“Scalp Moss” is a real concern, even if the term has dubious origins. In fact, I have had first-hand experience with the scourge of Scalp Moss in my youth. It refers to the result of systematic poor hygiene during adolescent years—or in my case, avoiding showers and shampoo at all costs. My hair became something of a wildlife habitat with oils and odors that were difficult to miss. Maybe there was not literal moss growing, but my hair was odiferous in all of the wrong ways. To my Lewis Camp counselors and fellow campers from those years in the mid to late 1980’s, I offer my sincere apologies.

Scalp Moss is also an effective figurative term. Scalp Moss can refer to when we become so routine in doing things that we do not clean up the process and we become stuck. As churches, if we do things repetitively without looking at ways to improve or adapt how we do what we do—there is a good chance that Scalp Moss will begin to creep in. That hardly sounds like a healthy way to engage in discipleship process and outward focus.

As a General Conference, we also need to be keenly aware of the potential to keep doing something repetitively without changing things up. I realize that there a zillion applications of this—but one specific area is communication. Through out this COVID-19 season, we have been pivoting our communication rhythm to better connect with people and increase our reach. It is time to pivot once again.

Here are some exciting changes coming up in our communication line up:

• Two-minute videos will now be done by multiple members of the Conference Team. Expectantly look forward to the August 27^th premier of Nick Kersten’s two-minutes!
• On Tuesday, September 1^st, you can look forward to a Facebook Live conversation.
• On Thursday, September 10^th, there will be another two-minute message posted by the SDB Conference Team.
• Also in September, there will be another Pastor’s Forum scheduled along with other interactions, including virtual visits where we are invited to join you. If you would like to request a virtual visit simply go to: https://seventhdaybaptist.org/visit-request-form

Looking forward to our upcoming communication . . . without the Scalp Moss.

Grace and peace,

Carl Greene, Executive Director, SDB General Conference of USA and Canada

   – Photo courtesy of Sam Greene