At the beginning of this year, PARSE officially replaced Out of Ur as the Leadership Journal blog. It's more than just a name change; with the new title comes a new philosophy of, as editor Paul Pastor puts it, "cultural exegesis for ministry practitioners." We spoke with Pastor, who has been involved in the project since the earliest brainstorms, about the new blog, why it's necessary, and what to watch for as it continues to grow and develop into its own voice.

What makes PARSE different from Out of Ur? Why the change?

We're taking what Out of Ur started to a new level of excellence and clarity.

Parse continues the trajectory of Out of Ur—focusing on the intersections of ministry and culture—but refines the vision, improves the site experience, and builds a stronger, more iconic brand. The change started small, with a newsletter that we renamed PARSE early last year. (You should subscribe! It's good.) The name came after a couple fruitless brainstorming meetings, including such "gems" as "Culture Vulture," "The Ministry Magpie," and other dubious, unusable, mostly bird-related names. As we were walking out the door at the end of a frustrating meeting, it came to me—"PARSE." It's an insider term for pastors, and anyone who's had the good fortune (or misfortune) to exegete Biblical Greek—it refers to the process of bringing meaning out of a text. Analysis, you know? Analysis for the sake of translation and communication. For us, it speaks to our mission of cultural exegesis for ministry practitioners.

Who is the intended audience for PARSE?

This blog is for ministry practitioners who, like PARSE's editors, are tired of the hyperactive, shallow buzz that often passes as ministry conversation online. Too often, celebrity voices or social media moguls determine Christian dialogue, and only occasionally are they helpful for forming embodied opinion. We want to humbly listen to everyone, but also create a space where the practitioner's voice can be honored. So, our audience? Thoughtful pastors, parachurch or nonprofit leaders, and anyone who is giving their life in ministry to others. They'll find sharp analysis, encouragement, and earned cultural wisdom on PARSE.

In a more general sense, I hope Christians of all backgrounds or vocations will find a welcoming, compelling space on the PARSE site—one that will challenge and sharpen their own skills of understanding their faith and engaging their context. They'll find interesting prose and media, provocative ideas, and occasionally a good laugh.

What do you hope someone would gain by reading PARSE?

A sense of shared experience with others, an appreciation for the beauty and meaning of culture's relationship with the Church, and a healthy perspective on engaging faithfully with our neighbors who are different from us. Validation and empowering ideas for their calling.

What is the ultimate goal for PARSE?

In a kingdom-of-Jesus sense, simply to fulfill our mission well. To help the leaders of Christ's Church engage faithfully, intelligently, and peaceably with culture.

If we're talking publishing dreams, I'd like to see PARSE become the iconic outlet for ministry and culture writing on the web. We have a great logo. I want to see it everywhere. I want to set a new standard for ministry and culture conversations.

Tell me a little about the mechanics of the site. What is your role, and Skye's? How often will it be updated? Any regular features?

Skye Jethani and I are PARSE's key editors, but all of Leadership Journal's staff has a role of some kind.

Skye is the boss, but we work very collaboratively. We both acquire and produce content, and both contribute to the vision and strategy of the site. Right now, I'm more of a managing editor, I'd say—taking on a little more of the day-to-day work of production, publication, promotion. Skye is very gifted as a networker and strategist, so I'm learning from him as we go. I admire his persistent focus on what pastors need, not just on what will sell. He is so committed to the Church.

We'll update the site 3-5 times a week at least, but are willing to let a day go by quietly rather than put up something that's not top-notch. Developing regular contributors is a key part of our strategy. We have several excellent writers already committed for a monthly contribution, one for a bi-weekly, and two weekly features that were Ur staples—Paul Wilkinson's Wednesday Link List, and Daniel Darling's Friday Five interview series. More commitments are rolling in, too. People are catching our vision, and eager to partner with us.

Additionally, we're hoping that many of our readers will contribute to the site. We don't care if a contributor's a bestselling ministry rock star, or if they're a volunteer pastor hailing from Nowhere, USA. We want to engage the best of their ministry and culture thinking, and share it with the women and men who lead the church. We want to share. We want to learn.

Laura Leonard is associate editor of BuildingChurchLeaders.com.