Thankful for an imperfect holiday
I love Thanksgiving. The first 10 years of my life were spent in a small farming community in northeastern Colorado where my parents moved just…
Cheryl Mann Bacon
Columnist
Cheryl Mann Bacon served for 20 years as chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Abilene Christian University. In retirement, she is enjoying freelance writing and consulting, especially with churches.
Cheryl's recent articles:
A ‘mission critical’ president
Ohio Valley University inaugurated Michael Ross as its new president Sept. 20 — an unlikely calling for an optimist. And he wasn’t looking for a…
Best practices for dismissing a minister
Somewhere in the unwritten but badly needed handbook for elders are three rules: 1. Do hard things well. 2. Do painful things kindly. 3. If…
Worst practices for dismissing a minister
Talking with ministers who have lost their jobs can feel repetitive. And depressing. The ministers don’t all paint themselves as perfect or without weakness or…
‘If this is ever not going well … would you please tell me?’
Ministers don’t come with a "good church-keeping seal of approval" or a money-back guarantee. They make mistakes, which should surprise no one. If Moses, Jonah,…
Aging, declining church chooses hospitality
ABILENE, Texas — The tan stucco building doesn’t look like much — not a lot of grass or landscaping outside. Just a handful of cars dot…
