Tribal Church

Carol Howard Merritt surveys the religious landscape

Speaking to the fear

How do we respond to our anxious culture during this election cycle?

Oct 09, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

The fear is palpable. The Obama supporters feel that a Romney presidency will completely erode our safety net, so that only the rich will survive. Women feel like any gains that they have eked out in society for the last few decades will be taken away completely. The Romney supporters think that we need to get someone in there who knows about business, or else our economy will collapse. They worry about the looming deficit and an oversized government, so they want Romney to make the tough decisions.

Constructive use of jealousy

How can we idenitify jealousy and use it to recognize our calling?

Sep 27, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

I get jealous. I try not to, but I hope that I’ve also begun to recognize and constructively use the emotion. Here are some dos and don’ts that I practice to make sure that the little green monster doesn’t take over my life.

Feeling threatened

When someone you distrust shows up at church

Sep 19, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt
Someone who tries to control through words has been trying to contact me for years. While he acts as though he is interested in saving women from violence, the way he does this is through distorting the truth, triangulation, manipulation and, lastly, by exerting the power of place: showing up to my congregation.



Social media and social change

How do we respond when a good cause becomes a fad?

Sep 10, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

Social media can reduce activism to a fad—something that we take part in because a particular Twitter hashtag is trending, a video has become viral or a Facebook cause has become popular. It can ignore the hard work that has been taking place over decades and discount a long-term strategy that a community might have.

Playing the mom card

Does pointing out the needs of your family help or hurt the next generation?

Sep 08, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

I always feel like using the mom card highlights some sort of gender defect. My husband was a work-at-home dad for three years, and he has been just as involved in the diaper changing, sick days and parent/teacher meetings as I have. But I always have a feeling that when a guy uses the parent card, people think, What a great dad. But when women use it, people think, What an inept worker.

Nyasha Junior on God Complex Radio

The Bible in the public square

Sep 06, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

Throughout this political season, the Bible has been used in our discourse. Should this be the case? When is the Bible helpful and when is it harmful in the public square?

Cultivating a culture of love

We need to be wary of those we celebrate

Sep 05, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

Leaders in mainline denominational churches crave creativity, vision and success. We like to learn from other disciplines. But is Steve Jobs the best person to teach us?

Dealing with inappropriate comments

Aug 28, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

I started in the pastorate in my mid-twenties. I was short and good-natured, and I received awkward comments quite a bit. I don’t as much any longer. I got better with reaction time and gained some tools to deflect the comments.

Leading with bold imagination 3

Part three of my interview with Montreat Conference Center

Aug 08, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

This is the third and final post in a series of interview questions. Montreat Conference Center has an Institute for Church Leadership. Since I will be preaching at their "Leading With Bold Imagination" Conference that is coming up, they asked me a few questions. If you'd like to read the whole interview, here is part one and part two. And if you have a chance to attend the conference, I would love to see you there. Montreat's setting can feed the soul.

Leading with bold imagination 2

Part two of three

Aug 07, 2012 by Carol Howard Merritt

Montreat's Institute for Church Leadership is holding a Leading with Bold Imagination Conference. I'm the conference preacher, so they asked me a few questions.