This is the new website for Alan Rudnick. On The Bema has transformed!
My good “in” with the Albany Times Union through my blog has produced several fruitful friendships. One them is Kristi Gustafson Barlette, social media strategist and staff writer, who writes about culture, trends, and relationships. Kristi interviewed me for an article on the benefits of premarital counseling for engaged couples:
Counseling. That one little word often conjures up images of trouble — either for you independently or as a couple. Many people believe turning to a counselor means you are weak or cannot handle life on your own. But, in reality, counseling — especially the premarital variety — can help you better understand yourself and your partner.
“Counselors are not just there to point out the things that are bad; they are also there for reinforcement and to point out what’s good,” says Amy Eisinger, an associate editor with WeddingChannel.com. “It’s not like you are going to discover this earth-shattering issue. Pre-wedding counseling is going to help you strengthen your relationship; it’s not going to break you up.”
…
Rev. Alan Rudnick, minister at the First Baptist Church in Ballston Spa, requires everyone he marries to go through premarital counseling. Couples meet with Rudnick three or four times before the wedding and take an in-depth look at their relationship. He is not a judge, and his church is not a drive-by wedding chapel. Instead, Rudnick establishes relationships with couples — and often with their parents, as well — that can last long after the duo slip bands on one another’s ring finger. “It lets us sit down and make the relationship qualitative, instead of quantitative,” Rudnick says.
Related articles
- Thoughts on pre-wedding counseling? (timesunion.com)
- Money and Marriage Advocate Provides Premarital Financial Counseling for Engaged Couples (prweb.com)
- How to handle those prewedding jitters (timesunion.com)
- Bride texts during her wedding (timesunion.com)
Okay, so I’ve explained the usage regarding a “bema” and how it has been used through the centuries. Jews use the term “bema” regularly in their worship, but this snappy boytshik knows how to inform people about being ON A BEMA! Oy!
If you didn’t know, this is a parody of “I’m on a Boat”. If you don’t know what that is, well… a joke isn’t funny when you have to explain it.
On the Bema
This blog has existed for over two years and often people ask, “What’s a bema?”
In worship, I often use the word “bema” to describe the elevated area of the sanctuary were the Word is read, preaching occurs, the choir sings, and other religious function occur. “Bema” is a foreign term to most low church goers and Baptists, but the concept is older than Christianity.
Baptists usually refer someone “preaching on the pulpit”. This terminology is incorrect. The pulpit is a piece of furniture where one holds notes, sermon text, Bible, etc… You preach from a pulpit. Therefore, you cannot “stand” on the pulpit. There is more to the space around the place where the Word is shared. The “bema” helps us understand that there is more room than just the place where a preacher preaches.
For thousands of years the “bema” or raised part of a church or synagogue, has been the place where religious ideas were shared. Throughout Christianity, the bema area was /is used as the place where the word and sacrament come together.
In the same light, On The Bema makes room and is the intersection for the sharing of ideas, trends, and culture that flow through Christianity.
On the Bema is refocusing into shorter ideas, stories, and trends that involve faith and culture. Yes, I’ll keep blogging, but you’ll also see polls, statistics, trends, pictures, and video.
Be on the look out for new post and don’t forget to subscribe via e-mail to keep up with all the latest posts – look to the right panel to subscribe.
I’m taking the month of August off to think about the future of On The Bema. I’ll still post over at the Times Union Blog. With my upcoming book on associate pastor ministry coming out next year with Judson Press, I have to make some decisions about managing my social media presence and related websites.
-Alan
This past week I’ve been running a contest to give away two great books, Russell Rathbun’s book nuChristian and Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus.
It’s noon! The winners are:
Christine Smith – nuChristian
D Brown – In the Name of Jesus
Andrew Twiton – In the Name of Jesus
Contest winners: You’ll get an email or DM from me shortly.
Thanks for everyone who entered and look out for another giveaway!
I’m giving away a free copy of Russell Rathbun’s book nuChristian (read my related posts here and review here) and two free copies of Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus.
Interested?
There are two ways to win:
- Subscribe to my blog with the link to the right. Enter your email and click “subscribe” or if you are a WordPress user, click “subscribe” on the top of this page. (Subscribing allows an automatic email update to be sent to your email address. No spam, I promise. New subscribers will only be entered in this giveaway.)
- Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/alanrud
The winners will be picked at random. You can subscribe to On The Bema and follow me on Twitter, which gives you two chances to win. You have till Monday, March 28 @ noon Good luck!
Shane Claiborne, author and activist comments on nuChristian:
“I am convinced that if we lose a generation in the church, that loss won’t be because we failed to entertain them, but because we failed to dare them — to take the words of Jesus seriously and to do something about the things that are wrong in the world. Russell Rathbun offers us that dare — to renew a Christianity that reminds the world of Jesus again.”
Here's my "I'm sorry" gift basket.
I must fess up. I’ve neglected my blog for the last two months. I’m sorry to my readers. What keeps a blog going are consistent posts that are thought provoking and timely. My blogging output was seriously deficient the past two months. I apologize and owe you an explanation.
Several things have held my attention. Namely, finishing my book manuscript on associate minister ministry for Judson Press was paramount. Writing, proofing (thanks to Kristen Champion-Terrell for her help), and completing 159 pages was an exercise in patience. My editor was gracious with my revised due dates. Finding time for manuscript writing was a learning process. Every writer has their process and I discovered mine.
Being a pastor and writing a book is no small task. I am fortunate and thankful for a thriving congregation. Putting writing off for late night hospital visits, retreats, evening meetings, and other church events was a constant reality. If pastoral work was not enough, certainly my duties as a General Board member for the American Baptist Churches and serving on the Board of Directors for the American Baptist Home Mission Society took up a few days here and there. Finally, attending my Lewis Fellows meetings takes away writing time too.
Don’t get me wrong. All of this good, really good. I’ve learned a lot and connected with many new people to help broaden my ministry. However, I discovered a few important realities when trying to write a book and balancing work, life, and family: Continue Reading…
In a newly released video, Sarah Palin reacts to the shooting in Arizona and responds to critics by using the phrase “blood libel.” Watch the 7:43 minute video:
Palin states in the video: But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn.
As I noted in my last blog post, clearly the few comments or use of a graphic depicting targeting sights could not be the single cause of the shooter’s motivation. Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post outlines the issue:
I’m taking a break from blogging. I need to allocate my time to finish my Judson Press book on associate pastor ministry. However, don’t be surprised if you see me throw something up that is juicy. Expect me back sometime around January 1, 2011. Peace.
-Alan
Check out the Q&A blogger piece in today’s Times Union on my blog. Thanks to Michael Huber at the Times Union for asking me to do it.
I’m taking a short sabbatical from blogging till September (a collective “awwww man”). I have some personal deadlines I need to meet for the book I’m writing on associate pastor ministry for Judson Press. If all goes as planned, the book will be ready for the fall of 2011. I know that seems far away but it will come quickly. If something really pressing comes along in the news that I just have to respond to you may see a post.
Come September, I’ll be back up and running at full speed with blogging.
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