us to see the cross for what it is: the place where God’s great love meets the depths of human sin.

On the cross, we see God’s love for us poured out. We see a God who is not remote and uncaring, but who loves us so much that our Father sent his only Son to give his life for us. And I hope we hear Christ’s own invitation to us to take up our cross and follow him – to be willing to join in God’s sacrificial love.

The collect for the day puts this all beautifully. Let us pray:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

Just announced: AdventWord selections for 2023

Explore grace and other key beliefs: Walk in Love

Stations of the Cross and other devotions: Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book

Get ready for Advent: Preparing the Way

Pray with us every day: prayer.forwardmovement.org

Dear friends in Christ,

Jesus famously said, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:25). The meaning is clear. We can lead our hearts with our treasure.

If you want to be more generous, give away some money! If you want to be compassionate, spend your money compassionately. If you want to be Christ-centered, make sure your gifts to support God’s work are the first item in your budget.

Jesus didn’t say this, but I like to imagine he would have added, “And where your time is, there your heart will be also.” In countless conversations with people, one theme I hear regularly is that lots of us feel like there’s not enough time. Sometimes I feel this way myself. As a society, we don’t sleep enough. We don’t play enough. We tend toward frazzled.

I’ve heard more than one person say, “I wish I had more time to pray.” Maybe I’ve uttered those words myself. One great blessing of my Medical Melodrama of 2022 is that I got my prayer life in order, better than it’s been my whole life. Now morning AND evening prayer are baked into my routine. Every day. And you know what? It’s changed me. It’s not that my problems have gone away, but when I’m anchored in prayer, I am more patient, more attentive, more joyful. (And, to be clear, I still have a LOT of room for improvement on all fronts!)

What about you? How is your calendar? If Jesus looked over your shoulder at your schedule for the week, could he tell that you follow him?

I don’t have answers here. But I can tell you that I see in my own life the difference between those times I orient my days as a disciple and those times I orient my days as someone who’s stuck on the hamster wheel of the consumer lifestyle. I don’t have it figured out yet, but the patterns are clear.

Treating each day is a gift is definitely the way to go. Spending time in prayer is well worth it—it pulls our hearts closer to God. Time nurturing friendships is a delight.

If it helps, Forward Movement has some podcasts that can help you find time for prayer even on the go. And you might like to start or end your day with a devotion. There are lots of folks providing excellent materials for us when we want to lead our hearts.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

On sale now: Preparing the Way: Christian Practices for Advent

A beautiful, compact edition of the Daily Office: Hour by Hour

Wealth, poverty, and Christian community: The Unjust Steward

Shake up your devotional routine: Devotions for People who Don’t Do Devotions

Dear friends in Christ,

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been writing about welcoming guests to our churches, from the outside to the inside. But even more important than how we welcome guests, we need to talk about why we welcome guests.

Of course, we want to welcome guests to our churches with kindness for lots of reasons. Being decent human beings is a fine reason! As I’ve said before, many people who show up in a church for the first time are experiencing a major life transition, so a kind gesture might have a huge impact just when it’s needed.

But there are other reasons. For one thing, we meet Jesus when we welcome strangers. He said so in Matthew 25. Hospitality is very important in the scriptures, as we read again and again.

The mission Jesus gave us is to make disciples of all nations. It’s hard to do that if we don’t do a good job of welcoming people who show up in our churches. I’ve heard horror stories of parents being scolded for bringing kids, of churches keeping the bathroom locked to keep visitors from using it, of visitors getting the silent treatment at coffee hour, and so on. Don’t do that! Be kind!

The best way to know if your church is truly welcoming is to invite some “mystery worshipers.” Get some folks to come along some Sunday and see how they’re treated. Then you’ll know. And the good news is it’s all fixable. Every church can learn—because the church is made up of people, and we can always learn and grow.

We could all benefit from applying one important bit of the Rule of Benedict: “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for he is going to say, “I came as a guest, and you received Me” (Matt. 25:35).

Let us joyfully greet Jesus Christ.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

P.S. This week, we’re doing a very rare thing: having a big sale! You can purchase beautiful gift edition copies of the Book of Common Prayer, stock up on Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practices, and dive into Inwardly Digest at a 25% discount. This sale ends on August 31, so get your orders in today. Perfect timing for welcoming new members in the fall.

More from our ministry:

Help visitors find your church with an official Episcopal Church sign

Dive deeper into scripture: A Journey with Matthew Bible Challenge

Stories and tools to transform your church: Invite Welcome Connect

From Grow Christians: Entering St. Bartholomew’s Stories

Dear friends in Christ,

Last week, I wrote about welcoming guests starting from the outside of your church. This week, let’s talk about the inside.

I can tell you, I’ve visited lots of churches and experience a wide range of hospitality (or lack thereof). Let’s start with some negative experiences.

When I moved to a new town some years ago, I visited a number of Episcopal congregations, mostly smaller churches. I got one of two welcomes, both terrible in their own way. Some churches were clearly desperate for new members, so they literally asked me to be on their vestry before they asked for my name. And so on. Others were just the opposite. I began to worry that I had accidentally taken an invisibility potion: they completely and utterly ignored me.

Those are the extremes of bad welcome. Don’t ignore people, and don’t smother them. Fortunately, most of my experience as a guest has been quite good.

A couple of weeks ago, I visited a church. Someone noticed I was new on the way in, and they made sure I had a leaflet and knew where to sit. And they welcomed me warmly. After the service, the clergy encouraged me to come to coffee hour. When I arrived there, someone found me and struck up a conversation. It was delightful. If I lived there, I’d go back.

Good hospitality takes good intentionality. Raise up a ministry of greeters (different from ushers) whose only job is to welcome everyone, especially people who might be there for the first time. If they have a child in tow, help them with whatever they need to know (are there classes?).

Encourage members to say hello to guests. Offer some coaching on how to strike up a conversation that invites folks in, without causing offense or putting people off.

Shorten the passing of the peace, or at least train folks to pay attention to guests. If you are visiting a church, it’s no fun to stand there with your hands in your pockets for several minutes while all the members catch up. And that’s not what the peace is for, anyway!

Coffee hour is a danger zone! Make sure guests are welcomed and invited into conversation.

Why do we do this? Because Jesus said when we welcome strangers, we are welcoming Christ himself.

On a less theological note, studies have shown that when people walk through the doors of a church for the first time, it’s likely they’re experiencing major transition in their lives. They have moved. They have a new job, or they’ve lost a job. Someone is dying or has died. A child is coming. And so on. People are fragile in these moments, and a gracious welcome can make all the difference in the world. So can a horrible welcome.

Fall is coming, and so are guests. Now is a great time to talk about how you can make sure your church is welcoming people warmly.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

Stories and tools to transform your church: Invite Welcome Connect

New this month: A Journey through Genesis Bible Challenge

From Grow Christians: Do not fear

Dear friends in Christ,

As summer comes to a close, schools are starting up again. Many churches are beginning a new program year with classes and other ministries. The early fall is a time when many churches see an influx of guests, as this is a natural time to go searching for a church.

Are you ready for guests? Is your church building ready?

Over the next two or three weeks, I want to explore hospitality in these weekly messages. This week, let’s think about the outside of your church.

When you get used to attending your church, it’s easy to start to overlook things, to forget how everything looks to a first-time guest. But if you want to be welcoming for guests, you have to be ready to see your church through their eyes.

This is a good time to check some basics. Is it obvious which door to use to enter? Is there a side door that “everyone knows about” but it’s not the big door by the church tower? Is the parking situation clear? Do you need some signs to help people navigate on their first visit?

Would someone in a wheelchair know how and where to enter your church?

Does the sign show the correct Sunday service times?

And how about the landscaping? Is your lawn well cared for?

These things might seem like they shouldn’t matter, but they do. First impressions matter, and a first-time guest’s first impression of your church begins before they set foot in the door.

Next week we’ll talk about welcoming guests once they’re inside. But this week, I encourage you to try to see your church through the eyes of someone who’s never been there before. If possible, ask a friend to help you out by being a “mystery guest” and telling you their impressions.

We live in a world where people are yearning for a word of hope. Coming to a church can be scary for folks who have never been, or who haven’t been in a long time. We can ease the way for our guests by offering a gracious welcome. Now is a good time to get ready.

Our goal in welcoming guests is not to sell them a membership to our club but rather to welcome people in Christ’s name. Warm hospitality is a blessing to receive and to give.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

Welcome passersby to your church with an Episcopal Church sign

From Grow Christians: The Power of Presence

Equip and empower churches to practice hospitality: Invite Welcome Connect

New release: Devotions for People who Don’t Do Devotions

Dear friends in Christ,

This coming Sunday, our lectionary includes verses from the tenth chapter of Romans, in which St. Paul reminds his readers that it is critical that we both profess the Good News and believe it in our hearts. He writes, “if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

I hear again and again that the Episcopal Church is a safe place to ask questions, and I hope that is always true. A mature faith must involve wrestling with hard things, and doubt is often a necessary step on the path toward belief. I hope our self-understanding doesn’t just include the importance and goodness of questions. You see, we also need to offer answers.

Data from Forward Movement’s RenewalWorks ministry tells us that certain beliefs are correlated with spiritual growth. If you understand and believe in grace—the idea that God loves us all, regardless of our merit—you are more likely to grow spiritually. In other words, teaching supports growth.

If we want our churches to be places that promote spiritual growth, we need to encourage the profession of faith, inside and outside the church. Let us proclaim in the public square that death, evil, and sin never have the last word! Love always wins!

And it’s essential for us who follow Jesus to learn and to grow on our journey. Those of us who are called to a ministry of teaching should do it.

Think of St. Thomas. He expressed his doubt to his Lord. And Jesus lovingly replied, inviting him to see and to touch. Then Believing Thomas said, “My Lord and my God.” Doubt is good, and Jesus loves us through it. But then let us be quick to profess our faith when God blesses us.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

Learn more insights for spiritual growth: Signs of Life

Brush up on core Episcopal beliefs: Walk in Love

New from ChurchNext: The Book of Exodus

From Grow Christians: The mythic, universal power of the Transfiguration

Dear friends in Christ,

Following Jesus is a daily adventure. We need to stay on track, and that takes more than an hour-long check-in on Sunday morning. Daily devotions can really help us focus on what’s important.

Since 1935, Forward Movement has helped disciples grow each and every day. Over the years we’ve created devotionals of all kinds—from books and pamphlets, to smartphone apps and podcasts that support your spiritual journey on the go.

We know what works for one person’s spiritual life may not be right for someone else. God has made us all in great variety. On that note, if you are looking for a fresh take on devotions, check out Tim Schenck’s new book, Devotions for People Who Don’t Do Devotions, just published by Forward Movement. He might be able to help you get started.

This Forward Today weekly email isn’t meant to be a mere infomercial for Forward Movement. So, to that end, I want to recommend a powerful devotion from outside the Episcopal/Anglican world that has also served generation after generation. I personally love the classic, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. You can buy a book or read it online for free. It’s a vigorous and challenging take on this Christian life.

If these don’t work for you, keep looking. It’s important that we who follow Jesus find a way to stay on the path as life sends us on twists and turns.

Yours faithfully,

Scott Gunn
Executive Director

More from our ministry:

New this week: A Journey through Genesis

99 devotions from an accomplished author: A Generous Beckoning

Spend 50 days reflecting on scripture: The Bible Challenge series